diff --git a/pixiecore/cli/cli.go b/pixiecore/cli/cli.go
index 385101e..5314714 100644
--- a/pixiecore/cli/cli.go
+++ b/pixiecore/cli/cli.go
@@ -42,6 +42,10 @@ func CLI() {
 	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().Var(ipxeFirmwareFlag(pixiecore.FirmwareEFI32), "ipxe-efi32", "iPXE binary for 32-bit UEFI")
 	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().Var(ipxeFirmwareFlag(pixiecore.FirmwareEFI64), "ipxe-efi64", "iPXE binary for 64-bit UEFI")
 
+	if v1compatCLI() {
+		return
+	}
+
 	if err := rootCmd.Execute(); err != nil {
 		fmt.Println(err)
 		os.Exit(-1)
@@ -53,9 +57,6 @@ var rootCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Use:   "pixiecore",
 	Short: "All-in-one network booting",
 	Long:  `Pixiecore is a tool to make network booting easy.`,
-	// Uncomment the following line if your bare application
-	// has an action associated with it:
-	//	Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) { },
 }
 
 type ipxeFirmwareFlag pixiecore.Firmware
diff --git a/pixiecore/cli/v1compat.go b/pixiecore/cli/v1compat.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e0cd40b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pixiecore/cli/v1compat.go
@@ -0,0 +1,113 @@
+// Copyright 2016 Google Inc.
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
+package cli
+
+import (
+	"flag"
+	"fmt"
+	"log"
+	"os"
+	"strings"
+
+	"go.universe.tf/netboot/pixiecore"
+)
+
+func v1compatCLI() bool {
+	fs := flag.NewFlagSet("main", flag.ContinueOnError)
+	fs.Usage = func() {}
+
+	portDHCP := fs.Int("port-dhcp", 67, "Port to listen on for DHCP requests")
+	portPXE := fs.Int("port-pxe", 4011, "Port to listen on for PXE requests")
+	portTFTP := fs.Int("port-tftp", 69, "Port to listen on for TFTP requests")
+	portHTTP := fs.Int("port-http", 70, "Port to listen on for HTTP requests")
+	listenAddr := fs.String("listen-addr", "", "Address to listen on (default all)")
+
+	apiServer := fs.String("api", "", "Path to the boot API server")
+	//apiTimeout := fs.Duration("api-timeout", 5*time.Second, "Timeout on boot API server requests")
+
+	kernelFile := fs.String("kernel", "", "Path to the linux kernel file to boot")
+	initrdFile := fs.String("initrd", "", "Comma-separated list of initrds to pass to the kernel")
+	kernelCmdline := fs.String("cmdline", "", "Additional arguments for the kernel commandline")
+
+	//debug := fs.Bool("debug", false, "Log more things that aren't directly related to booting a recognized client")
+
+	if err := fs.Parse(os.Args[1:]); err != nil {
+		// This error path includes passing -h or --help. We want the
+		// modern CLI to respond to such cries for help, not the
+		// compat CLI.
+		return false
+	}
+
+	// Successful flag parsing might mean no flags were passed, so
+	// heuristically decide if the parsed commandline looks
+	// v1-compat-ish: no positional arguments, and one of kernelFile
+	// or apiServer passed.
+	if fs.NArg() > 0 || (*apiServer == "" && *kernelFile == "") {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	// Run in compat mode.
+
+	switch {
+	case *apiServer != "":
+		if *kernelFile != "" {
+			fatalf("cannot provide -kernel with -api")
+		}
+		if *initrdFile != "" {
+			fatalf("cannot provide -initrd with -api")
+		}
+		if *kernelCmdline != "" {
+			fatalf("cannot provide -cmdline with -api")
+		}
+
+		log.Printf("Starting Pixiecore in API mode, with server %s", *apiServer)
+		todo("API mode not ready yet")
+
+	case *kernelFile != "":
+		if *apiServer != "" {
+			fatalf("cannot provide -api with -kernel")
+		}
+
+		log.Printf("Starting Pixiecore in static mode")
+		var initrds []string
+		if *initrdFile != "" {
+			initrds = strings.Split(*initrdFile, ",")
+		}
+		spec := &pixiecore.Spec{
+			Kernel:  pixiecore.ID(*kernelFile),
+			Cmdline: map[string]interface{}{*kernelCmdline: ""},
+		}
+		for _, initrd := range initrds {
+			spec.Initrd = append(spec.Initrd, pixiecore.ID(initrd))
+		}
+
+		s := &pixiecore.Server{
+			Booter:   pixiecore.StaticBooter(spec),
+			Ipxe:     Ipxe,
+			Log:      func(msg string) { fmt.Println(msg) },
+			Address:  *listenAddr,
+			HTTPPort: *portHTTP,
+			DHCPPort: *portDHCP,
+			TFTPPort: *portTFTP,
+			PXEPort:  *portPXE,
+		}
+		fmt.Println(s.Serve())
+
+	default:
+		fatalf("must specify either -api, or -kernel/-initrd")
+	}
+
+	return true
+}