diff --git a/src/emu/emuopts.c b/src/emu/emuopts.c
index fd6e1e2e43b..d3da990cfe4 100644
--- a/src/emu/emuopts.c
+++ b/src/emu/emuopts.c
@@ -195,6 +195,8 @@ const options_entry emu_options::s_option_entries[] =
 	{ OPTION_RAMSIZE ";ram",                             NULL,        OPTION_STRING,     "size of RAM (if supported by driver)" },
 	{ OPTION_CONFIRM_QUIT,                               "0",         OPTION_BOOLEAN,    "display confirm quit screen on exit" },
 	{ OPTION_UI_MOUSE,                                   "0",         OPTION_BOOLEAN,    "display ui mouse cursor" },
+	{ OPTION_AUTOBOOT_COMMAND ";ab",                     NULL,        OPTION_STRING,     "command to execute after machine boot" },
+	{ OPTION_AUTOBOOT_DELAY,                             "2",         OPTION_INTEGER,    "timer delay in sec to trigger command execution on autoboot" },
 	{ NULL }
 };
 
diff --git a/src/emu/emuopts.h b/src/emu/emuopts.h
index 94e8a184db9..92da803d98a 100644
--- a/src/emu/emuopts.h
+++ b/src/emu/emuopts.h
@@ -199,6 +199,8 @@ enum
 #define OPTION_CONFIRM_QUIT         "confirm_quit"
 #define OPTION_UI_MOUSE             "ui_mouse"
 
+#define OPTION_AUTOBOOT_COMMAND		"autoboot_command"
+#define OPTION_AUTOBOOT_DELAY		"autoboot_delay"
 
 //**************************************************************************
 //  TYPE DEFINITIONS
@@ -352,6 +354,9 @@ public:
 
 	bool confirm_quit() const { return bool_value(OPTION_CONFIRM_QUIT); }
 	bool ui_mouse() const { return bool_value(OPTION_UI_MOUSE); }
+	
+	const char *autoboot_command() const { return value(OPTION_AUTOBOOT_COMMAND); }
+	int autoboot_delay() const { return int_value(OPTION_AUTOBOOT_DELAY); }
 
 	// device-specific options
 	const char *device_option(device_image_interface &image);
diff --git a/src/emu/machine.c b/src/emu/machine.c
index 412ebb290a5..41c215c559e 100644
--- a/src/emu/machine.c
+++ b/src/emu/machine.c
@@ -232,6 +232,13 @@ const char *running_machine::describe_context()
 	return m_context;
 }
 
+TIMER_CALLBACK_MEMBER(running_machine::autoboot_callback)
+{
+	if (strlen(options().autoboot_command())!=0) {
+		ioport().natkeyboard().post_utf8(options().autoboot_command());
+		ioport().natkeyboard().post_utf8("\r");	
+	}
+}
 
 //-------------------------------------------------
 //  start - initialize the emulated machine
@@ -322,6 +329,9 @@ void running_machine::start()
 	// set up the cheat engine
 	m_cheat = auto_alloc(*this, cheat_manager(*this));
 
+	/* allocate a timer */
+	m_autoboot_timer = scheduler().timer_alloc(timer_expired_delegate(FUNC(running_machine::autoboot_callback), this));
+
 	// disallow save state registrations starting here
 	m_save.allow_registration(false);
 }
@@ -839,8 +849,11 @@ void running_machine::soft_reset(void *ptr, INT32 param)
 	// call all registered reset callbacks
 	call_notifiers(MACHINE_NOTIFY_RESET);
 
+	// setup autoboot if needed
+	m_autoboot_timer->adjust(attotime(options().autoboot_delay(),0),0);
+	
 	// now we're running
-	m_current_phase = MACHINE_PHASE_RUNNING;
+	m_current_phase = MACHINE_PHASE_RUNNING;	
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/emu/machine.h b/src/emu/machine.h
index e4c4c137a8b..855a554cda4 100644
--- a/src/emu/machine.h
+++ b/src/emu/machine.h
@@ -329,6 +329,8 @@ private:
 	void stop_all_devices();
 	void presave_all_devices();
 	void postload_all_devices();
+	
+	TIMER_CALLBACK_MEMBER(autoboot_callback);
 
 	// internal state
 	const machine_config &  m_config;               // reference to the constructed machine_config
@@ -415,6 +417,7 @@ private:
 	memory_manager          m_memory;               // memory manager
 	ioport_manager          m_ioport;               // I/O port manager
 	device_scheduler        m_scheduler;            // scheduler object
+	emu_timer           	*m_autoboot_timer;		// autoboot timer
 };