diff --git a/IPython/core/profileapp.py b/IPython/core/profileapp.py
index 4520c4acbe2..f83fd1396fb 100644
--- a/IPython/core/profileapp.py
+++ b/IPython/core/profileapp.py
@@ -85,6 +85,8 @@
 _main_examples = """
 ipython profile create -h  # show the help string for the create subcommand
 ipython profile list -h    # show the help string for the list subcommand
+
+ipython locate profile foo # print the path to the directory for profile 'foo'
 """
 
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -115,6 +117,18 @@ def list_bundled_profiles():
     return profiles
 
 
+class ProfileLocate(BaseIPythonApplication):
+    description = """print the path an IPython profile dir"""
+    
+    def parse_command_line(self, argv=None):
+        super(ProfileLocate, self).parse_command_line(argv)
+        if self.extra_args:
+            self.profile = self.extra_args[0]
+    
+    def start(self):
+        print self.profile_dir.location
+
+
 class ProfileList(Application):
     name = u'ipython-profile'
     description = list_help
@@ -277,8 +291,8 @@ class ProfileApp(Application):
     examples = _main_examples
 
     subcommands = Dict(dict(
-        create = (ProfileCreate, "Create a new profile dir with default config files"),
-        list = (ProfileList, "List existing profiles")
+        create = (ProfileCreate, ProfileCreate.description.splitlines()[0]),
+        list = (ProfileList, ProfileList.description.splitlines()[0]),
     ))
 
     def start(self):
diff --git a/IPython/frontend/terminal/ipapp.py b/IPython/frontend/terminal/ipapp.py
index 310944d041b..e33e30972d6 100755
--- a/IPython/frontend/terminal/ipapp.py
+++ b/IPython/frontend/terminal/ipapp.py
@@ -78,6 +78,9 @@
 
 ipython profile create foo # create profile foo w/ default config files
 ipython help profile       # show the help for the profile subcmd
+
+ipython locate             # print the path to the IPython directory
+ipython locate profile foo # print the path to the directory for profile `foo`
 """
 
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -180,6 +183,21 @@ def make_report(self,traceback):
 # Main classes and functions
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+
+class LocateIPythonApp(BaseIPythonApplication):
+    description = """print the path to the IPython dir"""
+    subcommands = Dict(dict(
+        profile=('IPython.core.profileapp.ProfileLocate',
+            "print the path to an IPython profile directory",
+        ),
+    ))
+    def start(self):
+        if self.subapp is not None:
+            return self.subapp.start()
+        else:
+            print self.ipython_dir
+
+
 class TerminalIPythonApp(BaseIPythonApplication, InteractiveShellApp):
     name = u'ipython'
     description = usage.cl_usage
@@ -219,6 +237,9 @@ def _classes_default(self):
         console=('IPython.frontend.terminal.console.app.ZMQTerminalIPythonApp',
             """Launch the IPython terminal-based Console."""
         ),
+        locate=('IPython.frontend.terminal.ipapp.LocateIPythonApp',
+            LocateIPythonApp.description
+        ),
     ))
 
     # *do* autocreate requested profile, but don't create the config file.
diff --git a/docs/source/config/overview.txt b/docs/source/config/overview.txt
index a0f6a0bd8b6..759fe4b909a 100644
--- a/docs/source/config/overview.txt
+++ b/docs/source/config/overview.txt
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ configuration, and by default, all profiles will be stored in the so called
 "IPython directory". The location of this directory is determined by the
 following algorithm:
 
-* If the ``ipython_dir`` command line flag is given, its value is used.
+* If the ``ipython-dir`` command line flag is given, its value is used.
 
 * If not, the value returned by :func:`IPython.utils.path.get_ipython_dir`
   is used. This function will first look at the :envvar:`IPYTHONDIR`
@@ -324,6 +324,25 @@ under :file:`profile_default`. If you want the default config files for the
 :mod:`IPython.parallel` applications, add ``--parallel`` to the end of the
 command-line args.
 
+
+Locating these files
+--------------------
+
+From the command-line, you can quickly locate the IPYTHONDIR or a specific
+profile with:
+
+.. sourcecode:: bash
+
+    $> ipython locate
+    /home/you/.ipython
+    
+    $> ipython locate profile foo
+    /home/you/.ipython/profile_foo
+
+These map to the utility functions: :func:`IPython.utils.path.get_ipython_dir`
+and :func:`IPython.utils.path.locate_profile` respectively.
+
+
 .. _Profiles:
 
 Profiles