diff --git a/gdb/interps.c b/gdb/interps.c
index 90d0de8..c9de292 100644
--- a/gdb/interps.c
+++ b/gdb/interps.c
@@ -291,6 +291,19 @@ interp_lookup (const char *name)
   return NULL;
 }
 
+void
+set_top_level_interpreter (const char *name)
+{
+  /* Find it.  */
+  struct interp *interp = interp_lookup (name);
+
+  if (interp == NULL)
+    error (_("Interpreter `%s' unrecognized"), name);
+  /* Install it.  */
+  if (!interp_set (interp, 1))
+    error (_("Interpreter `%s' failed to initialize."), name);
+}
+
 /* Returns the current interpreter.  */
 
 struct ui_out *
@@ -523,7 +536,7 @@ interpreter_exec_cmd (char *args, int from_tty)
 }
 
 /* List the possible interpreters which could complete the given text.  */
-static VEC (char_ptr) *
+VEC (char_ptr) *
 interpreter_completer (struct cmd_list_element *ignore,
 		       const char *text, const char *word)
 {
diff --git a/gdb/interps.h b/gdb/interps.h
index 6d8930f..3f9f010 100644
--- a/gdb/interps.h
+++ b/gdb/interps.h
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ extern struct interp *interp_new (const char *name,
 extern void interp_add (struct interp *interp);
 extern int interp_set (struct interp *interp, int top_level);
 extern struct interp *interp_lookup (const char *name);
+extern void set_top_level_interpreter (const char *name);
 extern struct ui_out *interp_ui_out (struct interp *interp);
 extern void *interp_data (struct interp *interp);
 extern const char *interp_name (struct interp *interp);
@@ -119,6 +120,10 @@ extern int interp_supports_command_editing (struct interp *interp);
    chance to e.g., print a prompt.  */
 extern void interp_pre_command_loop (struct interp *interp);
 
+extern VEC (char_ptr) *interpreter_completer (struct cmd_list_element *ignore,
+					      const char *text,
+					      const char *word);
+
 /* well-known interpreters */
 #define INTERP_CONSOLE		"console"
 #define INTERP_MI1             "mi1"
diff --git a/gdb/main.c b/gdb/main.c
index 95578e4..a982752 100644
--- a/gdb/main.c
+++ b/gdb/main.c
@@ -962,17 +962,7 @@ captured_main (void *data)
 
   /* Install the default UI.  All the interpreters should have had a
      look at things by now.  Initialize the default interpreter.  */
-
-  {
-    /* Find it.  */
-    struct interp *interp = interp_lookup (interpreter_p);
-
-    if (interp == NULL)
-      error (_("Interpreter `%s' unrecognized"), interpreter_p);
-    /* Install it.  */
-    if (!interp_set (interp, 1))
-      error (_("Interpreter `%s' failed to initialize."), interpreter_p);
-  }
+  set_top_level_interpreter (interpreter_p);
 
   /* FIXME: cagney/2003-02-03: The big hack (part 2 of 2) that lets
      GDB retain the old MI1 interpreter startup behavior.  Output the
diff --git a/gdb/top.c b/gdb/top.c
index 7d6d7cb..d74af46 100644
--- a/gdb/top.c
+++ b/gdb/top.c
@@ -313,6 +313,75 @@ delete_ui (struct ui *todel)
   free_ui (ui);
 }
 
+static FILE *
+open_stream (const char *name)
+{
+  int fd;
+
+  fd = open (name, O_RDWR | O_NOCTTY);
+  if (fd < 0)
+    perror_with_name  (_("opening terminal failed"));
+
+  return fdopen (fd, "w+");
+}
+
+static void
+new_ui_command (char *args, int from_tty)
+{
+  struct ui *ui;
+  struct interp *interp;
+  FILE *stream[3] = { NULL, NULL, NULL };
+  int i;
+  int res;
+  int argc;
+  char **argv;
+  const char *interpreter_name;
+  const char *tty_name;
+  struct cleanup *back_to;
+  struct cleanup *streams_chain;
+
+  argv = gdb_buildargv (args);
+  back_to = make_cleanup_freeargv (argv);
+
+  for (argc = 0; argv[argc] != NULL; argc++)
+    ;
+
+  if (argc < 2)
+    error (_("usage: new-ui <interpreter> <tty>"));
+
+  interpreter_name = argv[0];
+  tty_name = argv[1];
+
+  streams_chain = make_cleanup (null_cleanup, NULL);
+
+  /* Open specified terminal, once for each of
+     stdin/stdout/stderr.  */
+  for (i = 0; i < 3; i++)
+    {
+      stream[i] = open_stream (tty_name);
+      make_cleanup_fclose (stream[i]);
+    }
+
+  ui = new_ui (stream[0], stream[1], stream[2]);
+
+  discard_cleanups (streams_chain);
+
+  initialize_stdin_serial (ui);
+  ui->async = 1;
+
+  make_cleanup (restore_ui_cleanup, current_ui);
+  current_ui = ui;
+
+  set_top_level_interpreter (interpreter_name);
+
+  interp_pre_command_loop (top_level_interpreter ());
+
+  /* This restores the previous UI.  */
+  do_cleanups (back_to);
+
+  printf_unfiltered ("New UI allocated\n");
+}
+
 /* Handler for SIGHUP.  */
 
 #ifdef SIGHUP
@@ -1878,6 +1947,8 @@ set_history_filename (char *args, int from_tty, struct cmd_list_element *c)
 static void
 init_main (void)
 {
+  struct cmd_list_element *c;
+
   /* Initialize the prompt to a simple "(gdb) " prompt or to whatever
      the DEFAULT_PROMPT is.  */
   set_prompt (DEFAULT_PROMPT);
@@ -2001,6 +2072,12 @@ When set, GDB uses the specified path to search for data files."),
                            set_gdb_datadir, show_gdb_datadir,
                            &setlist,
                            &showlist);
+
+  c = add_cmd ("new-ui", class_support, new_ui_command, _("\
+Create a new UI.  It takes two arguments:\n\
+The first argument is the name of the interpreter to run.\n\
+The second argument is the terminal the UI runs on.\n"), &cmdlist);
+  set_cmd_completer (c, interpreter_completer);
 }
 
 void
