diff --git a/artiq/frontend/artiq_ctlmgr.py b/artiq/frontend/artiq_ctlmgr.py
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..d4f619aae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/artiq/frontend/artiq_ctlmgr.py
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+
+import asyncio
+import argparse
+import os
+
+from artiq.protocols.sync_struct import Subscriber
+
+
+def get_argparser():
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="ARTIQ controller manager")
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "-s", "--server", default="::1",
+        help="hostname or IP of the master to connect to")
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--port", default=3250, type=int,
+        help="TCP port to use to connect to the master")
+    return parser
+
+
+def main():
+    args = get_argparser().parse_args()
+
+    if os.name == "nt":
+        loop = asyncio.ProactorEventLoop()
+        asyncio.set_event_loop(loop)
+    else:
+        loop = asyncio.get_event_loop()
+    try:
+        subscriber = Subscriber("master_ddb", lambda x: x)
+        loop.run_until_complete(subscriber.connect(args.server, args.port))
+        try:
+            loop.run_forever()
+        finally:
+            loop.run_until_complete(subscriber.close())
+    finally:
+        loop.close()    
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()
diff --git a/doc/manual/management_system.rst b/doc/manual/management_system.rst
index f70166990..669e910a7 100644
--- a/doc/manual/management_system.rst
+++ b/doc/manual/management_system.rst
@@ -21,3 +21,10 @@ GUI client
 .. argparse::
    :ref: artiq.frontend.artiq_gui.get_argparser
    :prog: artiq_gui
+
+Controller manager
+------------------
+
+.. argparse::
+   :ref: artiq.frontend.artiq_ctlmgr.get_argparser
+   :prog: artiq_ctlmgr
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 3bb9765f7..563423607 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ setup(
         "console_scripts": [
             "artiq_client=artiq.frontend.artiq_client:main",
             "artiq_ctlid=artiq.frontend.artiq_ctlid:main",
+            "artiq_ctlmgr=artiq.frontend.artiq_ctlmgr:main",
             "artiq_gui=artiq.frontend.artiq_gui:main",
             "artiq_master=artiq.frontend.artiq_master:main",
             "artiq_run=artiq.frontend.artiq_run:main",