diff --git a/ipykernel/kernelapp.py b/ipykernel/kernelapp.py
index d683e8263..75d4d5e64 100644
--- a/ipykernel/kernelapp.py
+++ b/ipykernel/kernelapp.py
@@ -72,6 +72,10 @@
         {'IPKernelApp' : {'pylab' : 'auto'}},
         """Pre-load matplotlib and numpy for interactive use with
         the default matplotlib backend."""),
+    'trio-loop' : (
+        {'InteractiveShell' : {'trio_loop' : False}},
+        'Enable Trio as main event loop.'
+    ),
 })
 
 # inherit flags&aliases for any IPython shell apps
@@ -147,6 +151,7 @@ def abs_connection_file(self):
     # streams, etc.
     no_stdout = Bool(False, help="redirect stdout to the null device").tag(config=True)
     no_stderr = Bool(False, help="redirect stderr to the null device").tag(config=True)
+    trio_loop = Bool(False, help="Set main event loop.").tag(config=True)
     quiet = Bool(True, help="Only send stdout/stderr to output stream").tag(config=True)
     outstream_class = DottedObjectName('ipykernel.iostream.OutStream',
         help="The importstring for the OutStream factory").tag(config=True)
@@ -579,10 +584,19 @@ def start(self):
             self.poller.start()
         self.kernel.start()
         self.io_loop = ioloop.IOLoop.current()
-        try:
-            self.io_loop.start()
-        except KeyboardInterrupt:
-            pass
+        if self.trio_loop:
+            from ipykernel.trio_runner import TrioRunner
+            tr = TrioRunner()
+            tr.initialize(self.kernel, self.io_loop)
+            try:
+                tr.run()
+            except KeyboardInterrupt:
+                pass
+        else:
+            try:
+                self.io_loop.start()
+            except KeyboardInterrupt:
+                pass
 
 
 launch_new_instance = IPKernelApp.launch_instance
diff --git a/ipykernel/trio_runner.py b/ipykernel/trio_runner.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4ba1da196
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ipykernel/trio_runner.py
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+import builtins
+import logging
+import signal
+import threading
+import traceback
+import warnings
+
+import trio
+
+
+class TrioRunner:
+    def __init__(self):
+        self._cell_cancel_scope = None
+        self._trio_token = None
+
+    def initialize(self, kernel, io_loop):
+        kernel.shell.set_trio_runner(self)
+        kernel.shell.run_line_magic('autoawait', 'trio')
+        kernel.shell.magics_manager.magics['line']['autoawait'] = \
+            lambda _: warnings.warn("Autoawait isn't allowed in Trio "
+                "background loop mode.")
+        bg_thread = threading.Thread(target=io_loop.start, daemon=True,
+            name='TornadoBackground')
+        bg_thread.start()
+
+    def interrupt(self, signum, frame):
+        if self._cell_cancel_scope:
+            self._cell_cancel_scope.cancel()
+        else:
+            raise Exception('Kernel interrupted but no cell is running')
+
+    def run(self):
+        old_sig = signal.signal(signal.SIGINT, self.interrupt)
+
+        def log_nursery_exc(exc):
+            exc = '\n'.join(traceback.format_exception(type(exc), exc,
+                exc.__traceback__))
+            logging.error('An exception occurred in a global nursery task.\n%s',
+                exc)
+
+        async def trio_main():
+            self._trio_token = trio.hazmat.current_trio_token()
+            async with trio.open_nursery() as nursery:
+                # TODO This hack prevents the nursery from cancelling all child
+                # tasks when an uncaught exception occurs, but it's ugly.
+                nursery._add_exc = log_nursery_exc
+                builtins.GLOBAL_NURSERY = nursery
+                await trio.sleep_forever()
+
+        trio.run(trio_main)
+        signal.signal(signal.SIGINT, old_sig)
+
+    def __call__(self, async_fn):
+        async def loc(coro):
+            self._cell_cancel_scope = trio.CancelScope()
+            with self._cell_cancel_scope:
+                return await coro
+            self._cell_cancel_scope = None
+
+        return trio.from_thread.run(loc, async_fn, trio_token=self._trio_token)