diff --git a/.circleci/config.yml b/.circleci/config.yml
index f5c0809f9..ef99bcda4 100644
--- a/.circleci/config.yml
+++ b/.circleci/config.yml
@@ -67,6 +67,17 @@ jobs:
       - run: .circleci/setup_git
       - run: yarn exec nps test.command
       - store_test_results: *store_test_results
+  node-latest-hook:
+    <<: *lint
+    docker:
+      - image: node:8
+    steps: &hook_steps
+      - checkout
+      - restore_cache: *restore_cache
+      - attach_workspace: {at: node_modules}
+      - run: .circleci/setup_git
+      - run: yarn exec nps test.hook
+      - store_test_results: *store_test_results
   node-8-base: &node_8
     <<: *lint
     docker:
@@ -87,6 +98,9 @@ jobs:
   node-8-command:
     <<: *node_8
     steps: *command_steps
+  node-8-hook:
+    <<: *node_8
+    steps: *hook_steps
 
   cache:
     <<: *lint
@@ -149,8 +163,10 @@ workflows:
       - node-latest-plugin: {requires: [lint] }
       - node-latest-multi: {requires: [lint] }
       - node-latest-command: {requires: [lint] }
+      - node-latest-hook: {requires: [lint] }
       - node-8-base: {requires: [lint] }
       - node-8-single: {requires: [lint] }
       - node-8-plugin: {requires: [lint] }
       - node-8-multi: {requires: [lint] }
       - node-8-command: {requires: [lint] }
+      - node-8-hook: {requires: [lint] }
diff --git a/appveyor.yml b/appveyor.yml
index 54d4bd703..2fded46f6 100644
--- a/appveyor.yml
+++ b/appveyor.yml
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ environment:
     - TEST_TYPE: plugin
     - TEST_TYPE: multi
     - TEST_TYPE: command
+    - TEST_TYPE: hook
 cache:
   - '%LOCALAPPDATA%\Yarn -> appveyor.yml'
   - node_modules -> yarn.lock
diff --git a/package-scripts.js b/package-scripts.js
index c14db1e1d..f61e6e3b6 100644
--- a/package-scripts.js
+++ b/package-scripts.js
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ sh.set('-e')
 
 setColors(['dim'])
 
-const testTypes = ['base', 'plugin', 'single', 'multi', 'command']
+const testTypes = ['base', 'plugin', 'single', 'multi', 'command', 'hook']
 const tests = testTypes.map(cmd => {
   const {silent} = sh.config
   sh.config.silent = true
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index c41292ef9..2de2492e7 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
   "devDependencies": {
     "@oclif/dev-cli": "^1.3.1",
     "@oclif/tslint": "^1.0.2",
-    "@types/lodash": "^4.14.105",
+    "@types/lodash": "^4.14.106",
     "@types/read-pkg": "^3.0.0",
     "@types/shelljs": "^0.7.8",
     "@types/yeoman-generator": "^2.0.1",
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
     "fancy-test": "^1.0.1",
     "fs-extra": "^5.0.0",
     "globby": "^8.0.1",
-    "mocha": "^5.0.4",
+    "mocha": "^5.0.5",
     "npm-run-path": "^2.0.2",
     "nps": "^5.8.2",
     "shelljs": "^0.8.1",
diff --git a/src/commands/command.ts b/src/commands/command.ts
index b281a6bc5..9f78b4b66 100644
--- a/src/commands/command.ts
+++ b/src/commands/command.ts
@@ -25,6 +25,6 @@ export default abstract class AppCommand extends Base {
       name: args.name,
       defaults: flags.defaults,
       force: flags.force
-    })
+    } as Options)
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/commands/hook.ts b/src/commands/hook.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..21ec38007
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/commands/hook.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+import {flags} from '@oclif/command'
+
+import Base from '../command_base'
+
+export interface Options {
+  name: string
+  defaults?: boolean
+  force?: boolean
+  event: string
+}
+
+export default abstract class HookCommand extends Base {
+  static description = 'add a hook to an existing CLI or plugin'
+
+  static flags = {
+    defaults: flags.boolean({description: 'use defaults for every setting'}),
+    force: flags.boolean({description: 'overwrite existing files'}),
+    event: flags.string({description: 'event to run hook on', default: 'init'}),
+  }
+  static args = [
+    {name: 'name', description: 'name of hook (snake_case)', required: true}
+  ]
+
+  async run() {
+    const {flags, args} = this.parse(HookCommand)
+    await super.generate('hook', {
+      name: args.name,
+      event: flags.event,
+      defaults: flags.defaults,
+      force: flags.force,
+    } as Options)
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/generators/hook.ts b/src/generators/hook.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6554993b0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/generators/hook.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+// tslint:disable no-floating-promises
+// tslint:disable no-console
+
+import * as _ from 'lodash'
+import * as path from 'path'
+import * as Generator from 'yeoman-generator'
+import yosay = require('yosay')
+
+import {Options} from '../commands/hook'
+
+const {version} = require('../../package.json')
+
+class HookGenerator extends Generator {
+  pjson!: any
+
+  get _path() { return this.options.name.split(':').join('/') }
+  get _ts() { return this.pjson.devDependencies.typescript }
+  get _ext() { return this._ts ? 'ts' : 'js' }
+  get _mocha() { return this.pjson.devDependencies.mocha }
+
+  constructor(args: any, public options: Options) {
+    super(args, options)
+  }
+
+  async prompting() {
+    this.pjson = this.fs.readJSON('package.json')
+    this.pjson.oclif = this.pjson.oclif || {}
+    if (!this.pjson) throw new Error('not in a project directory')
+    this.log(yosay(`Adding a ${this.options.event} hook to ${this.pjson.name} Version: ${version}`))
+  }
+
+  writing() {
+    this.sourceRoot(path.join(__dirname, '../../templates'))
+    this.fs.copyTpl(this.templatePath(`src/hook.${this._ext}.ejs`), this.destinationPath(`src/hooks/${this.options.event}/${this.options.name}.${this._ext}`), this)
+    if (this._mocha) {
+      this.fs.copyTpl(this.templatePath(`test/hook.test.${this._ext}.ejs`), this.destinationPath(`test/commands/${this._path}.test.${this._ext}`), this)
+    }
+    this.pjson.oclif = this.pjson.oclif || {}
+    let hooks = this.pjson.oclif.hooks = this.pjson.oclif.hooks || {}
+    let p = `./${this._ts ? 'lib' : 'src'}/hooks/${this.options.event}/${this.options.name}.js`
+    if (hooks[this.options.event]) {
+      hooks[this.options.event] = _.castArray(hooks[this.options.event])
+      hooks[this.options.event].push(p)
+    } else {
+      this.pjson.oclif.hooks[this.options.event] = p
+    }
+    this.fs.writeJSON(this.destinationPath('./package.json'), this.pjson)
+  }
+}
+
+export = HookGenerator
diff --git a/templates/plugin/test/hooks/init.test.js b/templates/plugin/test/hooks/init.test.js
deleted file mode 100644
index d90d771ae..000000000
--- a/templates/plugin/test/hooks/init.test.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,9 +0,0 @@
-const {expect, test} = require('@oclif/test')
-
-describe('hooks', () => {
-  test
-    .stdout()
-    .hook('init', {id: 'mycommand'})
-    .do(output => expect(output.stdout).to.contain('example hook running mycommand'))
-    .it('shows a message')
-})
diff --git a/templates/src/hook.js.ejs b/templates/src/hook.js.ejs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..559c743f0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/src/hook.js.ejs
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+module.exports = async function (opts) {
+  process.stdout.write(`example hook running ${opts.id}\n`)
+}
diff --git a/templates/src/hook.ts.ejs b/templates/src/hook.ts.ejs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..673f56cab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/src/hook.ts.ejs
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+import {Hook} from '@oclif/config'
+
+const hook: Hook<'<%- options.event %>'> = async function (opts) {
+  process.stdout.write(`example hook running ${opts.id}\n`)
+}
+
+export default hook
diff --git a/templates/test/hook.test.js.ejs b/templates/test/hook.test.js.ejs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c91b560aa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/test/hook.test.js.ejs
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+const {expect, test} = require('@oclif/test')
+
+describe('hooks', () => {
+  test
+  .stdout()
+  .hook('init', {id: 'mycommand'})
+  .do(output => expect(output.stdout).to.contain('example hook running mycommand'))
+  .it('shows a message')
+})
diff --git a/templates/plugin/test/hooks/init.test.ts b/templates/test/hook.test.ts.ejs
similarity index 100%
rename from templates/plugin/test/hooks/init.test.ts
rename to templates/test/hook.test.ts.ejs
diff --git a/test/commands/hook/everything.test.js b/test/commands/hook/everything.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..30c30f3ad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/commands/hook/everything.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+require('../../run')(module.filename)
diff --git a/test/commands/hook/mocha.test.js b/test/commands/hook/mocha.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..30c30f3ad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/commands/hook/mocha.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+require('../../run')(module.filename)
diff --git a/test/run.js b/test/run.js
index 484b6b340..4eeb05f2a 100644
--- a/test/run.js
+++ b/test/run.js
@@ -84,6 +84,15 @@ module.exports = file => {
         sh.exec('node ./bin/run foo:bar:baz --help')
         sh.exec('yarn run prepublishOnly')
         break
+      case 'hook':
+        build('plugin', name)
+        generate('hook myhook --defaults --force')
+        // TODO: remove this compilation step
+        sh.exec('tsc')
+        sh.exec('yarn test')
+        sh.exec('node ./bin/run hello')
+        sh.exec('yarn run prepublishOnly')
+        break
       }
     })
     .it([cmd, name].join(':'))
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index 82018fe76..5141107e2 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -114,9 +114,9 @@
     "@types/rx" "*"
     "@types/through" "*"
 
-"@types/lodash@^4.14.105":
-  version "4.14.105"
-  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@types/lodash/-/lodash-4.14.105.tgz#9fcc4627a1f98f8f8fce79ddb2bff4afd97e959b"
+"@types/lodash@^4.14.106":
+  version "4.14.106"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@types/lodash/-/lodash-4.14.106.tgz#6093e9a02aa567ddecfe9afadca89e53e5dce4dd"
 
 "@types/minimatch@*":
   version "3.0.3"
@@ -2073,9 +2073,9 @@ mkdirp@0.5.1, mkdirp@^0.5.0, mkdirp@^0.5.1:
   dependencies:
     minimist "0.0.8"
 
-mocha@^5.0.4:
-  version "5.0.4"
-  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/mocha/-/mocha-5.0.4.tgz#6b7aa328472da1088e69d47e75925fd3a3bb63c6"
+mocha@^5.0.5:
+  version "5.0.5"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/mocha/-/mocha-5.0.5.tgz#e228e3386b9387a4710007a641f127b00be44b52"
   dependencies:
     browser-stdout "1.3.1"
     commander "2.11.0"