diff --git a/build.sbt b/build.sbt
index 9d8b039c7..20f0b16fa 100644
--- a/build.sbt
+++ b/build.sbt
@@ -176,12 +176,11 @@ lazy val actionsProj = (project in file("main-actions")).
 
 // General command support and core commands not specific to a build system
 lazy val commandProj = (project in file("main-command")).
-  dependsOn(serverProj).
   settings(
     testedBaseSettings,
     name := "Command",
     libraryDependencies ++= Seq(launcherInterface, compilerInterface,
-      sbtIO, utilLogging, utilCompletion, compilerClasspath)
+      sbtIO, utilLogging, utilCompletion, compilerClasspath, json4s, json4sNative) // to transitively get json4s)
   )
 
 // Fixes scope=Scope for Setting (core defined in collectionProj) to define the settings system used in build definitions
@@ -194,15 +193,9 @@ lazy val mainSettingsProj = (project in file("main-settings")).
       utilLogging, sbtIO, utilCompletion, compilerClasspath, libraryManagement)
   )
 
-lazy val serverProj = (project in mainPath / "server").
-  settings(
-    baseSettings,
-    libraryDependencies ++= Seq(json4s, json4sNative) // to transitively get json4s
-  )
-
 // The main integration project for sbt.  It brings all of the Projsystems together, configures them, and provides for overriding conventions.
 lazy val mainProj = (project in file("main")).
-  dependsOn(actionsProj, mainSettingsProj, runProj, commandProj, serverProj).
+  dependsOn(actionsProj, mainSettingsProj, runProj, commandProj).
   settings(
     testedBaseSettings,
     name := "Main",
@@ -251,7 +244,7 @@ lazy val myProvided = config("provided") intransitive
 def allProjects = Seq(
   testingProj, testAgentProj, taskProj, stdTaskProj, runProj,
   scriptedSbtProj, scriptedPluginProj,
-  actionsProj, commandProj, mainSettingsProj, serverProj, mainProj, sbtProj, bundledLauncherProj)
+  actionsProj, commandProj, mainSettingsProj, mainProj, sbtProj, bundledLauncherProj)
 
 def projectsWithMyProvided = allProjects.map(p => p.copy(configurations = (p.configurations.filter(_ != Provided)) :+ myProvided))
 lazy val nonRoots = projectsWithMyProvided.map(p => LocalProject(p.id))
diff --git a/main-command/src/main/scala/sbt/BasicCommandStrings.scala b/main-command/src/main/scala/sbt/BasicCommandStrings.scala
index 032b51eda..bfd424a65 100644
--- a/main-command/src/main/scala/sbt/BasicCommandStrings.scala
+++ b/main-command/src/main/scala/sbt/BasicCommandStrings.scala
@@ -149,6 +149,9 @@ object BasicCommandStrings {
   def Shell = "shell"
   def ShellDetailed = "Provides an interactive prompt from which commands can be run."
 
+  def Server = "server"
+  def ServerDetailed = "Provides a network server and an interactive prompt from which commands can be run."
+
   def StashOnFailure = "sbtStashOnFailure"
   def PopOnFailure = "sbtPopOnFailure"
 
diff --git a/main-command/src/main/scala/sbt/BasicCommands.scala b/main-command/src/main/scala/sbt/BasicCommands.scala
index 937de57bb..54f75a75d 100644
--- a/main-command/src/main/scala/sbt/BasicCommands.scala
+++ b/main-command/src/main/scala/sbt/BasicCommands.scala
@@ -13,14 +13,16 @@ import BasicCommandStrings._
 import CommandUtil._
 import BasicKeys._
 
-import sbt.server.Server
 import java.io.File
 import sbt.io.IO
+import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentLinkedQueue
+import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicBoolean
 
 import scala.util.control.NonFatal
+import scala.annotation.tailrec
 
 object BasicCommands {
-  lazy val allBasicCommands = Seq(nop, ignore, help, completionsCommand, multi, ifLast, append, setOnFailure, clearOnFailure, stashOnFailure, popOnFailure, reboot, call, early, exit, continuous, history, shell, read, alias) ++ compatCommands
+  lazy val allBasicCommands = Seq(nop, ignore, help, completionsCommand, multi, ifLast, append, setOnFailure, clearOnFailure, stashOnFailure, popOnFailure, reboot, call, early, exit, continuous, history, shell, server, read, alias) ++ compatCommands
 
   def nop = Command.custom(s => success(() => s))
   def ignore = Command.command(FailureWall)(idFun)
@@ -180,9 +182,6 @@ object BasicCommands {
     }
 
   def shell = Command.command(Shell, Help.more(Shell, ShellDetailed)) { s =>
-    // TODO hook it in, start in the right place, shutdown on termination
-    val server = Server.start("127.0.0.1", 12700)
-
     val history = (s get historyPath) getOrElse Some(new File(s.baseDir, ".history"))
     val prompt = (s get shellPrompt) match { case Some(pf) => pf(s); case None => "> " }
     val reader = new FullReader(history, s.combinedParser)
@@ -195,6 +194,32 @@ object BasicCommands {
     }
   }
 
+  var askingAlready = false
+  val commandListers = Seq(new ConsoleListener(), new NetworkListener())
+  val commandQueue: ConcurrentLinkedQueue[Option[String]] = new ConcurrentLinkedQueue()
+
+  @tailrec def blockUntilNextCommand: Option[String] =
+    Option(commandQueue.poll) match {
+      case Some(x) => x
+      case None =>
+        Thread.sleep(50)
+        blockUntilNextCommand
+    }
+  def server = Command.command(Server, Help.more(Server, ServerDetailed)) { s =>
+    if (!askingAlready) {
+      commandListers foreach { x =>
+        x.run(commandQueue, CommandStatus(s, true))
+      }
+    }
+    blockUntilNextCommand match {
+      case Some(line) =>
+        // tell listern to be inactive .
+        val newState = s.copy(onFailure = Some(Server), remainingCommands = line +: Server +: s.remainingCommands).setInteractive(true)
+        if (line.trim.isEmpty) newState else newState.clearGlobalLog
+      case None => s.setInteractive(false)
+    }
+  }
+
   def read = Command.make(ReadCommand, Help.more(ReadCommand, ReadDetailed))(s => applyEffect(readParser(s))(doRead(s)))
   def readParser(s: State) =
     {
diff --git a/main/command/src/main/scala/sbt/CommandListener.scala b/main/command/src/main/scala/sbt/CommandListener.scala
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fcc71cb85
--- /dev/null
+++ b/main/command/src/main/scala/sbt/CommandListener.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+package sbt
+
+import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentLinkedQueue
+import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicBoolean
+
+trait CommandListener {
+  // represents a loop that keeps asking an IO device for String input
+  def run(queue: ConcurrentLinkedQueue[Option[String]],
+    status: CommandStatus): Unit
+  def shutdown(): Unit
+  def setStatus(status: CommandStatus): Unit
+}
diff --git a/main/command/src/main/scala/sbt/CommandStatus.scala b/main/command/src/main/scala/sbt/CommandStatus.scala
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..60d0eb76c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/main/command/src/main/scala/sbt/CommandStatus.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+package sbt
+
+case class CommandStatus(state: State, canEnter: Boolean)
diff --git a/main/command/src/main/scala/sbt/ConsoleListener.scala b/main/command/src/main/scala/sbt/ConsoleListener.scala
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1a2f7ae49
--- /dev/null
+++ b/main/command/src/main/scala/sbt/ConsoleListener.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+package sbt
+
+import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentLinkedQueue
+import java.util.concurrent.atomic.{ AtomicBoolean, AtomicReference }
+
+class ConsoleListener extends CommandListener {
+
+  // val history = (s get historyPath) getOrElse Some(new File(s.baseDir, ".history"))
+  // val prompt = (s get shellPrompt) match { case Some(pf) => pf(s); case None => "> " }
+  // val reader = new FullReader(history, s.combinedParser)
+  // val line = reader.readLine(prompt)
+  // line match {
+  //   case Some(line) =>
+  //     val newState = s.copy(onFailure = Some(Shell), remainingCommands = line +: Shell +: s.remainingCommands).setInteractive(true)
+  //     if (line.trim.isEmpty) newState else newState.clearGlobalLog
+  //   case None => s.setInteractive(false)
+  // }
+
+  def run(queue: ConcurrentLinkedQueue[Option[String]],
+    status: CommandStatus): Unit =
+    {
+      // spawn thread and loop
+    }
+
+  def shutdown(): Unit =
+    {
+      // interrupt and kill the thread
+    }
+
+  def setStatus(status: CommandStatus): Unit = ???
+}
diff --git a/main/command/src/main/scala/sbt/NetworkListener.scala b/main/command/src/main/scala/sbt/NetworkListener.scala
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6853b256c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/main/command/src/main/scala/sbt/NetworkListener.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+package sbt
+
+import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentLinkedQueue
+import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicBoolean
+
+import server.Server
+
+class NetworkListener extends CommandListener {
+  def run(queue: ConcurrentLinkedQueue[Option[String]],
+    status: CommandStatus): Unit =
+    {
+      val server = Server.start("127.0.0.1", 12700)
+      // spawn thread and loop
+    }
+
+  def shutdown(): Unit =
+    {
+      // interrupt and kill the thread
+    }
+
+  def setStatus(status: CommandStatus): Unit = ???
+}
diff --git a/main/server/src/main/scala/sbt/server/ClientConnection.scala b/main/command/src/main/scala/sbt/server/ClientConnection.scala
similarity index 98%
rename from main/server/src/main/scala/sbt/server/ClientConnection.scala
rename to main/command/src/main/scala/sbt/server/ClientConnection.scala
index 2e6426b51..34bbb9865 100644
--- a/main/server/src/main/scala/sbt/server/ClientConnection.scala
+++ b/main/command/src/main/scala/sbt/server/ClientConnection.scala
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 /*
  * Copyright (C) 2016 Lightbend Inc. <http://www.typesafe.com>
  */
-package sbt.server
+package sbt
+package server
 
 import java.net.{ SocketTimeoutException, Socket }
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicBoolean
diff --git a/main/server/src/main/scala/sbt/server/Serialization.scala b/main/command/src/main/scala/sbt/server/Serialization.scala
similarity index 98%
rename from main/server/src/main/scala/sbt/server/Serialization.scala
rename to main/command/src/main/scala/sbt/server/Serialization.scala
index 50730798b..37a4742c9 100644
--- a/main/server/src/main/scala/sbt/server/Serialization.scala
+++ b/main/command/src/main/scala/sbt/server/Serialization.scala
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 /*
  * Copyright (C) 2016 Lightbend Inc. <http://www.typesafe.com>
  */
-package sbt.server
+package sbt
+package server
 
 import org.json4s.JsonAST.{ JArray, JString }
 import org.json4s._
diff --git a/main/server/src/main/scala/sbt/server/Server.scala b/main/command/src/main/scala/sbt/server/Server.scala
similarity index 98%
rename from main/server/src/main/scala/sbt/server/Server.scala
rename to main/command/src/main/scala/sbt/server/Server.scala
index 0d8b46941..9a4302ff1 100644
--- a/main/server/src/main/scala/sbt/server/Server.scala
+++ b/main/command/src/main/scala/sbt/server/Server.scala
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 /*
  * Copyright (C) 2016 Lightbend Inc. <http://www.typesafe.com>
  */
-package sbt.server
+package sbt
+package server
 
 import java.net.{ SocketTimeoutException, InetAddress, ServerSocket }
 import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentLinkedQueue
diff --git a/main/server/src/main/scala/sbt/server/protocol.scala b/main/command/src/main/scala/sbt/server/protocol.scala
similarity index 74%
rename from main/server/src/main/scala/sbt/server/protocol.scala
rename to main/command/src/main/scala/sbt/server/protocol.scala
index 714a640ec..e96392edb 100644
--- a/main/server/src/main/scala/sbt/server/protocol.scala
+++ b/main/command/src/main/scala/sbt/server/protocol.scala
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 /*
  * Copyright (C) 2016 Lightbend Inc. <http://www.typesafe.com>
  */
-package sbt.server
+package sbt
+package server
 
 trait Event