diff --git a/src/apps/bin/Jamfile b/src/apps/bin/Jamfile
index e2f8716c03..c76dfa473b 100644
--- a/src/apps/bin/Jamfile
+++ b/src/apps/bin/Jamfile
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ StdBinCommands
 	listattr.cpp
 	lsindex.cpp
 	modifiers.cpp
+	open.cpp
 	quit.cpp
 	setversion.cpp
 	shutdown.cpp
diff --git a/src/apps/bin/open.cpp b/src/apps/bin/open.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c8127abf92
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/apps/bin/open.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+/* Launches an application/document from the shell
+**
+** Copyright 2003, Axel Dörfler, axeld@pinc-software.de. All rights reserved.
+** Distributed under the terms of the OpenBeOS License.
+*/
+
+#include <InterfaceDefs.h>
+#include <Roster.h>
+#include <Entry.h>
+
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <errno.h>
+
+
+int
+main(int argc, char **argv)
+{
+	char *progName = argv[0];
+	if (strrchr(progName, '/'))
+		progName = strrchr(progName, '/') + 1;
+
+	if (argc < 2)
+		fprintf(stderr,"usage: %s <file or application signature> ...\n", progName);
+
+	BRoster roster;
+
+	while (*++argv) {
+		status_t rc;
+
+		BEntry entry(*argv);
+		if ((rc = entry.InitCheck()) == B_OK && entry.Exists()) {
+			entry_ref ref;
+			entry.GetRef(&ref);
+
+			BMessenger tracker("application/x-vnd.Be-TRAK");
+			if (tracker.IsValid()) {
+				BMessage message(B_REFS_RECEIVED);
+				message.AddRef("refs", &ref);
+
+				tracker.SendMessage(&message);
+			} else
+				rc = roster.Launch(&ref);
+		} else if (!strncasecmp("application/", *argv, 12)) {
+			// maybe it's an application-mimetype?
+			rc = roster.Launch(*argv);
+		} else if (rc == B_OK)
+			rc = B_ENTRY_NOT_FOUND;
+
+		if (rc != B_OK)
+			fprintf(stderr, "%s: \"%s\": %s\n", progName, *argv, strerror(rc));
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}