diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 93510a206..b34b09d3b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ Javadocs: http://appium.github.io/java-client/
 More can be found in the docs, but here's a quick list of features which this project has added to the usual selenium binding.
 
 
+- startActivity()
 - resetApp()
 - getAppString()
 - sendKeyEvent()
diff --git a/src/main/java/io/appium/java_client/AppiumDriver.java b/src/main/java/io/appium/java_client/AppiumDriver.java
index d62879e48..417c5a79c 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/appium/java_client/AppiumDriver.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/appium/java_client/AppiumDriver.java
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Set;
 
+import static com.google.common.base.Preconditions.checkArgument;
+import static io.appium.java_client.remote.MobileCapabilityType.*;
 import static io.appium.java_client.MobileCommand.*;
 
 public class AppiumDriver extends RemoteWebDriver implements MobileDriver, ContextAware, Rotatable, FindsByIosUIAutomation,
@@ -81,6 +83,7 @@ public AppiumDriver(URL remoteAddress, Capabilities desiredCapabilities){
             .put(OPEN_NOTIFICATIONS, postC("/session/:sessionId/appium/device/open_notifications"))
             .put(GET_NETWORK_CONNECTION, getC("/session/:sessionId/network_connection"))
             .put(SET_NETWORK_CONNECTION, postC("/session/:sessionId/network_connection"))
+            .put(START_ACTIVITY, postC("/session/:sessionId/appium/device/start_activity"))
             ;
     ImmutableMap<String, CommandInfo> mobileCommands = builder.build();
 
@@ -168,6 +171,46 @@ public String currentActivity() {
     Response response = execute(CURRENT_ACTIVITY);
     return response.getValue().toString();
   }
+  
+  /**
+   * Launches an arbitrary activity during a test. If the activity belongs to
+   * another application, that application is started and the activity is opened.
+   *
+   * This is an Android-only method.
+   * @param appPackage The package containing the activity. [Required]
+   * @param appActivity The activity to start. [Required]
+   * @param appWaitPackage Automation will begin after this package starts. [Optional]
+   * @param appWaitActivity Automation will begin after this activity starts. [Optional]
+   * @example
+   * driver.startActivity("com.foo.bar", ".MyActivity", null, null);
+   */
+  public void startActivity(String appPackage, String appActivity, String appWaitPackage, String appWaitActivity)
+                                                                                  throws IllegalArgumentException {
+
+    checkArgument((_isNotNullOrEmpty(appPackage) && _isNotNullOrEmpty(appActivity)),
+                  String.format("'%s' and '%s' are required.", APP_PACKAGE, APP_ACTIVITY));
+
+    appWaitPackage = _isNotNullOrEmpty(appWaitPackage) ? appWaitPackage : "";
+    appWaitActivity = _isNotNullOrEmpty(appWaitActivity) ? appWaitActivity : "";
+
+    ImmutableMap<String, String> parameters = ImmutableMap.of(APP_PACKAGE, appPackage,
+                                                              APP_ACTIVITY, appActivity,
+                                                              APP_WAIT_PACKAGE, appWaitPackage,
+                                                              APP_WAIT_ACTIVITY, appWaitActivity);
+
+    execute(START_ACTIVITY, parameters);
+  }
+
+    /**
+     * Checks if a string is null, empty, or whitespace.
+     *
+     * @param str String to check.
+     *
+     * @return True if str is not null or empty.
+     */
+  private static boolean _isNotNullOrEmpty(String str) {
+      return str != null && !str.isEmpty() && str.trim().length() > 0;
+  }
 
   /**
    *
@@ -229,7 +272,7 @@ public void hideKeyboard() {
    */
   public void hideKeyboard(String strategy, String keyName) {
     ImmutableMap<String, String> parameters = ImmutableMap.of("strategy", strategy);
-    if (keyName != null) {
+    if (_isNotNullOrEmpty(keyName)) {
       parameters = parameters.of("key", keyName);
     }
 
@@ -574,7 +617,7 @@ public void setNetworkConnection(NetworkConnectionSetting connection) {
 
   @Override
   public WebDriver context(String name) {
-    if (name == null) {
+    if (_isNotNullOrEmpty(name)) {
       throw new IllegalArgumentException("Must supply a context name");
     }
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/io/appium/java_client/MobileCommand.java b/src/main/java/io/appium/java_client/MobileCommand.java
index c9d9920d2..781f5e745 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/appium/java_client/MobileCommand.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/appium/java_client/MobileCommand.java
@@ -49,5 +49,6 @@ public interface MobileCommand {
   String OPEN_NOTIFICATIONS = "openNotifications";
   String GET_NETWORK_CONNECTION = "getNetworkConnection";
   String SET_NETWORK_CONNECTION = "setNetworkConnection";
+  String START_ACTIVITY = "startActivity";
 
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/io/appium/java_client/remote/MobileCapabilityType.java b/src/main/java/io/appium/java_client/remote/MobileCapabilityType.java
index d59573ba9..d822b2a02 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/appium/java_client/remote/MobileCapabilityType.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/appium/java_client/remote/MobileCapabilityType.java
@@ -3,20 +3,21 @@
 import org.openqa.selenium.remote.CapabilityType;
 
 public interface MobileCapabilityType extends CapabilityType {
+  
+  String AUTOMATION_NAME = "automationName";
 
-	String AUTOMATION_NAME = "automationName";
+  String PLATFORM_NAME = "platformName";
+  String PLATFORM_VERSION = "platformVersion";
 
-	String PLATFORM_NAME = "platformName";
-	String PLATFORM_VERSION = "platformVersion";
+  String DEVICE_NAME = "deviceName";
 
-	String DEVICE_NAME = "deviceName";
+  String NEW_COMMAND_TIMEOUT = "newCommandTimeout";
+  String DEVICE_READY_TIMEOUT = "deviceReadyTimeout";
+  String LAUNCH_TIMEOUT = "launchTimeout";
 
-	String NEW_COMMAND_TIMEOUT = "newCommandTimeout";
-	String DEVICE_READY_TIMEOUT = "deviceReadyTimeout";
-	String LAUNCH_TIMEOUT = "launchTimeout";
-
-	String APP = "app";
-	String APP_PACKAGE = "appPackage";
-	String APP_ACTIVITY = "appActivity";
-	String APP_WAIT_ACTIVITY = "appWaitActivity";
+  String APP = "app";
+  String APP_PACKAGE = "appPackage";
+  String APP_ACTIVITY = "appActivity";
+  String APP_WAIT_ACTIVITY = "appWaitActivity";
+  String APP_WAIT_PACKAGE = "appWaitPackage";
 }
diff --git a/src/test/java/io/appium/java_client/MobileDriverAndroidTest.java b/src/test/java/io/appium/java_client/MobileDriverAndroidTest.java
index 99d23885e..527dfe72b 100644
--- a/src/test/java/io/appium/java_client/MobileDriverAndroidTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/io/appium/java_client/MobileDriverAndroidTest.java
@@ -129,4 +129,18 @@ public void networkConnectionTest() {
   public void isLockedTest() {
     assertEquals(false, driver.isLocked());
   }
+  
+  @Test
+  public void startActivityInThisAppTest(){
+    driver.startActivity("io.appium.android.apis", ".accessibility.AccessibilityNodeProviderActivity", null, null);
+    String activity = driver.currentActivity();
+    assertTrue(activity.contains("Node"));
+  }
+  
+    @Test
+  public void startActivityInAnotherAppTest(){
+    driver.startActivity("com.android.contacts", ".ContactsListActivity", null, null);
+    String activity = driver.currentActivity();
+    assertTrue(activity.contains("Contact"));
+  }
 }