diff --git a/pbr/cmd/__init__.py b/pbr/cmd/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b
diff --git a/pbr/cmd/main.py b/pbr/cmd/main.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..de189c48
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pbr/cmd/main.py
@@ -0,0 +1,110 @@
+# Copyright 2014 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
+# All Rights Reserved.
+#
+#    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.
+
+import argparse
+import json
+import sys
+
+import pkg_resources
+
+import pbr.version
+
+
+def _get_metadata(package_name):
+    try:
+        return json.loads(
+            pkg_resources.get_distribution(
+                package_name).get_metadata('pbr.json'))
+    except pkg_resources.DistributionNotFound:
+        raise Exception('Package {0} not installed'.format(package_name))
+    except Exception:
+        return None
+
+
+def get_sha(args):
+    sha = _get_info(args.name)['sha']
+    if sha:
+        print(sha)
+
+
+def get_info(args):
+    print("{name}\t{version}\t{released}\t{sha}".format(
+        **_get_info(args.name)))
+
+
+def _get_info(name):
+    metadata = _get_metadata(name)
+    version = pkg_resources.get_distribution(name).version
+    if metadata:
+        if metadata['is_release']:
+            released = 'released'
+        else:
+            released = 'pre-release'
+        sha = metadata['git_version']
+    else:
+        version_parts = version.split('.')
+        if version_parts[-1].startswith('g'):
+            sha = version_parts[-1][1:]
+            released = 'pre-release'
+        else:
+            sha = ""
+            released = "released"
+            for part in version_parts:
+                if not part.isdigit():
+                    released = "pre-release"
+    return dict(name=name, version=version, sha=sha, released=released)
+
+
+def freeze(args):
+    for dist in pkg_resources.working_set:
+        info = _get_info(dist.project_name)
+        output = "{name}=={version}".format(**info)
+        if info['sha']:
+            output += "  # git sha {sha}".format(**info)
+        print(output)
+
+
+def main():
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
+        description='pbr: Python Build Reasonableness')
+    parser.add_argument(
+        '-v', '--version', action='version',
+        version=str(pbr.version.VersionInfo('pbr')))
+
+    subparsers = parser.add_subparsers(
+        title='commands', description='valid commands', help='additional help')
+
+    cmd_sha = subparsers.add_parser('sha', help='print sha of package')
+    cmd_sha.set_defaults(func=get_sha)
+    cmd_sha.add_argument('name', help='package to print sha of')
+
+    cmd_sha = subparsers.add_parser(
+        'info', help='print version info for package')
+    cmd_sha.set_defaults(func=get_info)
+    cmd_sha.add_argument('name', help='package to print info of')
+
+    cmd_sha = subparsers.add_parser(
+        'freeze', help='print version info for all installed packages')
+    cmd_sha.set_defaults(func=freeze)
+
+    args = parser.parse_args()
+    try:
+        args.func(args)
+    except Exception as e:
+        print(e)
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    sys.exit(main())
diff --git a/pbr/packaging.py b/pbr/packaging.py
index 44c14cc3..4f5897cc 100644
--- a/pbr/packaging.py
+++ b/pbr/packaging.py
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ from __future__ import unicode_literals
 
 import email
 import io
+import json
 import os
 import re
 import subprocess
@@ -776,6 +777,49 @@ def have_sphinx():
     return _have_sphinx
 
 
+def _get_raw_tag_info(git_dir):
+    describe = _run_git_command(['describe', '--always'], git_dir)
+    if "-" in describe:
+        return describe.rsplit("-", 2)[-2]
+    if "." in describe:
+        return 0
+    return None
+
+
+def get_is_release(git_dir):
+    return _get_raw_tag_info(git_dir) == 0
+
+
+def _run_git_functions():
+    git_dir = _get_git_directory()
+    if git_dir and _git_is_installed():
+        return git_dir
+    return None
+
+
+def get_git_short_sha(git_dir=None):
+    """Return the short sha for this repo, if it exists."""
+    if not git_dir:
+        git_dir = _run_git_functions()
+    if git_dir:
+        return _run_git_command(
+            ['log', '-n1', '--pretty=format:%h'], git_dir)
+    return None
+
+
+def write_pbr_json(cmd, basename, filename):
+    git_dir = _run_git_functions()
+    if not git_dir:
+        return
+    values = dict()
+    git_version = get_git_short_sha(git_dir)
+    is_release = get_is_release(git_dir)
+    if git_version is not None:
+        values['git_version'] = git_version
+        values['is_release'] = is_release
+        cmd.write_file('pbr', filename, json.dumps(values))
+
+
 def _get_revno(git_dir):
     """Return the number of commits since the most recent tag.
 
@@ -783,9 +827,9 @@ def _get_revno(git_dir):
     tags then we fall back to counting commits since the beginning
     of time.
     """
-    describe = _run_git_command(['describe', '--always'], git_dir)
-    if "-" in describe:
-        return describe.rsplit("-", 2)[-2]
+    raw_tag_info = _get_raw_tag_info(git_dir)
+    if raw_tag_info:
+        return raw_tag_info
 
     # no tags found
     revlist = _run_git_command(
diff --git a/setup.cfg b/setup.cfg
index 34b88a85..8f419011 100644
--- a/setup.cfg
+++ b/setup.cfg
@@ -38,6 +38,10 @@ distutils.setup_keywords =
     pbr = pbr.core:pbr
 distutils.commands =
     testr = pbr.testr_command:Testr
+egg_info.writers =
+    pbr.json = pbr.packaging:write_pbr_json
+console_scripts =
+    pbr = pbr.cmd.main:main
 
 [build_sphinx]
 all_files = 1