diff --git a/kernel/src/main/scala/Boot.scala b/kernel/src/main/scala/Boot.scala
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2e6dc8c2ad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/kernel/src/main/scala/Boot.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright (C) 2009 Scalable Solutions.
+ */
+
+package com.scalablesolutions.akka.kernel
+
+import java.io.File
+import java.lang.reflect.Method
+import java.net.{URL, URLClassLoader}
+
+/**
+ * @author <a href="http://jonasboner.com">Jonas Bon&#233;r</a>
+ */
+object Boot extends Logging {
+
+  /**
+   * Assumes that the AKKA_HOME directory is set with /config, /classes and /lib beneath it holding files and jars.
+   * Thus:
+   * $AKKA_HOME
+   * $AKKA_HOME/bin
+   * $AKKA_HOME/classes
+   * $AKKA_HOME/lib
+   * $AKKA_HOME/config
+   */
+  def main(args: Array[String]) = {
+    val HOME = System.getProperty("AKKA_HOME", "..")
+    val CLASSES = HOME + "/classes"
+    val LIB = HOME + "/lib"
+    val CONFIG = HOME + "/config"
+
+    log.info("Bootstrapping Akka server from AKKA_HOME=" + HOME)
+
+    val libs = for (f <- new File(LIB).listFiles().toArray.toList.asInstanceOf[List[File]]) yield f.toURL
+    val urls = new File(CLASSES).toURL :: libs
+    val loader = new URLClassLoader(urls.toArray, ClassLoader.getSystemClassLoader.getParent)
+    val mainClass = loader.loadClass(args(0))
+    val mainMethod = mainClass.getMethod("main", Array(args.getClass): _*)
+    Thread.currentThread.setContextClassLoader(loader)
+
+    val serverArgs = new Array[String](args.length - 1)
+    System.arraycopy(args, 1, serverArgs, 0, serverArgs.length)
+    mainMethod.invoke(null, Array[Object](serverArgs): _*)
+  }
+}
+