diff --git a/geomagio/processing/copy_absolutes.py b/geomagio/processing/copy_absolutes.py
index ffbfbcb2b6a34979b1918fcc004d6c013b14f906..b2398b027a56df15e2aeaed2b2523ff1ba3ad122 100644
--- a/geomagio/processing/copy_absolutes.py
+++ b/geomagio/processing/copy_absolutes.py
@@ -71,7 +71,15 @@ def copy_absolutes(
         starttime=UTCDateTime(starttime),
         endtime=UTCDateTime(endtime),
     )
+
+    # confirm whether or not to copy absolutes
     print(f"Found {len(readings)} absolutes")
+    copy = typer.confirm(f"Are you sure you want to copy {len(readings)} absolutes?")
+    if not copy:
+        print("Not copying absolutes")
+        raise typer.Abort()
+    print("Copying over absolutes")
+
     # write readings to metadata service
     metadata_factory = MetadataFactory(token=metadata_token, url=metadata_url)
     with typer.progressbar(