diff --git a/startvms.py b/startvms.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..937e217
--- /dev/null
+++ b/startvms.py
@@ -0,0 +1,185 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+'''Start virtual machines when a network service becomes available
+
+Example OpenRC init script::
+
+    #!/sbin/runscript
+
+    depend() {
+        need libvirtd
+    }
+
+    start() {
+        ebegin "Starting additional virtual machines"
+        startvms -l ${STARTVMS_LOG:-/var/log/startvms.log} ${STARTVMS_ARGS} \
+            ${VIRTUAL_MACHINES}
+        eend $?
+    }
+'''
+
+import argparse
+import datetime
+import libvirt
+import logging
+import os
+import signal
+import socket
+import sys
+import time
+
+
+LIBVIRT_DEFAULT_URI = os.environ.get('LIBVIRT_DEFAULT_URI', 'qemu:///session')
+WAIT_FOR_HOST = "arcturus.pyrocufflink.jazz"
+WAIT_FOR_PORT = 389
+WAIT_TIMEOUT = 300  # seconds
+
+
+log = logging.getLogger('startvms')
+
+
+class Timeout(Exception):
+    pass
+
+
+class MaxLevelFilter(logging.Filter):
+
+    def __init__(self, max_level=logging.WARNING, *args, **kwargs):
+        logging.Filter.__init__(self, *args, **kwargs)
+        self.max_level = max_level
+
+    def filter(self, record):
+        return record.levelno <= self.max_level
+
+
+def _parse_args():
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
+    parser.add_argument('--debug', action='store_true', default=False)
+    parser.add_argument('--foreground', '-F', action='store_true',
+                        default=False,
+                        help='Do not fork into the background before waiting')
+    parser.add_argument('--log-file', '-l', metavar='FILENAME',
+                        help='Send log messages to FILENAME')
+    parser.add_argument('--connect', '-c', metavar='URI', dest='uri',
+                        default=LIBVIRT_DEFAULT_URI,
+                        help='libvirt connection URI')
+    parser.add_argument('--timeout', '-t', default=WAIT_TIMEOUT, type=int,
+                        metavar='SECONDS',
+                        help='Wait a maximum of SECONDS')
+    parser.add_argument('--port', '-p', default=WAIT_FOR_PORT, type=int,
+                        help='Wait for PORT on remote host')
+    parser.add_argument('--host', '-H', default=WAIT_FOR_HOST,
+                        help='Wait for HOST to come up before starting VMs')
+    parser.add_argument('vms', nargs='+', metavar='VMNAME',
+                        help='Virtual machine(s) to start')
+    return parser.parse_args()
+
+
+def _setup_logging(debug=False, log_file=None):
+    root_log = logging.getLogger()
+    root_log.setLevel(logging.NOTSET)
+    stderr_handler = logging.StreamHandler(sys.stderr)
+    stderr_handler.setLevel(logging.ERROR)
+    root_log.addHandler(stderr_handler)
+    if log_file:
+        file_handler = logging.FileHandler(log_file)
+        if debug:
+            file_handler.setLevel(logging.DEBUG)
+        else:
+            file_handler.setLevel(logging.INFO)
+        file_formatter = logging.Formatter(
+            '%(asctime)s [%(name)s] %(levelname)s %(message)s'
+        )
+        file_handler.setFormatter(file_formatter)
+        root_log.addHandler(file_handler)
+    else:
+        stdout_handler = logging.StreamHandler(sys.stdout)
+        stdout_handler.addFilter(MaxLevelFilter())
+        if debug:
+            stdout_handler.setLevel(logging.DEBUG)
+        else:
+            stdout_handler.setLevel(logging.WARNING)
+        root_log.addHandler(stdout_handler)
+
+
+def _daemonize():
+    if os.fork():
+        raise SystemExit(0)
+    signal.signal(signal.SIGHUP, signal.SIG_IGN)
+    os.setsid()
+    os.chdir('/')
+    if os.fork():
+        raise SystemExit(0)
+
+
+def wait_for(host, port, timeout=None):
+    log.info('Waiting {time} for port {port} on {host}'.format(
+        time='{0} seconds'.format(timeout) if timeout else 'indefinitely',
+        port=port,
+        host=host,
+    ))
+    if timeout is not None:
+        end = datetime.datetime.now() + datetime.timedelta(seconds=timeout)
+        keep_going = lambda: datetime.datetime.now() < end
+    else:
+        keep_going = lambda: True
+    while keep_going():
+        s = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
+        s.settimeout(1)
+        try:
+            log.debug('Attempting connection to {0}:{1}'.format(host, port))
+            s.connect((host, port))
+        except:
+            log.debug('Connection failed')
+            time.sleep(1)
+        else:
+            log.debug('Connection succeeded')
+            s.shutdown(socket.SHUT_RDWR)
+            break
+        finally:
+            s.close()
+    else:
+        raise Timeout('Timed out waiting for port {port} on {host}'.format(
+            port=port,
+            host=host,
+        ))
+
+
+def start_vm(conn, name):
+    domain = conn.lookupByName(name)
+    if domain.isActive():
+        log.debug('Domain {0} is already active, skipping'.format(name))
+    else:
+        log.info('Starting domain {0}'.format(name))
+        domain.create()
+
+
+def main():
+    args = _parse_args()
+    if not args.foreground:
+        _daemonize()
+    _setup_logging(args.debug, args.log_file)
+
+    try:
+        wait_for(args.host, args.port, args.timeout)
+    except Timeout as e:
+        log.error('{0}'.format(e))
+        raise SystemExit(os.EX_NOHOST)
+
+    try:
+        conn = libvirt.open(args.uri)
+    except libvirt.libvirtError as e:
+        log.error('{0}'.format(e))
+        raise SystemExit(os.EX_UNAVAILABLE)
+    error = False
+    for vm in args.vms:
+        try:
+            start_vm(conn, vm)
+        except libvirt.libvirtError as e:
+            error = True
+            log.error('{0}'.format(e))
+            continue
+    raise SystemExit(int(not error))
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    main()