diff --git a/papers/papers_cmd.py b/papers/papers_cmd.py
index b64ebcb..5a4041e 100644
--- a/papers/papers_cmd.py
+++ b/papers/papers_cmd.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ from . import plugins
 from .__init__ import __version__
 
 
-cmds = collections.OrderedDict([
+CORE_CMDS = collections.OrderedDict([
         ('init',        commands.init_cmd),
         ('add',         commands.add_cmd),
         ('import',      commands.import_cmd),
@@ -64,16 +64,19 @@ def execute(raw_args=sys.argv):
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="research papers repository")
     subparsers = parser.add_subparsers(title="valid commands", dest="command")
 
-    for cmd_mod in cmds.values():
+    cmd_funcs = collections.OrderedDict()
+    for cmd_name, cmd_mod in CORE_CMDS.items():
         cmd_mod.parser(subparsers)
+        cmd_funcs[cmd_name] = cmd_mod.command
 
     # Extend with plugin commands
     plugins.load_plugins(ui, config.plugins.split())
     for p in plugins.get_plugins().values():
-        cmds.update(p.get_commands(subparsers))
+        cmd_funcs.update(p.get_commands(subparsers))
 
     args = parser.parse_args(raw_args[1:])
+    args.prog = parser.prog  # Hack: there might be a better way...
     cmd = args.command
     del args.command
 
-    cmds[cmd].command(args)
+    cmd_funcs[cmd](args)
diff --git a/papers/plugs/alias/__init__.py b/papers/plugs/alias/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/papers/plugs/alias/alias.py b/papers/plugs/alias/alias.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..078f8ac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/papers/plugs/alias/alias.py
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+import subprocess
+import shlex
+
+from ...plugins import PapersPlugin
+from ...configs import config
+from ...papers_cmd import execute
+
+
+class Alias(object):
+
+    def __init__(self, name, definition):
+        self.name = name
+        self.definition = definition
+
+    def parser(self, parser):
+        self.parser = parser
+        p = parser.add_parser(self.name, help='user defined command')
+        p.add_argument('arguments', nargs='*',
+                help="arguments to be passed to the user defined command")
+
+    def run(self, args):
+        raise NotImplementedError
+
+    @classmethod
+    def create_alias(cls, name, definition):
+        if len(definition) > 0 and definition[0] == '!':
+            return ShellAlias(name, definition[1:])
+        else:
+            return CommandAlias(name, definition)
+
+
+class CommandAlias(Alias):
+    """Default kind of alias.
+    - definition is used as a papers command
+    - other arguments are passed to the command
+    """
+
+    def run(self, args):
+        raw_args = ([args.prog]
+                    + shlex.split(self.definition
+                    + ' '
+                    + ' '.join(args.arguments)))
+        execute(raw_args)
+
+
+class ShellAlias(Alias):
+
+    def run(self, args):
+        """Uses a shell function so that arguments can be used in the command
+        as shell arguments.
+        """
+        subprocess.call(
+                'papers_alias_fun () {{\n{}\n}}\npapers_alias_fun {}'.format(
+                    self.definition, ' '.join(args.arguments)),
+                shell=True)
+
+
+class AliasPlugin(PapersPlugin):
+
+    name = 'alias'
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.aliases = []
+        for name, definition in config('alias').items():
+            self.aliases.append(Alias.create_alias(name, definition))
+
+    def get_commands(self, parser):
+        for a in self.aliases:
+            a.parser(parser)
+        return [(a.name, a.run) for a in self.aliases]