diff --git a/ckan/cli/cli.py b/ckan/cli/cli.py
index 236196c88c6..b6950e9575a 100644
--- a/ckan/cli/cli.py
+++ b/ckan/cli/cli.py
@@ -4,7 +4,10 @@
 
 import click
 
-from ckan.cli import click_config_option, db, load_config, search_index, server
+from ckan.cli import (
+    click_config_option, db, load_config, search_index, server,
+    dataset,
+)
 from ckan.config.middleware import make_app
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -28,3 +31,4 @@ def ckan(ctx, config, *args, **kwargs):
 ckan.add_command(server.run)
 ckan.add_command(db.db)
 ckan.add_command(search_index.search_index)
+ckan.add_command(dataset.dataset)
diff --git a/ckan/cli/dataset.py b/ckan/cli/dataset.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f62056a47e0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ckan/cli/dataset.py
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+# encoding: utf-8
+
+import logging
+import pprint
+
+import click
+from six import text_type
+
+import ckan.logic as logic
+import ckan.model as model
+
+log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+@click.group()
+def dataset():
+    u'''Manage datasets
+    '''
+
+
+@dataset.command()
+@click.argument(u'package')
+def show(package):
+    u'''Shows dataset properties.
+    '''
+    dataset = _get_dataset(package)
+    click.echo(pprint.pformat(dataset.as_dict()))
+
+
+@dataset.command()
+def list():
+    u'''Lists datasets.
+    '''
+    click.echo(u'Datasets:')
+    datasets = model.Session.query(model.Package)
+    click.echo(u'count = %i' % datasets.count())
+    for dataset in datasets:
+        state = (
+            u'(%s)' % dataset.state
+        ) if dataset.state != u'active' else u''
+
+        click.echo(
+            u'%s %s %s' %
+            (click.style(dataset.id, bold=True), dataset.name, state)
+        )
+
+
+@dataset.command()
+@click.argument(u'package')
+def delete(package):
+    u'''Changes dataset state to 'deleted'.
+    '''
+    dataset = _get_dataset(package)
+    old_state = dataset.state
+
+    model.repo.new_revision()
+    dataset.delete()
+    model.repo.commit_and_remove()
+    dataset = _get_dataset(package)
+    click.echo(
+        u'%s %s -> %s' % (
+            dataset.name, click.style(old_state, fg=u'red'),
+            click.style(dataset.state, fg=u'green')
+        )
+    )
+
+
+@dataset.command()
+@click.argument(u'package')
+def purge(package):
+    u'''Removes dataset from db entirely.
+    '''
+    dataset = _get_dataset(package)
+    name = dataset.name
+
+    site_user = logic.get_action(u'get_site_user')({u'ignore_auth': True}, {})
+    context = {u'user': site_user[u'name']}
+    logic.get_action(u'dataset_purge')(context, {u'id': package})
+    click.echo(u'%s purged' % name)
+
+
+def _get_dataset(package):
+    dataset = model.Package.get(text_type(package))
+    assert dataset, u'Could not find dataset matching reference: {}'.format(
+        package
+    )
+    return dataset