diff --git a/actions/apishow.php b/actions/apishow.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3d0b7b6e3a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/actions/apishow.php
@@ -0,0 +1,196 @@
+<?php
+/**
+ * StatusNet, the distributed open-source microblogging tool
+ *
+ * Show a notice (as a Twitter-style status)
+ *
+ * PHP version 5
+ *
+ * LICENCE: 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/>.
+ *
+ * @category  API
+ * @package   StatusNet
+ * @author    Zach Copley <zach@status.net>
+ * @copyright 2009 StatusNet, Inc.
+ * @license   http://www.fsf.org/licensing/licenses/agpl-3.0.html GNU Affero General Public License version 3.0
+ * @link      http://status.net/
+ */
+
+if (!defined('STATUSNET')) {
+    exit(1);
+}
+
+require_once INSTALLDIR.'/lib/twitterapi.php';
+
+/**
+ * Returns the notice specified by id as a Twitter-style status and inline user
+ *
+ * @category API
+ * @package  StatusNet
+ * @author   Zach Copley <zach@status.net>
+ * @license  http://www.fsf.org/licensing/licenses/agpl-3.0.html GNU Affero General Public License version 3.0
+ * @link     http://status.net/
+ */
+
+class ApiShowAction extends TwitterapiAction
+{
+
+    var $notice_id = null;
+    var $notice    = null;
+    var $format    = null;
+
+    /**
+     * Take arguments for running
+     *
+     * @param array $args $_REQUEST args
+     *
+     * @return boolean success flag
+     *
+     */
+
+    function prepare($args)
+    {
+        parent::prepare($args);
+
+        // 'id' is an undocumented parameter in Twitter's API. Several
+        // clients make use of it, so we support it too.
+
+        // show.json?id=12345 takes precedence over /show/12345.json
+
+        $this->notice_id = (int)$this->trimmed('id');
+
+        if (empty($notice_id)) {
+            $this->notice_id = (int)$this->arg('id');
+        }
+
+        $this->format = $this->arg('format');
+        $this->notice = Notice::staticGet((int)$this->notice_id);
+
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Handle the request
+     *
+     * Just show the notices
+     *
+     * @param array $args $_REQUEST data (unused)
+     *
+     * @return void
+     */
+
+    function handle($args)
+    {
+        parent::handle($args);
+
+        if (!in_array($this->format, array('xml', 'json'))) {
+            $this->clientError(_('API method not found!'), $code = 404);
+            return;
+        }
+
+        $this->showNotice();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Show the timeline of notices
+     *
+     * @return void
+     */
+
+    function showNotice()
+    {
+        if (!empty($this->notice)) {
+            if ($this->format == 'xml') {
+                $this->show_single_xml_status($this->notice);
+            } elseif ($this->format == 'json') {
+                $this->show_single_json_status($this->notice);
+            }
+        } else {
+
+            // XXX: Twitter just sets a 404 header and doens't bother
+            // to return an err msg
+
+            $deleted = Deleted_notice::staticGet($this->notice_id);
+
+            if (!empty($deleted)) {
+                $this->clientError(
+                    _('Status deleted.'), 
+                    410, 
+                    $this->format
+                );
+            } else {
+                $this->clientError(
+                    _('No status with that ID found.'),
+                    404, 
+                    $this->format
+                );
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Is this action read only?
+     *
+     * @param array $args other arguments
+     *
+     * @return boolean true
+     */
+
+    function isReadOnly($args)
+    {
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * When was this notice last modified?
+     *
+     * @return string datestamp of the latest notice in the stream
+     */
+
+    function lastModified()
+    {
+        if (!empty($this->notice)) {
+            return strtotime($this->notices->created);
+        }
+
+        return null;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * An entity tag for this notice
+     *
+     * Returns an Etag based on the action name, language, and
+     * timestamps of the notice
+     *
+     * @return string etag
+     */
+
+    function etag()
+    {
+        if (!empty($this->notice)) {
+
+            return '"' . implode(
+                ':',
+                array($this->arg('action'),
+                      common_language(),
+                      $this->notice->id,
+                      strtotime($this->notice->created))
+            )
+            . '"';
+        }
+
+        return null;
+    }
+
+}