diff --git a/tools/kvm/Makefile b/tools/kvm/Makefile
index 55f342d..37e6ae5 100644
--- a/tools/kvm/Makefile
+++ b/tools/kvm/Makefile
@@ -26,6 +26,11 @@ OBJS	+= mmio.o
 OBJS	+= pci.o
 OBJS	+= util.o
 OBJS	+= term.o
+OBJS    += util/parse-options.o
+OBJS    += util/strbuf.o
+OBJS    += kvm-help.o
+OBJS    += kvm-cmd.o
+OBJS    += kvm-run.o
 
 DEPS	:= $(patsubst %.o,%.d,$(OBJS))
 
@@ -55,7 +60,8 @@ endif
 DEFINES	+= -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64
 DEFINES	+= -D_GNU_SOURCE
 
-CFLAGS	+= $(CPPFLAGS) $(DEFINES) -Iinclude -I../../include -I../../arch/$(ARCH)/include/  -Os -g
+KVM_INCLUDE := include
+CFLAGS	+= $(CPPFLAGS) $(DEFINES) -I$(KVM_INCLUDE) -I../../include -I../../arch/$(ARCH)/include/ -Os -g
 
 WARNINGS += -Werror
 WARNINGS += -Wall
@@ -87,12 +93,22 @@ $(DEPS):
 %.d: %.c
 	$(Q) $(CC) -M -MT $(patsubst %.d,%.o,$@) $(CFLAGS) $< -o $@
 
+# The header file common-cmds.h is needed for compilation of kvm-help.c.
+kvm-help.d: $(KVM_INCLUDE)/common-cmds.h
+
 $(OBJS):
 
 %.o: %.c
 	$(E) "  CC      " $@
 	$(Q) $(CC) -c $(CFLAGS) $< -o $@
 
+
+$(KVM_INCLUDE)/common-cmds.h: util/generate-cmdlist.sh command-list.txt
+
+$(KVM_INCLUDE)/common-cmds.h: $(wildcard Documentation/kvm-*.txt)
+	$(E) "  GEN     " $@
+	$(Q) util/generate-cmdlist.sh > $@+ && mv $@+ $@
+
 #
 # BIOS assembly weirdness
 #
@@ -118,7 +134,7 @@ bios/bios-rom.bin: bios/bios-rom.S bios/e820.c
 
 check: $(PROGRAM)
 	$(MAKE) -C tests
-	./$(PROGRAM) tests/pit/tick.bin
+	./$(PROGRAM) run --kernel=tests/pit/tick.bin
 .PHONY: check
 
 clean:
@@ -129,6 +145,7 @@ clean:
 	$(Q) rm -f bios/bios-rom.h
 	$(Q) rm -f $(DEPS) $(OBJS) $(PROGRAM)
 	$(Q) rm -f cscope.*
+	$(Q) rm -f $(KVM_INCLUDE)/common-cmds.h
 .PHONY: clean
 
 KVM_DEV	?= /dev/kvm
diff --git a/tools/kvm/include/kvm/kvm-run.h b/tools/kvm/include/kvm/kvm-run.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..13104e2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/kvm/include/kvm/kvm-run.h
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+#ifndef __KVM_RUN_H__
+#define __KVM_RUN_H__
+
+int kvm_cmd_run(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix);
+
+#endif
diff --git a/tools/kvm/kvm-run.c b/tools/kvm/kvm-run.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f797a4e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/kvm/kvm-run.c
@@ -0,0 +1,224 @@
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <signal.h>
+#include <stdint.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
+#include <inttypes.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <termios.h>
+
+/* user defined header files */
+#include <linux/types.h>
+#include <kvm/kvm.h>
+#include <kvm/8250-serial.h>
+#include <kvm/blk-virtio.h>
+#include <kvm/console-virtio.h>
+#include <kvm/disk-image.h>
+#include <kvm/util.h>
+#include <kvm/pci.h>
+#include <kvm/term.h>
+
+/* header files for gitish interface  */
+#include <kvm/kvm-run.h>
+#include <kvm/parse-options.h>
+
+#define DEFAULT_KVM_DEV		"/dev/kvm"
+
+#define MB_SHIFT		(20)
+#define MIN_RAM_SIZE_MB		(64UL)
+#define MIN_RAM_SIZE_BYTE	(MIN_RAM_SIZE_MB << MB_SHIFT)
+
+static struct kvm *kvm;
+
+static void handle_sigint(int sig)
+{
+	exit(1);
+}
+
+static void handle_sigquit(int sig)
+{
+	kvm__show_registers(kvm);
+	kvm__show_code(kvm);
+	kvm__show_page_tables(kvm);
+
+	kvm__delete(kvm);
+
+	exit(1);
+}
+
+static u64 ram_size;
+static const char *kernel_cmdline;
+static const char *kernel_filename;
+static const char *initrd_filename;
+static const char *image_filename;
+static const char *kvm_dev;
+static bool single_step = false;
+static bool virtio_console = false;
+extern bool ioport_debug;
+extern int  active_console;
+
+static const char * const run_usage[] = {
+	"kvm run [<options>]",
+	NULL
+};
+
+static const struct option options[] = {
+	OPT_U64('m', "mem", &ram_size, "Virtual machine memory size in MiB."),
+	OPT_STRING('p', "params", &kernel_cmdline, "params",
+			"Kernel command line arguments"),
+	OPT_STRING('r', "initrd", &initrd_filename, "initrd",
+			"Initial RAM disk image"),
+	OPT_STRING('k', "kernel", &kernel_filename, "kernel",
+			"Kernel to boot in virtual machine"),
+	OPT_STRING('i', "image", &image_filename, "image", "Disk image"),
+	OPT_STRING('d', "kvm-dev", &kvm_dev, "kvm-dev", "KVM device file"),
+	OPT_BOOLEAN('s', "single-step", &single_step,
+			"Enable single stepping"),
+	OPT_BOOLEAN('g', "ioport-debug", &ioport_debug,
+			"Enable ioport debugging"),
+	OPT_BOOLEAN('c', "enable-virtio-console", &virtio_console,
+			"Enable the virtual IO console"),
+	OPT_END()
+};
+
+int kvm_cmd_run(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
+{
+	static char real_cmdline[2048];
+
+	signal(SIGQUIT, handle_sigquit);
+	signal(SIGINT, handle_sigint);
+
+	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, options, run_usage,
+			PARSE_OPT_STOP_AT_NON_OPTION);
+
+	if (!kernel_filename || !*kernel_filename) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "Please specify the --kernel option.\n");
+		usage_with_options(run_usage, options);
+	}
+
+	if (!ram_size)
+		ram_size = MIN_RAM_SIZE_MB;
+	else if (ram_size < MIN_RAM_SIZE_MB) {
+		die("Not enough memory specified: %luMB (min %luMB)", ram_size,
+				MIN_RAM_SIZE_MB);
+	}
+	ram_size <<= MB_SHIFT;
+
+	if (!kvm_dev)
+		kvm_dev = DEFAULT_KVM_DEV;
+
+	if (virtio_console == true)
+		active_console  = CONSOLE_VIRTIO;
+
+	term_init();
+
+	kvm = kvm__init(kvm_dev, ram_size);
+
+	if (image_filename) {
+		kvm->disk_image	= disk_image__open(image_filename);
+		if (!kvm->disk_image)
+			die("unable to load disk image %s", image_filename);
+	}
+
+	kvm__setup_cpuid(kvm);
+
+	strcpy(real_cmdline, "notsc nolapic noacpi pci=conf1 console=ttyS0 ");
+	if (!kernel_cmdline || !strstr(kernel_cmdline, "root=")) {
+		strlcat(real_cmdline, "root=/dev/vda rw ",
+				sizeof(real_cmdline));
+	}
+
+	if (kernel_cmdline) {
+		strlcat(real_cmdline, kernel_cmdline, sizeof(real_cmdline));
+		real_cmdline[sizeof(real_cmdline)-1] = '\0';
+	}
+
+	if (!kvm__load_kernel(kvm, kernel_filename, initrd_filename,
+				real_cmdline))
+		die("unable to load kernel %s", kernel_filename);
+
+	kvm__reset_vcpu(kvm);
+
+	kvm__setup_bios(kvm);
+
+	if (single_step)
+		kvm__enable_singlestep(kvm);
+
+	serial8250__init(kvm);
+
+	pci__init();
+
+	blk_virtio__init(kvm);
+
+	virtio_console__init(kvm);
+
+	kvm__start_timer(kvm);
+
+	for (;;) {
+		kvm__run(kvm);
+
+		switch (kvm->kvm_run->exit_reason) {
+		case KVM_EXIT_DEBUG:
+			kvm__show_registers(kvm);
+			kvm__show_code(kvm);
+			break;
+		case KVM_EXIT_IO: {
+			bool ret;
+
+			ret = kvm__emulate_io(kvm,
+					kvm->kvm_run->io.port,
+					(uint8_t *)kvm->kvm_run +
+					kvm->kvm_run->io.data_offset,
+					kvm->kvm_run->io.direction,
+					kvm->kvm_run->io.size,
+					kvm->kvm_run->io.count);
+
+			if (!ret)
+				goto panic_kvm;
+			break;
+		}
+		case KVM_EXIT_MMIO: {
+			bool ret;
+
+			ret = kvm__emulate_mmio(kvm,
+					kvm->kvm_run->mmio.phys_addr,
+					kvm->kvm_run->mmio.data,
+					kvm->kvm_run->mmio.len,
+					kvm->kvm_run->mmio.is_write);
+
+			if (!ret)
+				goto panic_kvm;
+			break;
+		}
+		case KVM_EXIT_INTR: {
+			serial8250__inject_interrupt(kvm);
+			virtio_console__inject_interrupt(kvm);
+			break;
+		}
+		case KVM_EXIT_SHUTDOWN:
+			goto exit_kvm;
+		default:
+			goto panic_kvm;
+		}
+	}
+exit_kvm:
+	disk_image__close(kvm->disk_image);
+	kvm__delete(kvm);
+
+	return 0;
+
+panic_kvm:
+	fprintf(stderr, "KVM exit reason: %" PRIu32 " (\"%s\")\n",
+		kvm->kvm_run->exit_reason,
+		kvm_exit_reasons[kvm->kvm_run->exit_reason]);
+	if (kvm->kvm_run->exit_reason == KVM_EXIT_UNKNOWN)
+		fprintf(stderr, "KVM exit code: 0x%" PRIu64 "\n",
+			kvm->kvm_run->hw.hardware_exit_reason);
+	disk_image__close(kvm->disk_image);
+	kvm__show_registers(kvm);
+	kvm__show_code(kvm);
+	kvm__show_page_tables(kvm);
+	kvm__delete(kvm);
+
+	return 1;
+}
diff --git a/tools/kvm/main.c b/tools/kvm/main.c
index 5bcefde..4fbb268 100644
--- a/tools/kvm/main.c
+++ b/tools/kvm/main.c
@@ -1,221 +1,22 @@
-#include "kvm/kvm.h"
-
-#include "kvm/8250-serial.h"
-#include "kvm/blk-virtio.h"
-#include "kvm/console-virtio.h"
-#include "kvm/disk-image.h"
-#include "kvm/util.h"
-#include "kvm/pci.h"
-#include "kvm/term.h"
-
-#include <inttypes.h>
-#include <signal.h>
-#include <stdint.h>
-#include <stdlib.h>
-#include <string.h>
-#include <unistd.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 
-extern bool ioport_debug;
-extern int active_console;
-
-static void usage(char *argv[])
-{
-	fprintf(stderr, "  usage: %s "
-		"[--single-step] [--ioport-debug] [--enable-virtio-console] "
-		"[--kvm-dev=<device>] [--mem=<size-in-MiB>] [--params=<kernel-params>] "
-		"[--initrd=<initrd>] [--kernel=]<kernel-image> [--image=]<disk-image>\n",
-		argv[0]);
-	exit(1);
-}
-
-static struct kvm *kvm;
+/* user defined header files */
+#include <kvm/kvm-cmd.h>
+#include <kvm/kvm-help.h>
+#include <kvm/kvm-run.h>
 
-static void handle_sigint(int sig)
+static int handle_kvm_command(int argc, char **argv)
 {
-	exit(1);
-}
-
-static void handle_sigquit(int sig)
-{
-	kvm__show_registers(kvm);
-	kvm__show_code(kvm);
-	kvm__show_page_tables(kvm);
-	kvm__delete(kvm);
-
-	exit(1);
-}
-
-static char real_cmdline[2048];
+	struct cmd_struct command[] = {
+		{ "help",  kvm_cmd_help,  0 },
+		{ "run",   kvm_cmd_run,   0 },
+		{ NULL,    NULL,          0 },
+	};
 
-static bool option_matches(char *arg, const char *option)
-{
-	return !strncmp(arg, option, strlen(option));
+	return handle_command(command, argc, (const char **) &argv[0]);
 }
 
 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
-	const char *kernel_filename = NULL;
-	const char *initrd_filename = NULL;
-	const char *image_filename = NULL;
-	const char *kernel_cmdline = NULL;
-	const char *kvm_dev = "/dev/kvm";
-	unsigned long ram_size = 64UL << 20;
-	bool single_step = false;
-	int i;
-
-	signal(SIGQUIT, handle_sigquit);
-	signal(SIGINT, handle_sigint);
-
-	for (i = 1; i < argc; i++) {
-		if (option_matches(argv[i], "--kernel=")) {
-			kernel_filename	= &argv[i][9];
-			continue;
-		} else if (option_matches(argv[i], "--image=")) {
-			image_filename	= &argv[i][8];
-			continue;
-		} else if (option_matches(argv[i], "--initrd=")) {
-			initrd_filename	= &argv[i][9];
-			continue;
-		} else if (option_matches(argv[i], "--params=")) {
-			kernel_cmdline	= &argv[i][9];
-			continue;
-		} else if (option_matches(argv[i], "--kvm-dev=")) {
-			kvm_dev		= &argv[i][10];
-			continue;
-		} else if (option_matches(argv[i], "--single-step")) {
-			single_step	= true;
-			continue;
-		} else if (option_matches(argv[i], "--enable-virtio-console")) {
-			active_console	= CONSOLE_VIRTIO;
-			continue;
-		} else if (option_matches(argv[i], "--mem=")) {
-			unsigned long val = atol(&argv[i][6]) << 20;
-			if (val < ram_size)
-				die("Not enough memory specified: %sMB (min %luMB)",
-					argv[i], ram_size >> 20);
-			ram_size = val;
-			continue;
-		} else if (option_matches(argv[i], "--ioport-debug")) {
-			ioport_debug	= true;
-			continue;
-		} else {
-			/* any unspecified arg is kernel image */
-			if (argv[i][0] != '-')
-				kernel_filename = argv[i];
-			else
-				warning("Unknown option: %s", argv[i]);
-		}
-	}
-
-	/* at least we should have kernel image passed */
-	if (!kernel_filename)
-		usage(argv);
-
-	term_init();
-
-	kvm = kvm__init(kvm_dev, ram_size);
-
-	if (image_filename) {
-		kvm->disk_image	= disk_image__open(image_filename);
-		if (!kvm->disk_image)
-			die("unable to load disk image %s", image_filename);
-	}
-
-	kvm__setup_cpuid(kvm);
-
-	strcpy(real_cmdline, "notsc nolapic noacpi pci=conf1 console=ttyS0 ");
-	if (!kernel_cmdline || !strstr(kernel_cmdline, "root="))
-		strlcat(real_cmdline, "root=/dev/vda rw ", sizeof(real_cmdline));
-
-	if (kernel_cmdline) {
-		strlcat(real_cmdline, kernel_cmdline, sizeof(real_cmdline));
-		real_cmdline[sizeof(real_cmdline)-1] = '\0';
-	}
-
-	if (!kvm__load_kernel(kvm, kernel_filename, initrd_filename, real_cmdline))
-		die("unable to load kernel %s", kernel_filename);
-
-	kvm__reset_vcpu(kvm);
-
-	kvm__setup_bios(kvm);
-
-	if (single_step)
-		kvm__enable_singlestep(kvm);
-
-	serial8250__init(kvm);
-
-	pci__init();
-
-	blk_virtio__init(kvm);
-
-	virtio_console__init(kvm);
-
-	kvm__start_timer(kvm);
-
-	for (;;) {
-		kvm__run(kvm);
-
-		switch (kvm->kvm_run->exit_reason) {
-		case KVM_EXIT_DEBUG:
-			kvm__show_registers(kvm);
-			kvm__show_code(kvm);
-			break;
-		case KVM_EXIT_IO: {
-			bool ret;
-
-			ret = kvm__emulate_io(kvm,
-					kvm->kvm_run->io.port,
-					(uint8_t *)kvm->kvm_run + kvm->kvm_run->io.data_offset,
-					kvm->kvm_run->io.direction,
-					kvm->kvm_run->io.size,
-					kvm->kvm_run->io.count);
-
-			if (!ret)
-				goto panic_kvm;
-			break;
-		}
-		case KVM_EXIT_MMIO: {
-			bool ret;
-
-			ret = kvm__emulate_mmio(kvm,
-					kvm->kvm_run->mmio.phys_addr,
-					kvm->kvm_run->mmio.data,
-					kvm->kvm_run->mmio.len,
-					kvm->kvm_run->mmio.is_write);
-
-			if (!ret)
-				goto panic_kvm;
-			break;
-		}
-		case KVM_EXIT_INTR: {
-			serial8250__inject_interrupt(kvm);
-			virtio_console__inject_interrupt(kvm);
-			break;
-		}
-		case KVM_EXIT_SHUTDOWN:
-			goto exit_kvm;
-		default:
-			goto panic_kvm;
-		}
-	}
-exit_kvm:
-	disk_image__close(kvm->disk_image);
-	kvm__delete(kvm);
-
-	return 0;
-
-panic_kvm:
-	fprintf(stderr, "KVM exit reason: %" PRIu32 " (\"%s\")\n",
-		kvm->kvm_run->exit_reason, kvm_exit_reasons[kvm->kvm_run->exit_reason]);
-	if (kvm->kvm_run->exit_reason == KVM_EXIT_UNKNOWN)
-		fprintf(stderr, "KVM exit code: 0x%" PRIu64 "\n",
-			kvm->kvm_run->hw.hardware_exit_reason);
-	disk_image__close(kvm->disk_image);
-	kvm__show_registers(kvm);
-	kvm__show_code(kvm);
-	kvm__show_page_tables(kvm);
-	kvm__delete(kvm);
-
-	return 1;
+	return handle_kvm_command(argc - 1, &argv[1]);
 }
