diff --git a/src/core/config.c b/src/core/config.c
index 7ec9a3bb..6f113c0b 100644
--- a/src/core/config.c
+++ b/src/core/config.c
@@ -163,6 +163,9 @@ REQUIRE_OBJECT ( route_cmd );
 #ifdef IMAGE_CMD
 REQUIRE_OBJECT ( image_cmd );
 #endif
+#ifdef DHCP_CMD
+REQUIRE_OBJECT ( dhcp_cmd );
+#endif
 
 /*
  * Drag in miscellaneous objects
diff --git a/src/hci/commands/dhcp_cmd.c b/src/hci/commands/dhcp_cmd.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8cfd428e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/hci/commands/dhcp_cmd.c
@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2007 Michael Brown <mbrown@fensystems.co.uk>.
+ *
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the
+ * License, or any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
+ * WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+ * General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+ * Foundation, Inc., 675 Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
+ */
+
+#include <stdint.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <getopt.h>
+#include <vsprintf.h>
+#include <gpxe/netdevice.h>
+#include <gpxe/command.h>
+#include <usr/dhcpmgmt.h>
+
+/** @file
+ *
+ * DHCP management commands
+ *
+ */
+
+/**
+ * "dhcp" command syntax message
+ *
+ * @v argv		Argument list
+ */
+static void dhcp_syntax ( char **argv ) {
+	printf ( "Usage:\n"
+		 "  %s <interface>\n"
+		 "\n"
+		 "Configure a network interface using DHCP\n",
+		 argv[0] );
+}
+
+/**
+ * The "dhcp" command
+ *
+ * @v argc		Argument count
+ * @v argv		Argument list
+ * @ret rc		Exit code
+ */
+static int dhcp_exec ( int argc, char **argv ) {
+	static struct option longopts[] = {
+		{ "help", 0, NULL, 'h' },
+		{ NULL, 0, NULL, 0 },
+	};
+	const char *name;
+	struct net_device *netdev;
+	int c;
+	int rc;
+
+	/* Parse options */
+	while ( ( c = getopt_long ( argc, argv, "h", longopts, NULL ) ) >= 0 ){
+		switch ( c ) {
+		case 'h':
+			/* Display help text */
+		default:
+			/* Unrecognised/invalid option */
+			dhcp_syntax ( argv );
+			return 1;
+		}
+	}
+
+	/* Need exactly one interface name remaining after the options */
+	if ( optind != ( argc - 1 ) ) {
+		dhcp_syntax ( argv );
+		return 1;
+	}
+	name = argv[optind];
+
+	/* Perform DHCP */
+	netdev = find_netdev ( name );
+	if ( ! netdev ) {
+		printf ( "No such interface: %s\n", name );
+		return 1;
+	}
+	if ( ( rc = dhcp ( netdev ) ) != 0 ) {
+		printf ( "Could not configure %s: %s\n", netdev->name,
+			 strerror ( rc ) );
+		return 1;
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+/** DHCP management commands */
+struct command dhcp_commands[] __command = {
+	{
+		.name = "dhcp",
+		.exec = dhcp_exec,
+	},
+};
diff --git a/src/usr/dhcpmgmt.c b/src/usr/dhcpmgmt.c
index a5a79fdf..6042f8b2 100644
--- a/src/usr/dhcpmgmt.c
+++ b/src/usr/dhcpmgmt.c
@@ -45,6 +45,10 @@ int dhcp ( struct net_device *netdev ) {
 	struct in_addr gateway = { INADDR_NONE };
 	int rc;
 
+	/* Check we can open the interface first */
+	if ( ( rc = ifopen ( netdev ) ) != 0 )
+		return rc;
+
 	/* Free up any previously-acquired options */
 	if ( dhcp_options ) {
 		unregister_dhcp_options ( dhcp_options );