diff --git a/rxjava-core/src/main/java/rx/Observable.java b/rxjava-core/src/main/java/rx/Observable.java
index cf92fb12cd..999d5b413a 100644
--- a/rxjava-core/src/main/java/rx/Observable.java
+++ b/rxjava-core/src/main/java/rx/Observable.java
@@ -118,6 +118,7 @@
 import rx.util.Timestamped;
 import rx.util.functions.Action0;
 import rx.util.functions.Action1;
+import rx.util.functions.Async;
 import rx.util.functions.Func0;
 import rx.util.functions.Func1;
 import rx.util.functions.Func2;
@@ -6269,4 +6270,40 @@ public <TKey, TDuration> Observable<GroupedObservable<TKey, T>> groupByUntil(Fun
     public <TKey, TValue, TDuration> Observable<GroupedObservable<TKey, TValue>> groupByUntil(Func1<? super T, ? extends TKey> keySelector, Func1<? super T, ? extends TValue> valueSelector, Func1<? super GroupedObservable<TKey, TValue>, ? extends Observable<TDuration>> durationSelector) {
         return create(new OperationGroupByUntil<T, TKey, TValue, TDuration>(this, keySelector, valueSelector, durationSelector));
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Invokes the specified function asynchronously, surfacing the result through an observable sequence.
+     * <p>
+     * Note: The function is called immediately, not during the subscription of the resulting
+     * sequence. Multiple subscriptions to the resulting sequence can observe the
+     * function's result.
+     * 
+     * @param func
+     *            Function to run asynchronously.
+     * @return An observable sequence exposing the function's result value, or an exception.
+     * @see <a href="http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh229036(v=vs.103).aspx">MSDN: Observable.Start</a>
+     */
+    public static <T> Observable<T> start(Func0<T> func) {
+        return Async.toAsync(func).call();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Invokes the specified function asynchronously on the specified scheduler, surfacing
+     * the result through an observable sequence.
+     * <p>
+     * Note: The function is called immediately, not during the subscription of the resulting
+     * sequence. Multiple subscriptions to the resulting sequence can observe the
+     * function's result.
+     * 
+     * @param func
+     *            Function to run asynchronously.
+     * @param scheduler
+     *            Scheduler to run the function on.
+     * @return An observable sequence exposing the function's result value, or an exception.
+     * @see <a href="http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh211721(v=vs.103).aspx">MSDN: Observable.Start</a>
+     */
+    public static <T> Observable<T> start(Func0<T> func, Scheduler scheduler) {
+        return Async.toAsync(func, scheduler).call();
+    }
+
 }
diff --git a/rxjava-core/src/test/java/rx/ObservableTests.java b/rxjava-core/src/test/java/rx/ObservableTests.java
index e4023f44ab..9c5c7e1e49 100644
--- a/rxjava-core/src/test/java/rx/ObservableTests.java
+++ b/rxjava-core/src/test/java/rx/ObservableTests.java
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@
 import org.mockito.InOrder;
 import org.mockito.Mock;
 import org.mockito.MockitoAnnotations;
+import org.mockito.invocation.InvocationOnMock;
+import org.mockito.stubbing.Answer;
 
 import rx.Observable.OnSubscribeFunc;
 import rx.concurrency.TestScheduler;
@@ -41,6 +43,7 @@
 import rx.subscriptions.Subscriptions;
 import rx.util.functions.Action0;
 import rx.util.functions.Action1;
+import rx.util.functions.Func0;
 import rx.util.functions.Func1;
 import rx.util.functions.Func2;
 
@@ -947,4 +950,128 @@ public void testRangeWithScheduler() {
         inOrder.verify(aObserver, times(1)).onCompleted();
         inOrder.verifyNoMoreInteractions();
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+
+    @Test
+    public void testStartWithFunc() {
+        Func0<String> func = new Func0<String>() {
+            @Override
+            public String call() {
+                return "one";
+            }
+        };
+        assertEquals("one", Observable.start(func).toBlockingObservable().single());
+    }
+
+    @Test(expected = RuntimeException.class)
+    public void testStartWithFuncError() {
+        Func0<String> func = new Func0<String>() {
+            @Override
+            public String call() {
+                throw new RuntimeException("Some error");
+            }
+        };
+        Observable.start(func).toBlockingObservable().single();
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testStartWhenSubscribeRunBeforeFunc() {
+        TestScheduler scheduler = new TestScheduler();
+
+        Func0<String> func = new Func0<String>() {
+            @Override
+            public String call() {
+                return "one";
+            }
+        };
+
+        Observable<String> observable = Observable.start(func, scheduler);
+
+        @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+        Observer<String> observer = mock(Observer.class);
+        observable.subscribe(observer);
+
+        InOrder inOrder = inOrder(observer);
+        inOrder.verifyNoMoreInteractions();
+
+        // Run func
+        scheduler.advanceTimeBy(100, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS);
+
+        inOrder.verify(observer, times(1)).onNext("one");
+        inOrder.verify(observer, times(1)).onCompleted();
+        inOrder.verifyNoMoreInteractions();
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testStartWhenSubscribeRunAfterFunc() {
+        TestScheduler scheduler = new TestScheduler();
+
+        Func0<String> func = new Func0<String>() {
+            @Override
+            public String call() {
+                return "one";
+            }
+        };
+
+        Observable<String> observable = Observable.start(func, scheduler);
+
+        // Run func
+        scheduler.advanceTimeBy(100, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS);
+
+        @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+        Observer<String> observer = mock(Observer.class);
+        observable.subscribe(observer);
+
+        InOrder inOrder = inOrder(observer);
+        inOrder.verify(observer, times(1)).onNext("one");
+        inOrder.verify(observer, times(1)).onCompleted();
+        inOrder.verifyNoMoreInteractions();
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testStartWithFuncAndMultipleObservers() {
+        TestScheduler scheduler = new TestScheduler();
+
+        @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+        Func0<String> func = (Func0<String>) mock(Func0.class);
+        doAnswer(new Answer<String>() {
+            @Override
+            public String answer(InvocationOnMock invocation) throws Throwable {
+                return "one";
+            }
+        }).when(func).call();
+
+        Observable<String> observable = Observable.start(func, scheduler);
+
+        scheduler.advanceTimeBy(100, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS);
+
+        @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+        Observer<String> observer1 = mock(Observer.class);
+        @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+        Observer<String> observer2 = mock(Observer.class);
+        @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+        Observer<String> observer3 = mock(Observer.class);
+
+        observable.subscribe(observer1);
+        observable.subscribe(observer2);
+        observable.subscribe(observer3);
+
+        InOrder inOrder;
+        inOrder = inOrder(observer1);
+        inOrder.verify(observer1, times(1)).onNext("one");
+        inOrder.verify(observer1, times(1)).onCompleted();
+        inOrder.verifyNoMoreInteractions();
+
+        inOrder = inOrder(observer2);
+        inOrder.verify(observer2, times(1)).onNext("one");
+        inOrder.verify(observer2, times(1)).onCompleted();
+        inOrder.verifyNoMoreInteractions();
+
+        inOrder = inOrder(observer3);
+        inOrder.verify(observer3, times(1)).onNext("one");
+        inOrder.verify(observer3, times(1)).onCompleted();
+        inOrder.verifyNoMoreInteractions();
+
+        verify(func, times(1)).call();
+    }
+
+}