diff --git a/lib/rabbitmq/cli/core/command_modules.ex b/lib/rabbitmq/cli/core/command_modules.ex
index 753be777..1eec4fb8 100644
--- a/lib/rabbitmq/cli/core/command_modules.ex
+++ b/lib/rabbitmq/cli/core/command_modules.ex
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ defmodule RabbitMQ.CLI.Core.CommandModules do
   end
 
   def ctl_and_plugin_modules(opts) do
-    Helpers.require_rabbit(opts)
+    Helpers.require_rabbit_and_plugins(opts)
     enabled_plugins = PluginsHelpers.read_enabled(opts)
     [:rabbitmqctl | enabled_plugins]
     |> Enum.flat_map(fn(app) -> Application.spec(app, :modules) || [] end)
diff --git a/lib/rabbitmq/cli/core/exit_codes.ex b/lib/rabbitmq/cli/core/exit_codes.ex
index 3b0e7447..ceaf7d76 100644
--- a/lib/rabbitmq/cli/core/exit_codes.ex
+++ b/lib/rabbitmq/cli/core/exit_codes.ex
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ defmodule RabbitMQ.CLI.Core.ExitCodes do
   def exit_code_for({:validation_failure, {:too_many_args, _}}),   do: exit_usage()
   def exit_code_for({:validation_failure, {:bad_argument, _}}),    do: exit_dataerr()
   def exit_code_for({:validation_failure, :bad_argument}),         do: exit_dataerr()
+  def exit_code_for({:validation_failure, :eperm}),                do: exit_dataerr()
   def exit_code_for({:validation_failure, {:bad_option, _}}),      do: exit_usage()
   def exit_code_for({:validation_failure, _}),                     do: exit_usage()
   def exit_code_for({:badrpc, :timeout}),       do: exit_tempfail()
diff --git a/lib/rabbitmq/cli/core/helpers.ex b/lib/rabbitmq/cli/core/helpers.ex
index d819bdfd..09291dc4 100644
--- a/lib/rabbitmq/cli/core/helpers.ex
+++ b/lib/rabbitmq/cli/core/helpers.ex
@@ -47,6 +47,16 @@ defmodule RabbitMQ.CLI.Core.Helpers do
 
   def hostname, do: :inet.gethostname() |> elem(1) |> List.to_string
 
+  def validate_step(:ok, step) do
+    case step.() do
+      {:error, err} -> {:validation_failure, err};
+      _             -> :ok
+    end
+  end
+  def validate_step({:validation_failure, err}, _) do
+    {:validation_failure, err}
+  end
+
   def memory_units do
     ["k", "kiB", "M", "MiB", "G", "GiB", "kB", "MB", "GB", ""]
   end
@@ -88,6 +98,10 @@ defmodule RabbitMQ.CLI.Core.Helpers do
   end
 
   def require_rabbit(opts) do
+    try_load_rabbit_code(opts)
+  end
+
+  def require_rabbit_and_plugins(opts) do
     with :ok <- try_load_rabbit_code(opts),
          :ok <- try_load_rabbit_plugins(opts),
          do: :ok
diff --git a/lib/rabbitmq/cli/ctl/commands/hipe_compile_command.ex b/lib/rabbitmq/cli/ctl/commands/hipe_compile_command.ex
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..395b8c36
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/rabbitmq/cli/ctl/commands/hipe_compile_command.ex
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+## The contents of this file are subject to the Mozilla Public License
+## Version 1.1 (the "License"); you may not use this file except in
+## compliance with the License. You may obtain a copy of the License
+## at http://www.mozilla.org/MPL/
+##
+## Software distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS"
+## basis, WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See
+## the License for the specific language governing rights and
+## limitations under the License.
+##
+## The Original Code is RabbitMQ.
+##
+## The Initial Developer of the Original Code is Pivotal Software, Inc.
+## Copyright (c) 2016-2017 Pivotal Software, Inc.  All rights reserved.
+
+defmodule RabbitMQ.CLI.Ctl.Commands.HipeCompileCommand do
+  alias RabbitMQ.CLI.Core.Helpers, as: Helpers
+
+  @behaviour RabbitMQ.CLI.CommandBehaviour
+  use RabbitMQ.CLI.DefaultOutput
+
+  #
+  # API
+  #
+
+  def merge_defaults(args, opts) do
+    {args, opts}
+  end
+
+  def switches(), do: [rabbitmq_home: :string]
+
+  def usage, do: "hipe_compile <directory>"
+
+  def validate([], _),  do: {:validation_failure, :not_enough_args}
+  def validate([target_dir], opts) do
+    :ok
+    |> Helpers.validate_step(fn() ->
+      case acceptable_path?(target_dir) do
+        true  -> :ok
+        false -> {:error, {:bad_argument, "Target directory path cannot be blank"}}
+      end
+    end)
+    |> Helpers.validate_step(fn() ->
+      case File.dir?(target_dir) do
+        true  -> :ok
+        false ->
+          case File.mkdir_p(target_dir) do
+            :ok              -> :ok
+            {:error, :eperm} ->
+              {:error, {:bad_argument, "Cannot create target directory #{target_dir}: insufficient permissions"}}
+          end
+      end
+    end)
+    |> Helpers.validate_step(fn() -> Helpers.require_rabbit(opts) end)
+  end
+  def validate(_, _),   do: {:validation_failure, :too_many_args}
+
+  def run([target_dir], _opts) do
+    Code.ensure_loaded(:rabbit_hipe)
+    hipe_compile(String.trim(target_dir))
+  end
+
+  def banner([target_dir], _) do
+    "Will pre-compile RabbitMQ server modules with HiPE to #{target_dir} ..."
+  end
+
+  #
+  # Implementation
+  #
+
+  # Accepts any non-blank path
+  defp acceptable_path?(value) do
+    String.length(String.trim(value)) != 0
+  end
+
+  defp hipe_compile(target_dir) do
+    case :rabbit_hipe.can_hipe_compile() do
+      true ->
+        case :rabbit_hipe.compile_to_directory(target_dir) do
+          {:ok, _, _}              -> :ok
+          {:ok, :already_compiled} -> {:ok, "already compiled"}
+          {:error, message}        -> {:error, message}
+        end
+      false ->
+        {:error, "HiPE compilation is not supported"}
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/rabbitmq/cli/ctl/validators.ex b/lib/rabbitmq/cli/ctl/validators.ex
index 5f8f9bed..bc07cfc3 100644
--- a/lib/rabbitmq/cli/ctl/validators.ex
+++ b/lib/rabbitmq/cli/ctl/validators.ex
@@ -51,5 +51,4 @@ defmodule RabbitMQ.CLI.Ctl.Validators do
       {:error, err} -> {:validation_failure, err}
     end
   end
-
 end
diff --git a/lib/rabbitmq/cli/plugins/commands/disable_command.ex b/lib/rabbitmq/cli/plugins/commands/disable_command.ex
index 166b6ec8..7c8b9e3a 100644
--- a/lib/rabbitmq/cli/plugins/commands/disable_command.ex
+++ b/lib/rabbitmq/cli/plugins/commands/disable_command.ex
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ defmodule RabbitMQ.CLI.Plugins.Commands.DisableCommand do
 
   def validate(_, opts) do
     :ok
-    |> validate_step(fn() -> Helpers.require_rabbit(opts) end)
+    |> validate_step(fn() -> Helpers.require_rabbit_and_plugins(opts) end)
     |> validate_step(fn() -> PluginHelpers.enabled_plugins_file(opts) end)
     |> validate_step(fn() -> Helpers.plugins_dir(opts) end)
   end
diff --git a/lib/rabbitmq/cli/plugins/commands/enable_command.ex b/lib/rabbitmq/cli/plugins/commands/enable_command.ex
index c8d5fa6e..7bdad12e 100644
--- a/lib/rabbitmq/cli/plugins/commands/enable_command.ex
+++ b/lib/rabbitmq/cli/plugins/commands/enable_command.ex
@@ -45,19 +45,9 @@ defmodule RabbitMQ.CLI.Plugins.Commands.EnableCommand do
 
   def validate(_plugins, opts) do
     :ok
-    |> validate_step(fn() -> Helpers.require_rabbit(opts) end)
-    |> validate_step(fn() -> PluginHelpers.enabled_plugins_file(opts) end)
-    |> validate_step(fn() -> Helpers.plugins_dir(opts) end)
-  end
-
-  def validate_step(:ok, step) do
-    case step.() do
-      {:error, err} -> {:validation_failure, err};
-      _             -> :ok
-    end
-  end
-  def validate_step({:validation_failure, err}, _) do
-    {:validation_failure, err}
+    |> Helpers.validate_step(fn() -> Helpers.require_rabbit_and_plugins(opts) end)
+    |> Helpers.validate_step(fn() -> PluginHelpers.enabled_plugins_file(opts) end)
+    |> Helpers.validate_step(fn() -> Helpers.plugins_dir(opts) end)
   end
 
   def usage, do: "enable <plugin>|--all [--offline] [--online]"
diff --git a/lib/rabbitmq/cli/plugins/commands/list_command.ex b/lib/rabbitmq/cli/plugins/commands/list_command.ex
index 56b2fc9d..2ee91784 100644
--- a/lib/rabbitmq/cli/plugins/commands/list_command.ex
+++ b/lib/rabbitmq/cli/plugins/commands/list_command.ex
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ defmodule RabbitMQ.CLI.Plugins.Commands.ListCommand do
 
   def validate(_, opts) do
     :ok
-    |> validate_step(fn() -> Helpers.require_rabbit(opts) end)
+    |> validate_step(fn() -> Helpers.require_rabbit_and_plugins(opts) end)
     |> validate_step(fn() -> PluginHelpers.enabled_plugins_file(opts) end)
     |> validate_step(fn() -> Helpers.plugins_dir(opts) end)
   end
diff --git a/lib/rabbitmq/cli/plugins/commands/set_command.ex b/lib/rabbitmq/cli/plugins/commands/set_command.ex
index f1c5dcb8..289013ec 100644
--- a/lib/rabbitmq/cli/plugins/commands/set_command.ex
+++ b/lib/rabbitmq/cli/plugins/commands/set_command.ex
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ defmodule RabbitMQ.CLI.Plugins.Commands.SetCommand do
 
   def validate(_plugins, opts) do
     :ok
-    |> validate_step(fn() -> Helpers.require_rabbit(opts) end)
+    |> validate_step(fn() -> Helpers.require_rabbit_and_plugins(opts) end)
     |> validate_step(fn() -> PluginHelpers.enabled_plugins_file(opts) end)
     |> validate_step(fn() -> Helpers.plugins_dir(opts) end)
   end
diff --git a/lib/rabbitmq/cli/plugins/plugins_helpers.ex b/lib/rabbitmq/cli/plugins/plugins_helpers.ex
index feda5cc2..2acc153c 100644
--- a/lib/rabbitmq/cli/plugins/plugins_helpers.ex
+++ b/lib/rabbitmq/cli/plugins/plugins_helpers.ex
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ defmodule RabbitMQ.CLI.Plugins.Helpers do
 
   def set_enabled_plugins(plugins, opts) do
     plugin_atoms = :lists.usort(for plugin <- plugins, do: to_atom(plugin))
-    CliHelpers.require_rabbit(opts)
+    CliHelpers.require_rabbit_and_plugins(opts)
     {:ok, plugins_file} = enabled_plugins_file(opts)
     write_enabled_plugins(plugin_atoms, plugins_file, opts)
   end
diff --git a/mix.exs b/mix.exs
index 642ca313..b5ead6bf 100644
--- a/mix.exs
+++ b/mix.exs
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ defmodule RabbitMQCtl.MixfileBase do
         override: true
       },
       {:amqp, "~> 0.1.5", only: :test},
+      {:temp, "~> 0.4", only: :test},
       {:json, "~> 1.0.0"},
       {:csv, "~> 1.4.2"},
       {:simetric, "~> 0.1.0"}
diff --git a/test/core/helpers_test.exs b/test/core/helpers_test.exs
index 40173474..f96208fd 100644
--- a/test/core/helpers_test.exs
+++ b/test/core/helpers_test.exs
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ test "RabbitMQ hostname is properly formed" do
     opts = %{plugins_dir: to_string(plugins_directory_03),
              rabbitmq_home: rabbitmq_home}
     assert Enum.member?(Application.loaded_applications(), {:mock_rabbitmq_plugins_03, 'New project', '0.1.0'}) == false
-    @subject.require_rabbit(opts)
+    @subject.require_rabbit_and_plugins(opts)
     assert Enum.member?(Application.loaded_applications(), {:mock_rabbitmq_plugins_03, 'New project', '0.1.0'})
   end
 
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ test "RabbitMQ hostname is properly formed" do
     opts = %{plugins_dir: to_string(plugins_directory_04),
              rabbitmq_home: rabbitmq_home}
     assert Enum.member?(Application.loaded_applications(), {:mock_rabbitmq_plugins_04, 'New project', 'rolling'}) == false
-    @subject.require_rabbit(opts)
+    @subject.require_rabbit_and_plugins(opts)
     assert Enum.member?(Application.loaded_applications(), {:mock_rabbitmq_plugins_04, 'New project', 'rolling'})
   end
 
diff --git a/test/hipe_compile_command_test.exs b/test/hipe_compile_command_test.exs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..98fb8047
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/hipe_compile_command_test.exs
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+## The contents of this file are subject to the Mozilla Public License
+## Version 1.1 (the "License"); you may not use this file except in
+## compliance with the License. You may obtain a copy of the License
+## at http://www.mozilla.org/MPL/
+##
+## Software distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS"
+## basis, WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See
+## the License for the specific language governing rights and
+## limitations under the License.
+##
+## The Original Code is RabbitMQ.
+##
+## The Initial Developer of the Original Code is Pivotal Software, Inc.
+## Copyright (c) 2016-2017 Pivotal Software, Inc.  All rights reserved.
+
+defmodule HipeCompileCommandTest do
+  use ExUnit.Case, async: false
+  import TestHelper
+
+  require Temp
+
+  @command RabbitMQ.CLI.Ctl.Commands.HipeCompileCommand
+  @vhost   "/"
+
+  setup_all do
+    RabbitMQ.CLI.Core.Distribution.start()
+    :net_kernel.connect_node(get_rabbit_hostname())
+
+    start_rabbitmq_app()
+
+    on_exit([], fn ->
+      :erlang.disconnect_node(get_rabbit_hostname())
+    end)
+  end
+
+  setup do
+    rabbitmq_home = :rabbit_misc.rpc_call(node(), :code, :lib_dir, [:rabbit])
+
+    {:ok, tmp_dir} = Temp.path
+
+    {:ok, opts: %{
+      node: get_rabbit_hostname(),
+      vhost: @vhost,
+      rabbitmq_home: rabbitmq_home
+     },
+     target_dir: tmp_dir
+    }
+  end
+
+  test "validate: providing no arguments fails validation", context do
+    assert @command.validate([], context[:opts]) ==
+      {:validation_failure, :not_enough_args}
+  end
+
+  test "validate: providing two arguments fails validation", context do
+    assert @command.validate(["/path/one", "/path/two"], context[:opts]) ==
+      {:validation_failure, :too_many_args}
+  end
+
+  test "validate: providing three arguments fails validation", context do
+    assert @command.validate(["/path/one", "/path/two", "/path/three"], context[:opts]) ==
+      {:validation_failure, :too_many_args}
+  end
+
+  test "validate: providing one blank directory path and required options fails", context do
+    assert match?({:validation_failure, {:bad_argument, _}}, @command.validate([""], context[:opts]))
+  end
+
+  test "validate: providing one path argument that only contains spaces and required options fails", context do
+    assert match?({:validation_failure, {:bad_argument, _}}, @command.validate(["  "], context[:opts]))
+  end
+
+  test "validate: providing one non-blank directory path and required options succeeds", context do
+    assert @command.validate([context[:target_dir]], context[:opts]) == :ok
+  end
+
+  test "validate: failure to load the rabbit application is reported as an error", context do
+    assert {:validation_failure, {:unable_to_load_rabbit, _}} =
+      @command.validate([context[:target_dir]], Map.delete(context[:opts], :rabbitmq_home))
+  end
+end