diff --git a/common/flatpak-utils.h b/common/flatpak-utils.h
index d1a276455..60c47ff5a 100644
--- a/common/flatpak-utils.h
+++ b/common/flatpak-utils.h
@@ -30,6 +30,11 @@
 #include "flatpak-dir.h"
 #include <ostree.h>
 
+typedef enum {
+  FLATPAK_HOST_COMMAND_FLAGS_CLEAR_ENV = 1 << 0,
+} FlatpakHostCommandFlags;
+
+
 gboolean flatpak_fail (GError    **error,
                        const char *format,
                        ...);
diff --git a/data/org.freedesktop.Flatpak.xml b/data/org.freedesktop.Flatpak.xml
index 41b198a99..22ae06677 100644
--- a/data/org.freedesktop.Flatpak.xml
+++ b/data/org.freedesktop.Flatpak.xml
@@ -29,6 +29,30 @@
     <method name="RequestMonitor">
       <arg type='ay' name='path' direction='out'/>
     </method>
+
+    <!-- This methods let you start processes, sandboxed or not on the
+         host, so its not generally safe to allow access to it to any
+         application. However, at times it is very useful to be able
+         to do this. For instance for developer tools this lets you
+         build flatpaks from inside a flatpak. -->
+    <method name="HostCommand">
+      <arg type='ay' name='cwd_path' direction='in'/>
+      <arg type='aay' name='argv' direction='in'/>
+      <arg type='a{uh}' name='fds' direction='in'/>
+      <arg type='a{ss}' name='envs' direction='in'/>
+      <arg type='u' name='flags' direction='in'/>
+      <arg type='u' name='pid' direction='out'/>
+    </method>
+    <method name="HostCommandSignal">
+      <arg type='u' name='pid' direction='in'/>
+      <arg type='u' name='signal' direction='in'/>
+      <arg type='b' name='to_process_group' direction='in'/>
+    </method>
+    <signal name="HostCommandExited">
+      <arg type='u' name='pid' direction='out'/>
+      <arg type='u' name='exit_status' direction='out'/>
+    </signal>
+
   </interface>
 
   <interface name='org.freedesktop.Flatpak.SystemHelper'>
diff --git a/session-helper/flatpak-session-helper.c b/session-helper/flatpak-session-helper.c
index d9366f7de..5b59dc18f 100644
--- a/session-helper/flatpak-session-helper.c
+++ b/session-helper/flatpak-session-helper.c
@@ -23,12 +23,32 @@
 #include <locale.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
+#include <signal.h>
 #include <gio/gio.h>
+#include <gio/gunixfdlist.h>
 #include "flatpak-dbus.h"
 #include "flatpak-utils.h"
 
 static char *monitor_dir;
 
+static guint32 next_client_pid = 0;
+static GHashTable *client_pid_data_hash = NULL;
+static GDBusConnection *session_bus = NULL;
+
+typedef struct {
+  GPid pid;
+  guint32 client_pid;
+  char *client;
+  guint child_watch;
+} PidData;
+
+static void
+pid_data_free (PidData *data)
+{
+  g_free (data->client);
+  g_free (data);
+}
+
 static gboolean
 handle_request_monitor (FlatpakSessionHelper   *object,
                         GDBusMethodInvocation *invocation,
@@ -40,6 +60,284 @@ handle_request_monitor (FlatpakSessionHelper   *object,
   return TRUE;
 }
 
+static void
+child_watch_died (GPid     pid,
+                  gint     status,
+                  gpointer user_data)
+{
+  PidData *pid_data = user_data;
+  guint32 client_pid = pid_data->client_pid;
+  g_autoptr(GVariant) signal_variant = NULL;
+
+  g_debug ("Client Pid %d (%d) died", pid_data->client_pid, pid);
+
+  signal_variant = g_variant_ref_sink (g_variant_new ("(uu)", client_pid, status));
+  g_dbus_connection_emit_signal (session_bus,
+                                 pid_data->client,
+                                 "/org/freedesktop/Flatpak/SessionHelper",
+                                 "org.freedesktop.Flatpak.SessionHelper",
+                                 "HostCommandExited",
+                                 signal_variant,
+                                 NULL);
+
+  /* This frees the pid_data, so be careful */
+  g_hash_table_remove (client_pid_data_hash, GUINT_TO_POINTER(client_pid));
+}
+
+typedef struct {
+  int from;
+  int to;
+  int final;
+} FdMapEntry;
+
+typedef struct {
+  FdMapEntry *fd_map;
+  int fd_map_len;
+  gboolean set_tty;
+  int tty;
+} ChildSetupData;
+
+static void
+child_setup_func (gpointer user_data)
+{
+  ChildSetupData *data = (ChildSetupData *)user_data;
+  FdMapEntry *fd_map = data->fd_map;
+  sigset_t set;
+  int i;
+
+  /* Unblock all signals */
+  sigemptyset (&set);
+  if (pthread_sigmask (SIG_SETMASK, &set, NULL) == -1)
+    {
+      g_error ("Failed to unblock signals when starting child");
+      return;
+  }
+
+  /* Reset the handlers for all signals to their defaults. */
+  for (i = 1; i < NSIG; i++)
+    {
+      if (i != SIGSTOP && i != SIGKILL)
+        signal (i, SIG_DFL);
+    }
+
+  for (i = 0; i < data->fd_map_len; i++)
+    {
+      if (fd_map[i].from != fd_map[i].to)
+        {
+          dup2 (fd_map[i].from, fd_map[i].to);
+          close (fd_map[i].from);
+        }
+    }
+
+  /* Second pass in case we needed an inbetween fd value to avoid conflicts */
+  for (i = 0; i < data->fd_map_len; i++)
+    {
+      if (fd_map[i].to != fd_map[i].final)
+        {
+          dup2 (fd_map[i].to, fd_map[i].final);
+          close (fd_map[i].to);
+        }
+    }
+
+  /* We become our own session and process group, because it never makes sense
+     to share the flatpak-session-helper dbus activated process group */
+  setsid ();
+  setpgid (0, 0);
+
+  if (data->set_tty)
+    ioctl (data->tty, TIOCSCTTY, 0);
+}
+
+
+static gboolean
+handle_host_command (FlatpakSessionHelper *object,
+                     GDBusMethodInvocation *invocation,
+                     const gchar *arg_cwd_path,
+                     const gchar *const *arg_argv,
+                     GVariant *arg_fds,
+                     GVariant *arg_envs,
+                     guint flags)
+{
+  g_autoptr(GError) error = NULL;
+  GDBusMessage *message = g_dbus_method_invocation_get_message (invocation);
+  GUnixFDList *fd_list = g_dbus_message_get_unix_fd_list (message);
+  ChildSetupData child_setup_data = { NULL };
+  GPid pid;
+  PidData *pid_data;
+  gsize i, j, n_fds, n_envs;
+  const gint *fds;
+  g_autofree FdMapEntry *fd_map = NULL;
+  gchar **env;
+  gint32 max_fd;
+
+  if (*arg_cwd_path == 0)
+    arg_cwd_path = NULL;
+
+  if (*arg_argv[0] == 0)
+    {
+      g_dbus_method_invocation_return_error (invocation, G_DBUS_ERROR,
+                                             G_DBUS_ERROR_INVALID_ARGS,
+                                             "No command given");
+      return TRUE;
+    }
+
+
+  g_debug ("Running host command %s", arg_argv[0]);
+
+  n_fds = 0;
+  fds = NULL;
+  if (fd_list != NULL)
+    {
+      n_fds = g_variant_n_children (arg_fds);
+      fds = g_unix_fd_list_peek_fds (fd_list, NULL);
+    }
+  fd_map = g_new0 (FdMapEntry, n_fds);
+
+  child_setup_data.fd_map = fd_map;
+  child_setup_data.fd_map_len = n_fds;
+
+  max_fd = -1;
+  for (i = 0; i < n_fds; i++)
+    {
+      gint32 handle, fd;
+      g_variant_get_child (arg_fds, i, "{uh}", &fd, &handle);
+      fd_map[i].to = fd;
+      fd_map[i].from = fds[i];
+      fd_map[i].final = fd_map[i].to;
+
+      /* If stdin/out/err is a tty we try to set it as the controlling
+         tty for the app, this way we can use this to run in a terminal. */
+      if ((fd == 0 || fd == 1 || fd == 2) &&
+          !child_setup_data.set_tty &&
+          isatty (fds[i]))
+        {
+          child_setup_data.set_tty = TRUE;
+          child_setup_data.tty = fds[i];
+        }
+
+      max_fd = MAX (max_fd, fd_map[i].to);
+      max_fd = MAX (max_fd, fd_map[i].from);
+    }
+
+  /* We make a second pass over the fds to find if any "to" fd index
+     overlaps an already in use fd (i.e. one in the "from" category
+     that are allocated randomly). If a fd overlaps "to" fd then its
+     a caller issue and not our fault, so we ignore that. */
+  for (i = 0; i < n_fds; i++)
+    {
+      int to_fd = fd_map[i].to;
+      gboolean conflict = FALSE;
+
+      /* At this point we're fine with using "from" values for this
+         value (because we handle to==from in the code), or values
+         that are before "i" in the fd_map (because those will be
+         closed at this point when dup:ing). However, we can't
+         reuse a fd that is in "from" for j > i. */
+      for (j = i + 1; j < n_fds; j++)
+        {
+          int from_fd = fd_map[j].from;
+          if (from_fd == to_fd)
+            {
+              conflict = TRUE;
+              break;
+            }
+        }
+
+      if (conflict)
+        fd_map[i].to = ++max_fd;
+    }
+
+  if (flags & FLATPAK_HOST_COMMAND_FLAGS_CLEAR_ENV)
+    {
+      char *empty[] = { NULL };
+      env = g_strdupv (empty);
+    }
+  else
+    env = g_get_environ ();
+
+  n_envs = g_variant_n_children (arg_envs);
+  for (i = 0; i < n_envs; i++)
+    {
+      const char *var = NULL;
+      const char *val = NULL;
+      g_variant_get_child (arg_envs, i, "{&s&s}", &var, &val);
+
+      env = g_environ_setenv (env, var, val, TRUE);
+    }
+
+  if (!g_spawn_async_with_pipes (arg_cwd_path,
+                                 (char **)arg_argv,
+                                 env,
+                                 G_SPAWN_SEARCH_PATH|G_SPAWN_DO_NOT_REAP_CHILD,
+                                 child_setup_func, &child_setup_data,
+                                 &pid,
+                                 NULL,
+                                 NULL,
+                                 NULL,
+                                 &error))
+    {
+      gint code = G_DBUS_ERROR_FAILED;
+      if (g_error_matches (error, G_SPAWN_ERROR, G_SPAWN_ERROR_ACCES))
+        code = G_DBUS_ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED;
+      else if (g_error_matches (error, G_SPAWN_ERROR, G_SPAWN_ERROR_NOENT))
+        code = G_DBUS_ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND;
+      g_dbus_method_invocation_return_error (invocation, G_DBUS_ERROR, code,
+                                             "Failed to start command: %s",
+                                             error->message);
+    }
+
+  pid_data = g_new0 (PidData, 1);
+  pid_data->pid = pid;
+  pid_data->client_pid = ++next_client_pid;
+  pid_data->client = g_strdup (g_dbus_method_invocation_get_sender (invocation));
+  pid_data->child_watch = g_child_watch_add_full (G_PRIORITY_DEFAULT,
+                                                  pid,
+                                                  child_watch_died,
+                                                  pid_data,
+                                                  NULL);
+
+  g_debug ("Client Pid is %d (%d)", pid_data->client_pid, pid);
+
+  g_hash_table_replace (client_pid_data_hash, GUINT_TO_POINTER(pid_data->client_pid),
+                        pid_data);
+
+
+  flatpak_session_helper_complete_host_command (object, invocation,
+                                                pid_data->client_pid);
+  return TRUE;
+}
+
+static gboolean
+handle_host_command_signal (FlatpakSessionHelper *object,
+                            GDBusMethodInvocation *invocation,
+                            guint arg_pid,
+                            guint arg_signal,
+                            gboolean to_process_group)
+{
+  PidData *pid_data = NULL;
+
+  pid_data = g_hash_table_lookup (client_pid_data_hash, GUINT_TO_POINTER(arg_pid));
+  if (pid_data == NULL ||
+      strcmp (pid_data->client, g_dbus_method_invocation_get_sender (invocation)) != 0)
+    {
+      g_dbus_method_invocation_return_error (invocation, G_DBUS_ERROR,
+                                             G_DBUS_ERROR_UNIX_PROCESS_ID_UNKNOWN,
+                                             "No such pid");
+      return TRUE;
+    }
+
+  g_debug ("Sending signal %d to client pid %d", arg_signal, arg_pid);
+
+  if (to_process_group)
+    killpg (pid_data->pid, arg_signal);
+  else
+    kill (pid_data->pid, arg_signal);
+
+  flatpak_session_helper_complete_host_command_signal (object, invocation);
+
+  return TRUE;
+}
+
 static void
 on_bus_acquired (GDBusConnection *connection,
                  const gchar     *name,
@@ -51,6 +349,8 @@ on_bus_acquired (GDBusConnection *connection,
   helper = flatpak_session_helper_skeleton_new ();
 
   g_signal_connect (helper, "handle-request-monitor", G_CALLBACK (handle_request_monitor), NULL);
+  g_signal_connect (helper, "handle-host-command", G_CALLBACK (handle_host_command), NULL);
+  g_signal_connect (helper, "handle-host-command-signal", G_CALLBACK (handle_host_command_signal), NULL);
 
   if (!g_dbus_interface_skeleton_export (G_DBUS_INTERFACE_SKELETON (helper),
                                          connection,
@@ -190,6 +490,15 @@ main (int    argc,
 
   flatpak_migrate_from_xdg_app ();
 
+  client_pid_data_hash = g_hash_table_new_full (NULL, NULL, NULL, (GDestroyNotify)pid_data_free);
+
+  session_bus = g_bus_get_sync (G_BUS_TYPE_SESSION, NULL, &error);
+  if (session_bus == NULL)
+    {
+      g_printerr ("Can't find bus: %s\n", error->message);
+      return 1;
+    }
+
   monitor_dir = g_build_filename (g_get_user_runtime_dir (), "flatpak-monitor", NULL);
   if (g_mkdir_with_parents (monitor_dir, 0755) != 0)
     {