diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index bae77fa22f..09c64f66e9 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -1,19 +1,26 @@
 use std::env;
 use std::fs::File;
-use std::io::{BufRead, BufReader};
+use std::io::{BufRead, BufReader, Result};
 use std::process::Command;
 
-pub fn main() {
-    let file = File::open("initfs:etc/init.rc").expect("failed to open init.rc");
+pub fn run(file: &str) -> Result<()> {
+    let file = File::open(file)?;
     let reader = BufReader::new(file);
 
     for line_result in reader.lines() {
-        let line = line_result.expect("failed to read init.rc");
+        let line = line_result?;
         let line = line.trim();
         if ! line.is_empty() && ! line.starts_with('#') {
             let mut args = line.split(' ');
             if let Some(cmd) = args.next() {
                 match cmd {
+                    "cd" => if let Some(dir) = args.next() {
+                        if let Err(err) = env::set_current_dir(dir) {
+                            println!("init: failed to cd to '{}': {}", dir, err);
+                        }
+                    } else {
+                        println!("init: failed to cd: no argument");
+                    },
                     "echo" => {
                         if let Some(arg) = args.next() {
                             print!("{}", arg);
@@ -23,12 +30,25 @@ pub fn main() {
                         }
                         print!("\n");
                     },
-                    "cd" => if let Some(dir) = args.next() {
-                        if let Err(err) = env::set_current_dir(dir) {
-                            println!("init: failed to cd to '{}': {}", dir, err);
+                    "export" => if let Some(var) = args.next() {
+                        let mut value = String::new();
+                        if let Some(arg) = args.next() {
+                            value.push_str(&arg);
+                        }
+                        for arg in args {
+                            value.push(' ');
+                            value.push_str(&arg);
+                        }
+                        env::set_var(var, value);
+                    } else {
+                        println!("init: failed to export: no argument");
+                    },
+                    "run" => if let Some(new_file) = args.next() {
+                        if let Err(err) = run(&new_file) {
+                            println!("init: failed to run '{}': {}", new_file, err);
                         }
                     } else {
-                        println!("init: failed to cd: no argument");
+                        println!("init: failed to run: no argument");
                     },
                     _ => {
                         let mut command = Command::new(cmd);
@@ -48,4 +68,12 @@ pub fn main() {
             }
         }
     }
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+pub fn main() {
+    if let Err(err) = run("initfs:etc/init.rc") {
+        println!("init: failed to run initfs:etc/init.rc: {}", err);
+    }
 }