diff --git a/tools/commands.js b/tools/commands.js
index f7d04aba8d..a5bd769feb 100644
--- a/tools/commands.js
+++ b/tools/commands.js
@@ -524,7 +524,8 @@ var buildCommands = {
   }
 };
 
-var buildWithOptions = function (options) {
+main.registerCommand(_.extend({ name: 'build' }, buildCommands),
+    function (options) {
   // XXX output, to stderr, the name of the file written to (for human
   // comfort, especially since we might change the name)
 
@@ -636,11 +637,6 @@ var buildWithOptions = function (options) {
   });
 
   files.rm_recursive(buildDir);
-};
-
-main.registerCommand(_.extend({ name: 'build' }, buildCommands),
-    function (options) {
-  buildWithOptions(options);
 });
 
 // Deprecated -- identical functionality to 'build'
@@ -648,7 +644,82 @@ main.registerCommand(_.extend({ name: 'bundle', hidden: true }, buildCommands),
     function (options) {
   process.stdout.write("WARNING: 'bundle' has been deprecated. " +
                        "Use 'build' instead.\n");
-  buildWithOptions(options);
+  // XXX if they pass a file that doesn't end in .tar.gz or .tgz, add
+  // the former for them
+
+  // XXX output, to stderr, the name of the file written to (for human
+  // comfort, especially since we might change the name)
+
+  // XXX name the root directory in the bundle based on the basename
+  // of the file, not a constant 'bundle' (a bit obnoxious for
+  // machines, but worth it for humans)
+
+  // Error handling for options.architecture. We must pass in only one of three
+  // architectures. See archinfo.js for more information on what the
+  // architectures are, what they mean, et cetera.
+  var VALID_ARCHITECTURES =
+  ["os.osx.x86_64", "os.linux.x86_64", "os.linux.x86_32"];
+  if (options.architecture &&
+      _.indexOf(VALID_ARCHITECTURES, options.architecture) === -1) {
+    process.stderr.write("Invalid architecture: " + options.architecture + "\n");
+    process.stderr.write(
+      "Please use one of the following: " + VALID_ARCHITECTURES + "\n");
+    return 1;
+  }
+  var bundleArch =  options.architecture || archinfo.host();
+
+  var buildDir = path.join(options.appDir, '.meteor', 'local', 'build_tar');
+  var outputPath = path.resolve(options.args[0]); // get absolute path
+  var bundlePath = options['directory'] ?
+      outputPath : path.join(buildDir, 'bundle');
+
+  var loader;
+  var messages = buildmessage.capture(function () {
+    loader = project.getPackageLoader();
+  });
+  if (messages.hasMessages()) {
+    process.stderr.write("Errors prevented bundling your app:\n");
+    process.stderr.write(messages.formatMessages());
+    return 1;
+  }
+
+  var statsMessages = buildmessage.capture(function () {
+    stats.recordPackages();
+  });
+  if (statsMessages.hasMessages()) {
+    process.stdout.write("Error recording package list:\n" +
+                         statsMessages.formatMessages());
+    // ... but continue;
+  }
+
+  var bundler = require(path.join(__dirname, 'bundler.js'));
+  var bundleResult = bundler.bundle({
+    outputPath: bundlePath,
+    buildOptions: {
+      minify: ! options.debug,
+      // XXX is this a good idea, or should linux be the default since
+      //     that's where most people are deploying
+      //     default?  i guess the problem with using DEPLOY_ARCH as default
+      //     is then 'meteor bundle' with no args fails if you have any local
+      //     packages with binary npm dependencies
+      serverArch: bundleArch
+    }
+  });
+  if (bundleResult.errors) {
+    process.stderr.write("Errors prevented bundling:\n");
+    process.stderr.write(bundleResult.errors.formatMessages());
+    return 1;
+  }
+
+  if (!options['directory']) {
+    try {
+      files.createTarball(path.join(buildDir, 'bundle'), outputPath);
+    } catch (err) {
+      console.log(JSON.stringify(err));
+      process.stderr.write("Couldn't create tarball\n");
+    }
+  }
+  files.rm_recursive(buildDir);
 });
 
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////