diff --git a/gateway/src/apicast/cli.lua b/gateway/src/apicast/cli.lua
index 7f5548be7..19b7bca3e 100644
--- a/gateway/src/apicast/cli.lua
+++ b/gateway/src/apicast/cli.lua
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ end
 _M.commands = load_commands({
   'start',
   'generate',
+  'console',
 }, parser)
 
 function mt.__call(self, arg)
diff --git a/gateway/src/apicast/cli/command/console.lua b/gateway/src/apicast/cli/command/console.lua
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..289184952
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gateway/src/apicast/cli/command/console.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+local setmetatable = setmetatable
+
+local _M = { }
+local mt = { __index = _M }
+
+local function configure(cmd)
+  cmd:argument('file', 'file to execute'):args("?")
+  return cmd
+end
+
+function _M.new(parser)
+  local cmd = configure(parser:command('console', 'Start console'))
+
+  return setmetatable({ parser = parser, cmd = cmd }, mt)
+end
+
+function mt:__call(options)
+  local repl = require('resty.repl')
+
+  _G.repl = repl.start
+
+  function _G.reload() package.loaded = {} end
+
+  if options.file then
+    dofile(options.file)
+  end
+
+  repl.start()
+end
+
+return setmetatable(_M, mt)