diff --git a/zerver/lib/actions.py b/zerver/lib/actions.py
index 89faef6e53..d7170ca95e 100644
--- a/zerver/lib/actions.py
+++ b/zerver/lib/actions.py
@@ -343,6 +343,18 @@ def do_send_messages(messages):
     # intermingle sending zephyr messages with other messages.
     return already_sent_ids + [message['message'].id for message in messages]
 
+def do_create_stream(realm, stream_name):
+    # This is used by a management command now, mostly to facilitate testing.  It
+    # doesn't simulate every single aspect of creating a subscription; for example,
+    # we don't send Zulips to users to tell them they have been subscribed.
+    stream = Stream()
+    stream.realm = realm
+    stream.name = stream_name
+    stream.save()
+    Recipient.objects.create(type_id=stream.id, type=Recipient.STREAM)
+    subscribers = get_active_user_profiles_by_realm(realm).filter(is_bot=False)
+    bulk_add_subscriptions([stream], subscribers)
+
 def create_stream_if_needed(realm, stream_name, invite_only=False):
     (stream, created) = Stream.objects.get_or_create(
         realm=realm, name__iexact=stream_name,
diff --git a/zerver/management/commands/create-stream.py b/zerver/management/commands/create-stream.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e838b78f0a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zerver/management/commands/create-stream.py
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
+from django.core.management.base import BaseCommand
+
+from zerver.lib.actions import do_create_stream
+from zerver.models import Realm, get_realm
+
+import sys
+
+class Command(BaseCommand):
+    help = """Create a stream, and subscribe all active users (excluding bots).
+
+This should be used for TESTING only, unless you understand the limitations of
+the command.
+
+Usage: python manage.py create-stream <domain> <stream name>"""
+
+    def handle(self, *args, **options):
+        if len(args) != 2:
+            print "Please provide a domain and the stream name."
+            exit(1)
+
+        domain, stream_name = args
+        encoding = sys.getfilesystemencoding()
+
+        try:
+            realm = get_realm(domain)
+        except Realm.DoesNotExist:
+            print "Unknown domain %s" % (domain,)
+            exit(1)
+
+        do_create_stream(realm, stream_name.decode(encoding))