diff --git a/ipalib/frontend.py b/ipalib/frontend.py
index 489b874ce..11d05d5fa 100644
--- a/ipalib/frontend.py
+++ b/ipalib/frontend.py
@@ -343,6 +343,11 @@ class Command(plugable.Plugin):
         print '  args =', args
         print '  kw =', kw
 
+    def forward(self, *args, **kw):
+        print '%s.execute():' % self.name
+        print '  args =', args
+        print '  kw =', kw
+
     def __call__(self, *args, **kw):
         if len(args) > 0:
             arg_kw = self.args_to_kw(*args)
@@ -353,7 +358,15 @@ class Command(plugable.Plugin):
         kw.update(self.get_default(**kw))
         self.validate(**kw)
         args = tuple(kw.pop(name) for name in self.args)
-        self.execute(*args, **kw)
+        return self.run(*args, **kw)
+
+    def run(self, *args, **kw):
+        if self.api.env.in_server_context:
+            target = self.execute
+        else:
+            target = self.forward
+        object.__setattr__(self, 'run', target)
+        return target(*args, **kw)
 
     def args_to_kw(self, *values):
         if self.max_args is not None and len(values) > self.max_args:
diff --git a/ipalib/plugable.py b/ipalib/plugable.py
index f883eb12e..8bf90ea86 100644
--- a/ipalib/plugable.py
+++ b/ipalib/plugable.py
@@ -691,11 +691,15 @@ class API(DictProxy):
     Dynamic API object through which `Plugin` instances are accessed.
     """
     __finalized = False
-    server_context = True
 
-    def __init__(self, *allowed):
+    def __init__(self, *allowed, **kw):
         self.__d = dict()
         self.register = Registrar(*allowed)
+        default = dict(
+            in_server_context=True,
+        )
+        default.update(kw)
+        self.env = MagicDict(default)
         super(API, self).__init__(self.__d)
 
     def finalize(self):
diff --git a/ipalib/tests/test_frontend.py b/ipalib/tests/test_frontend.py
index d4a70f15a..4ddf11b34 100644
--- a/ipalib/tests/test_frontend.py
+++ b/ipalib/tests/test_frontend.py
@@ -620,6 +620,38 @@ class test_Command(ClassChecker):
         assert o.kw_to_args(whatever='hello', two='Two', one='One') == \
             ('One', 'Two')
 
+    def test_run(self):
+        """
+        Test the `frontend.Command.run` method.
+        """
+        class my_cmd(self.cls):
+            def execute(self, *args, **kw):
+                return ('execute', args, kw)
+
+            def forward(self, *args, **kw):
+                return ('forward', args, kw)
+
+        args = ('Hello,', 'world,')
+        kw = dict(how_are='you', on_this='fine day?')
+
+        # Test in server context:
+        api = plugable.API(self.cls, in_server_context=True)
+        api.finalize()
+        o = my_cmd()
+        o.set_api(api)
+        assert o.run.im_func is self.cls.run.im_func
+        assert ('execute', args, kw) == o.run(*args, **kw)
+        assert o.run.im_func is my_cmd.execute.im_func
+
+        # Test in non-server context
+        api = plugable.API(self.cls, in_server_context=False)
+        api.finalize()
+        o = my_cmd()
+        o.set_api(api)
+        assert o.run.im_func is self.cls.run.im_func
+        assert ('forward', args, kw) == o.run(*args, **kw)
+        assert o.run.im_func is my_cmd.forward.im_func
+
 
 class test_Object(ClassChecker):
     """