diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 959972c6f..04ea1a1a4 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ DFHack future
     - support for calling a lua function via a protobuf request (demonstrated by dfhack-run --lua).
     - Lua API for listing files in directory. Needed for mod-manager.
     - Lua API for creating unit combat reports and writing to gamelog.
+    - Lua API for running arbitrary DFHack commands
     - support for multiple raw/init.d/*.lua init scripts in one save.
     - eventful now has a more friendly way of making custom sidebars
     - new plugin: building-hacks. Allows to add custom functionality and/or animations to buildings. 
diff --git a/library/LuaApi.cpp b/library/LuaApi.cpp
index 3a374445f..529f51edb 100644
--- a/library/LuaApi.cpp
+++ b/library/LuaApi.cpp
@@ -2227,6 +2227,64 @@ static int internal_getDir(lua_State *L)
     }
     return 1;
 }
+
+static int internal_runCommand(lua_State *L)
+{
+    buffered_color_ostream out;
+    command_result res;
+    if (lua_gettop(L) == 0)
+    {
+        lua_pushstring(L, "");
+    }
+    int type_1 = lua_type(L, 1);
+    if (type_1 == LUA_TTABLE)
+    {
+        std::string command = "";
+        std::vector<std::string> args;
+        lua_pushnil(L);   // first key
+        while (lua_next(L, 1) != 0)
+        {
+            if (command == "")
+                command = lua_tostring(L, -1);
+            else
+                args.push_back(lua_tostring(L, -1));
+            lua_pop(L, 1);  // remove value, leave key
+        }
+        CoreSuspender suspend;
+        res = Core::getInstance().runCommand(out, command, args);
+    }
+    else if (type_1 == LUA_TSTRING)
+    {
+        std::string command = lua_tostring(L, 1);
+        CoreSuspender suspend;
+        res = Core::getInstance().runCommand(out, command);
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        lua_pushnil(L);
+        lua_pushfstring(L, "Expected table, got %s", lua_typename(L, type_1));
+        return 2;
+    }
+    auto fragments = out.fragments();
+    lua_newtable(L);
+    lua_pushinteger(L, (int)res);
+    lua_setfield(L, -2, "status");
+    int i = 1;
+    for (auto iter = fragments.begin(); iter != fragments.end(); iter++, i++)
+    {
+        int color = iter->first;
+        std::string output = iter->second;
+        lua_createtable(L, 2, 0);
+        lua_pushinteger(L, color);
+        lua_rawseti(L, -2, 1);
+        lua_pushstring(L, output.c_str());
+        lua_rawseti(L, -2, 2);
+        lua_rawseti(L, -2, i);
+    }
+    lua_pushvalue(L, -1);
+    return 1;
+}
+
 static const luaL_Reg dfhack_internal_funcs[] = {
     { "getAddress", internal_getAddress },
     { "setAddress", internal_setAddress },
@@ -2240,6 +2298,7 @@ static const luaL_Reg dfhack_internal_funcs[] = {
     { "memscan", internal_memscan },
     { "diffscan", internal_diffscan },
     { "getDir", internal_getDir },
+    { "runCommand", internal_runCommand },
     { NULL, NULL }
 };
 
diff --git a/library/lua/dfhack.lua b/library/lua/dfhack.lua
index 77c62311a..3cc98e882 100644
--- a/library/lua/dfhack.lua
+++ b/library/lua/dfhack.lua
@@ -10,6 +10,14 @@ local dfhack = dfhack
 local base_env = dfhack.BASE_G
 local _ENV = base_env
 
+CR_LINK_FAILURE = -3
+CR_NEEDS_CONSOLE = -2
+CR_NOT_IMPLEMENTED = -1
+CR_OK = 0
+CR_FAILURE = 1
+CR_WRONG_USAGE = 2
+CR_NOT_FOUND = 3
+
 -- Console color constants
 
 COLOR_RESET = -1
@@ -256,7 +264,8 @@ function dfhack.interpreter(prompt,hfile,env)
         print("Shortcuts:\n"..
               " '= foo' => '_1,_2,... = foo'\n"..
               " '! foo' => 'print(foo)'\n"..
-              "Both save the first result as '_'.")
+              " '~ foo' => 'printall(foo)'\n"..
+              "All of these save the first result as '_'.")
         print_banner = false
     end
 
@@ -357,6 +366,31 @@ function dfhack.run_script(name,...)
     return f(...)
 end
 
+function dfhack.run_command(...)
+    args = {...}
+    if type(args[1]) == 'table' then
+        command = args[1]
+    elseif #args > 1 and type(args[2]) == 'table' then
+        -- {args[1]} + args[2]
+        command = args[2]
+        table.insert(command, 1, args[1])
+    elseif #args == 1 and type(args[1]) == 'string' then
+        command = args[1]
+    elseif #args > 1 and type(args[1]) == 'string' then
+        command = args
+    else
+        error('Invalid arguments')
+    end
+    result = internal.runCommand(command)
+    output = ""
+    for i, f in pairs(result) do
+        if type(f) == 'table' then
+            output = output .. f[2]
+        end
+    end
+    return output, result.status
+end
+
 -- Per-save init file
 
 function dfhack.getSavePath()