diff --git a/scripts/userrole.php b/scripts/userrole.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7b6a9b3fd8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/userrole.php
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env php
+<?php
+/*
+ * StatusNet - a distributed open-source microblogging tool
+ * Copyright (C) 2008, 2009, StatusNet, Inc.
+ *
+ * This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+ * along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+define('INSTALLDIR', realpath(dirname(__FILE__) . '/..'));
+
+$shortoptions = 'i:n:r:d';
+$longoptions = array('id=', 'nickname=', 'role=', 'delete');
+
+$helptext = <<<END_OF_USERROLE_HELP
+userrole.php [options]
+modifies a role for the given user
+
+  -d --delete   delete the role
+  -i --id       ID of the user
+  -n --nickname nickname of the user
+  -r --role     role to add (or delete)
+
+END_OF_USERROLE_HELP;
+
+require_once INSTALLDIR.'/scripts/commandline.inc';
+
+if (have_option('i', 'id')) {
+    $id = get_option_value('i', 'id');
+    $user = User::staticGet('id', $id);
+    if (empty($user)) {
+        print "Can't find user with ID $id\n";
+        exit(1);
+    }
+} else if (have_option('n', 'nickname')) {
+    $nickname = get_option_value('n', 'nickname');
+    $user = User::staticGet('nickname', $nickname);
+    if (empty($user)) {
+        print "Can't find user with nickname '$nickname'\n";
+        exit(1);
+    }
+} else {
+    print "You must provide either an ID or a nickname.\n";
+    exit(1);
+}
+
+$role = get_option_value('r', 'role');
+
+if (empty($role)) {
+    print "You must provide a role.\n";
+    exit(1);
+}
+
+if (have_option('d', 'delete')) {
+    print "Revoking role '$role' from user '$user->nickname' ($user->id)...";
+    try {
+        $user->revokeRole($role);
+        print "OK\n";
+    } catch (Exception $e) {
+        print "FAIL\n";
+        print $e->getMessage();
+        print "\n";
+    }
+} else {
+    print "Granting role '$role' to user '$user->nickname' ($user->id)...";
+    try {
+        $user->grantRole($role);
+        print "OK\n";
+    } catch (Exception $e) {
+        print "FAIL\n";
+        print $e->getMessage();
+        print "\n";
+    }
+}