diff --git a/pex/bdist_pex.py b/pex/bdist_pex.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..71262b165
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pex/bdist_pex.py
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+# Copyright 2014 Pants project contributors (see CONTRIBUTORS.md).
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (see LICENSE).
+
+from __future__ import absolute_import, print_function
+
+from distutils.core import Command
+from distutils import log as logger
+
+from .pex_builder import PEXBuilder
+
+
+class bdist_pex(Command):
+    description = 'create a pex distribution'
+    user_options = []
+
+    def initialize_options(self):
+        pass
+
+    def finalize_options(self):
+        pass
+
+    def run(self):
+        pex_builder = PEXBuilder()
+        pexfile_path = self._get_pexfile_path()
+        logger.info('creating %s', pexfile_path)
+        pex_builder.build(pexfile_path)
+
+    def _get_pexfile_path(self):
+        return 'dist/foo.pex'
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index b50c313e2..01e8883f0 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -55,5 +55,8 @@
     'console_scripts': [
       'pex = pex.bin.pex:main',
     ],
+    'distutils.commands': [
+      'bdist_pex = pex.bdist_pex:bdist_pex',
+    ],
   },
 )