diff --git a/cmd/ethereum/blocktest.go b/cmd/ethereum/blocktest.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1bb3809cf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/ethereum/blocktest.go
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+
+	"github.com/codegangsta/cli"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/cmd/utils"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/eth"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/ethdb"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/ethutil"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/tests"
+)
+
+var blocktestCmd = cli.Command{
+	Action: runblocktest,
+	Name:   "blocktest",
+	Usage:  `loads a block test file`,
+	Description: `
+The first argument should be a block test file.
+The second argument is the name of a block test from the file.
+
+The block test will be loaded into an in-memory database.
+If loading succeeds, the RPC server is started. Clients will
+be able to interact with the chain defined by the test.
+`,
+}
+
+func runblocktest(ctx *cli.Context) {
+	if len(ctx.Args()) != 2 {
+		utils.Fatalf("This command requires two arguments.")
+	}
+	file, testname := ctx.Args()[0], ctx.Args()[1]
+
+	bt, err := tests.LoadBlockTests(file)
+	if err != nil {
+		utils.Fatalf("%v", err)
+	}
+	test, ok := bt[testname]
+	if !ok {
+		utils.Fatalf("Test file does not contain test named %q", testname)
+	}
+
+	cfg := utils.MakeEthConfig(ClientIdentifier, Version, ctx)
+	cfg.NewDB = func(path string) (ethutil.Database, error) { return ethdb.NewMemDatabase() }
+	ethereum, err := eth.New(cfg)
+	if err != nil {
+		utils.Fatalf("%v", err)
+	}
+
+	// import the genesis block
+	ethereum.ResetWithGenesisBlock(test.Genesis)
+
+	// import pre accounts
+	if err := test.InsertPreState(ethereum.StateDb()); err != nil {
+		utils.Fatalf("could not insert genesis accounts: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// insert the test blocks, which will execute all transactions
+	chain := ethereum.ChainManager()
+	if err := chain.InsertChain(test.Blocks); err != nil {
+		utils.Fatalf("Block Test load error: %v", err)
+	} else {
+		fmt.Println("Block Test chain loaded, starting ethereum.")
+	}
+	startEth(ctx, ethereum)
+}
diff --git a/cmd/ethereum/main.go b/cmd/ethereum/main.go
index d31053fb1..bc515b583 100644
--- a/cmd/ethereum/main.go
+++ b/cmd/ethereum/main.go
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ func init() {
 	app.Action = run
 	app.HideVersion = true // we have a command to print the version
 	app.Commands = []cli.Command{
+		blocktestCmd,
 		{
 			Action: version,
 			Name:   "version",