diff --git a/django/core/management.py b/django/core/management.py
index c4ce4cbf71..6b26d8b58a 100644
--- a/django/core/management.py
+++ b/django/core/management.py
@@ -1045,11 +1045,18 @@ def run_shell(use_plain=False):
         code.interact()
 run_shell.args = '[--plain]'
 
+def dbshell():
+    "Runs the command-line client for the current DATABASE_ENGINE."
+    from django.db import runshell
+    runshell()
+dbshell.args = ""
+
 # Utilities for command-line script
 
 DEFAULT_ACTION_MAPPING = {
     'adminindex': get_admin_index,
     'createcachetable' : createcachetable,
+    'dbshell': dbshell,
     'diffsettings': diffsettings,
     'inspectdb': inspectdb,
     'install': install,
@@ -1072,11 +1079,12 @@ DEFAULT_ACTION_MAPPING = {
 NO_SQL_TRANSACTION = (
     'adminindex',
     'createcachetable',
+    'dbshell',
     'diffsettings',
     'install',
     'reset',
     'sqlindexes',
-    'syncdb'
+    'syncdb',
 )
 
 class DjangoOptionParser(OptionParser):
@@ -1138,7 +1146,7 @@ def execute_from_command_line(action_mapping=DEFAULT_ACTION_MAPPING):
 
     if action == 'shell':
         action_mapping[action](options.plain is True)
-    elif action in ('syncdb', 'validate', 'diffsettings'):
+    elif action in ('syncdb', 'validate', 'diffsettings', 'dbshell'):
         action_mapping[action]()
     elif action == 'inspectdb':
         try:
diff --git a/django/db/__init__.py b/django/db/__init__.py
index c7584a9bd3..317d6059bf 100644
--- a/django/db/__init__.py
+++ b/django/db/__init__.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ except ImportError, e:
 
 get_introspection_module = lambda: __import__('django.db.backends.%s.introspection' % settings.DATABASE_ENGINE, '', '', [''])
 get_creation_module = lambda: __import__('django.db.backends.%s.creation' % settings.DATABASE_ENGINE, '', '', [''])
+runshell = lambda: __import__('django.db.backends.%s.client' % settings.DATABASE_ENGINE, '', '', ['']).runshell()
 
 connection = backend.DatabaseWrapper()
 DatabaseError = backend.DatabaseError
diff --git a/django/db/backends/ado_mssql/client.py b/django/db/backends/ado_mssql/client.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5c197cafa4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/django/db/backends/ado_mssql/client.py
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+def runshell():
+    raise NotImplementedError
diff --git a/django/db/backends/dummy/client.py b/django/db/backends/dummy/client.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e332987aa8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/django/db/backends/dummy/client.py
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+from django.db.backends.dummy.base import complain
+
+runshell = complain
diff --git a/django/db/backends/mysql/client.py b/django/db/backends/mysql/client.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f9d6297b8e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/django/db/backends/mysql/client.py
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+from django.conf import settings
+import os
+
+def runshell():
+    args = ['']
+    args += ["--user=%s" % settings.DATABASE_USER]
+    if settings.DATABASE_PASSWORD:
+        args += ["--password=%s" % settings.DATABASE_PASSWORD]
+    if settings.DATABASE_HOST:
+        args += ["--host=%s" % settings.DATABASE_HOST]
+    if settings.DATABASE_PORT:
+        args += ["--port=%s" % settings.DATABASE_PORT]
+    args += [settings.DATABASE_NAME]
+    os.execvp('mysql', args)
diff --git a/django/db/backends/postgresql/client.py b/django/db/backends/postgresql/client.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3d0d7a0d2a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/django/db/backends/postgresql/client.py
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+from django.conf import settings
+import os
+
+def runshell():
+    args = ['']
+    args += ["-U%s" % settings.DATABASE_USER]
+    if settings.DATABASE_PASSWORD:
+        args += ["-W"]
+    if settings.DATABASE_HOST:
+        args += ["-h %s" % settings.DATABASE_HOST]
+    if settings.DATABASE_PORT:
+        args += ["-p %s" % settings.DATABASE_PORT]
+    args += [settings.DATABASE_NAME]
+    os.execvp('psql', args)
diff --git a/django/db/backends/sqlite3/client.py b/django/db/backends/sqlite3/client.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..097218341f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/django/db/backends/sqlite3/client.py
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+from django.conf import settings
+import os
+
+def runshell():
+    args = ['', settings.DATABASE_NAME]
+    os.execvp('sqlite3', args)
diff --git a/docs/django-admin.txt b/docs/django-admin.txt
index 47f42a9060..fa493c4d0a 100644
--- a/docs/django-admin.txt
+++ b/docs/django-admin.txt
@@ -64,6 +64,21 @@ backend.  See the `cache documentation`_ for more information.
 
 .. _cache documentation: http://www.djangoproject.com/documentation/cache/
 
+dbshell
+-------
+
+Runs the command-line client for the database engine specified in your
+``DATABASE_ENGINE`` setting, with the connection parameters specified in your
+``DATABASE_USER``, ``DATABASE_PASSWORD``, etc., settings.
+
+    * For PostgreSQL, this runs the ``psql`` command-line client.
+    * For MySQL, this runs the ``mysql`` command-line client.
+    * For SQLite, this runs the ``sqlite3`` command-line client.
+
+This command assumes the programs are on your PATH so that a simple call to
+the program name (``psql``, ``mysql``, ``sqlite3``) will find the program in
+the right place.
+
 diffsettings
 ------------