diff --git a/spec/atom/command-panel-spec.coffee b/spec/atom/command-panel-spec.coffee
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1aee8b8e0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/atom/command-panel-spec.coffee
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+RootView = require 'root-view'
+
+describe "CommandPanel", ->
+  [rootView, commandPanel] = []
+
+  beforeEach ->
+    rootView = new RootView
+    rootView.enableKeymap()
+    commandPanel = rootView.commandPanel
+
+  fdescribe "when toggle-command-panel is triggered on the root view", ->
+    it "toggles the command panel", ->
+      rootView.attachToDom()
+      expect(rootView.find('.command-panel')).not.toExist()
+      expect(rootView.lastActiveEditor().isFocused).toBeTruthy()
+      expect(commandPanel.editor.isFocused).toBeFalsy()
+
+      rootView.trigger 'command-panel:toggle'
+      expect(rootView.find('.command-panel').view()).toBe commandPanel
+      expect(commandPanel.editor.isFocused).toBeTruthy()
+      commandPanel.editor.insertText 's/war/peace/g'
+
+      rootView.trigger 'command-panel:toggle'
+      expect(rootView.find('.command-panel')).not.toExist()
+      expect(rootView.lastActiveEditor().isFocused).toBeTruthy()
+      expect(commandPanel.editor.isFocused).toBeFalsy()
+
+      rootView.trigger 'command-panel:toggle'
+      expect(rootView.find('.command-panel').view()).toBe commandPanel
+      expect(commandPanel.editor.isFocused).toBeTruthy()
+      expect(commandPanel.editor.buffer.getText()).toBe ''
+      expect(commandPanel.editor.getCursorScreenPosition()).toEqual [0, 0]
+
+  fdescribe "when esc is pressed in the command panel", ->
+    it "closes the command panel", ->
+      rootView.trigger 'command-panel:toggle'
+      expect(rootView.find('.command-panel').view()).toBe commandPanel
+      commandPanel.editor.trigger keydownEvent('escape')
+      expect(rootView.find('.command-panel')).not.toExist()
+
diff --git a/src/atom/command-panel.coffee b/src/atom/command-panel.coffee
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..68cc84e06
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/atom/command-panel.coffee
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+{View} = require 'space-pen'
+Editor = require 'editor'
+
+module.exports =
+class CommandPanel extends View
+  @content: ->
+    @div class: 'command-panel', =>
+      @subview 'editor', new Editor
+
+  initialize: ({@rootView})->
+    requireStylesheet 'command-panel.css'
+    window.keymap.bindKeys '.command-panel .editor',
+      escape: 'command-panel:toggle'
+
+    @rootView.on 'command-panel:toggle', => @toggle()
+    @editor.addClass 'single-line'
+
+  toggle: ->
+    if @parent().length
+      @detach()
+      @rootView.lastActiveEditor().focus()
+    else
+      @rootView.append(this)
+      @editor.focus()
+      @editor.buffer.setText('')
+
diff --git a/src/atom/root-view.coffee b/src/atom/root-view.coffee
index 46f0d8a68..15d3cf167 100644
--- a/src/atom/root-view.coffee
+++ b/src/atom/root-view.coffee
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ Editor = require 'editor'
 FileFinder = require 'file-finder'
 Project = require 'project'
 VimMode = require 'vim-mode'
+CommandPanel = require 'command-panel'
 
 module.exports =
 class RootView extends View
@@ -25,11 +26,14 @@ class RootView extends View
       'meta-s': 'save'
       'meta-w': 'close'
       'meta-t': 'toggle-file-finder'
+      'meta-:': 'command-panel:toggle'
       'alt-meta-i': 'show-console'
 
     @on 'toggle-file-finder', => @toggleFileFinder()
     @on 'show-console', -> window.showConsole()
 
+    @commandPanel = new CommandPanel({rootView: this})
+
   createProject: (path) ->
     if path
       @project = new Project(fs.directory(path))
diff --git a/static/command-panel.css b/static/command-panel.css
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..728e3e885
--- /dev/null
+++ b/static/command-panel.css
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+.command-panel {
+  position: absolute;
+  bottom: 0;
+  padding: 3px;
+  background: #515151;
+}
+
+.command-panel .editor .gutter {
+  display: none;
+}