diff --git a/bin/scrapy-ctl.py b/bin/scrapy-ctl.py
index e8e56eaf2..918ea7fbd 100755
--- a/bin/scrapy-ctl.py
+++ b/bin/scrapy-ctl.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python
 
-from scrapy.command.cmdline import execute
+from scrapy.cmdline import execute
 execute()
diff --git a/examples/experimental/googledir/scrapy-ctl.py b/examples/experimental/googledir/scrapy-ctl.py
index 552421ac3..60ca701cb 100644
--- a/examples/experimental/googledir/scrapy-ctl.py
+++ b/examples/experimental/googledir/scrapy-ctl.py
@@ -3,5 +3,5 @@
 import os
 os.environ.setdefault('SCRAPY_SETTINGS_MODULE', 'googledir.settings')
 
-from scrapy.command.cmdline import execute
+from scrapy.cmdline import execute
 execute()
diff --git a/examples/experimental/imdb/scrapy-ctl.py b/examples/experimental/imdb/scrapy-ctl.py
index df57621b3..c1ff31537 100644
--- a/examples/experimental/imdb/scrapy-ctl.py
+++ b/examples/experimental/imdb/scrapy-ctl.py
@@ -3,5 +3,5 @@
 import os
 os.environ.setdefault('SCRAPY_SETTINGS_MODULE', 'imdb.settings')
 
-from scrapy.command.cmdline import execute
+from scrapy.cmdline import execute
 execute()
diff --git a/examples/googledir/scrapy-ctl.py b/examples/googledir/scrapy-ctl.py
index 552421ac3..60ca701cb 100755
--- a/examples/googledir/scrapy-ctl.py
+++ b/examples/googledir/scrapy-ctl.py
@@ -3,5 +3,5 @@
 import os
 os.environ.setdefault('SCRAPY_SETTINGS_MODULE', 'googledir.settings')
 
-from scrapy.command.cmdline import execute
+from scrapy.cmdline import execute
 execute()
diff --git a/scrapy/cmdline.py b/scrapy/cmdline.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2fe790a32
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scrapy/cmdline.py
@@ -0,0 +1,155 @@
+from __future__ import with_statement
+
+import sys
+import os
+import optparse
+import cProfile
+
+import scrapy
+from scrapy import log
+from scrapy.xlib import lsprofcalltree
+from scrapy.conf import settings
+from scrapy.command.models import ScrapyCommand
+from scrapy.utils.signal import send_catch_log
+
+# Signal that carries information about the command which was executed
+# args: cmdname, cmdobj, args, opts
+command_executed = object()
+
+def _find_commands(dir):
+    try:
+        return [f[:-3] for f in os.listdir(dir) if not f.startswith('_') and \
+            f.endswith('.py')]
+    except OSError:
+        return []
+
+def _get_commands_from_module(module):
+    d = {}
+    mod = __import__(module, {}, {}, [''])
+    for cmdname in _find_commands(mod.__path__[0]):
+        modname = '%s.%s' % (module, cmdname)
+        command = getattr(__import__(modname, {}, {}, [cmdname]), 'Command', None)
+        if callable(command):
+            d[cmdname] = command()
+        else:
+            print 'WARNING: Module %r does not define a Command class' % modname
+    return d
+
+def _get_commands_dict():
+    cmds = _get_commands_from_module('scrapy.commands')
+    cmds_module = settings['COMMANDS_MODULE']
+    if cmds_module:
+        cmds.update(_get_commands_from_module(cmds_module))
+    return cmds
+
+def _get_command_name(argv):
+    for arg in argv[1:]:
+        if not arg.startswith('-'):
+            return arg
+
+def _print_usage(inside_project):
+    if inside_project:
+        print "Scrapy %s - project: %s\n" % (scrapy.__version__, \
+            settings['BOT_NAME'])
+    else:
+        print "Scrapy %s - no active project\n" % scrapy.__version__
+    print "Usage"
+    print "=====\n"
+    print "To run a command:"
+    print "  scrapy-ctl.py <command> [options] [args]\n"
+    print "To get help:"
+    print "  scrapy-ctl.py <command> -h\n"
+    print "Available commands"
+    print "==================\n"
+    cmds = _get_commands_dict()
+    for cmdname, cmdclass in sorted(cmds.iteritems()):
+        if inside_project or not cmdclass.requires_project:
+            print "%s %s" % (cmdname, cmdclass.syntax())
+            print "  %s" % cmdclass.short_desc()
+    print
+
+def _update_default_settings(module, cmdname):
+    if not module:
+        return
+    try:
+        mod = __import__('%s.%s' % (module, cmdname), {}, {}, [''])
+    except ImportError:
+        return
+    settingsdict = vars(mod)
+    for k, v in settingsdict.iteritems():
+        if not k.startswith("_"):
+            settings.defaults[k] = v
+
+def execute(argv=None):
+    if argv is None:
+        argv = sys.argv
+
+    cmds = _get_commands_dict()
+
+    cmdname = _get_command_name(argv)
+    _update_default_settings('scrapy.conf.commands', cmdname)
+    _update_default_settings(settings['COMMANDS_SETTINGS_MODULE'], cmdname)
+
+    parser = optparse.OptionParser(formatter=optparse.TitledHelpFormatter(), \
+        conflict_handler='resolve', add_help_option=False)
+
+    if cmdname in cmds:
+        cmd = cmds[cmdname]
+        cmd.add_options(parser)
+        opts, args = parser.parse_args(args=argv[1:])
+        cmd.process_options(args, opts)
+        parser.usage = "%%prog %s %s" % (cmdname, cmd.syntax())
+        parser.description = cmd.long_desc()
+        if cmd.requires_project and not settings.settings_module:
+            print "Error running: scrapy-ctl.py %s\n" % cmdname
+            print "Cannot find project settings module in python path: %s" % \
+                settings.settings_module_path
+            sys.exit(1)
+        if opts.help:
+            parser.print_help()
+            sys.exit()
+    elif not cmdname:
+        cmd = ScrapyCommand()
+        cmd.add_options(parser)
+        opts, args = parser.parse_args(args=argv)
+        cmd.process_options(args, opts)
+        _print_usage(settings.settings_module)
+        sys.exit(2)
+    else:
+        print "Unknown command: %s\n" % cmdname
+        print 'Use "scrapy-ctl.py -h" for help' 
+        sys.exit(2)
+
+    del args[0]  # remove command name from args
+    send_catch_log(signal=command_executed, cmdname=cmdname, cmdobj=cmd, \
+        args=args, opts=opts)
+    from scrapy.core.manager import scrapymanager
+    scrapymanager.configure(control_reactor=True)
+    ret = _run_command(cmd, args, opts)
+    if ret is False:
+        parser.print_help()
+
+def _run_command(cmd, args, opts):
+    if opts.profile or opts.lsprof:
+        return _run_command_profiled(cmd, args, opts)
+    else:
+        return cmd.run(args, opts)
+
+def _run_command_profiled(cmd, args, opts):
+    if opts.profile:
+        log.msg("writing cProfile stats to %r" % opts.profile)
+    if opts.lsprof:
+        log.msg("writing lsprof stats to %r" % opts.lsprof)
+    loc = locals()
+    p = cProfile.Profile()
+    p.runctx('ret = cmd.run(args, opts)', globals(), loc)
+    if opts.profile:
+        p.dump_stats(opts.profile)
+    k = lsprofcalltree.KCacheGrind(p)
+    if opts.lsprof:
+        with open(opts.lsprof, 'w') as f:
+            k.output(f)
+    return loc['ret']
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    execute()
diff --git a/scrapy/command/cmdline.py b/scrapy/command/cmdline.py
index 2fe790a32..b22b57b34 100644
--- a/scrapy/command/cmdline.py
+++ b/scrapy/command/cmdline.py
@@ -1,155 +1,10 @@
-from __future__ import with_statement
+# TODO: remove this module for Scrapy 0.10
+import warnings
 
-import sys
-import os
-import optparse
-import cProfile
+from scrapy import cmdline
 
-import scrapy
-from scrapy import log
-from scrapy.xlib import lsprofcalltree
-from scrapy.conf import settings
-from scrapy.command.models import ScrapyCommand
-from scrapy.utils.signal import send_catch_log
-
-# Signal that carries information about the command which was executed
-# args: cmdname, cmdobj, args, opts
-command_executed = object()
-
-def _find_commands(dir):
-    try:
-        return [f[:-3] for f in os.listdir(dir) if not f.startswith('_') and \
-            f.endswith('.py')]
-    except OSError:
-        return []
-
-def _get_commands_from_module(module):
-    d = {}
-    mod = __import__(module, {}, {}, [''])
-    for cmdname in _find_commands(mod.__path__[0]):
-        modname = '%s.%s' % (module, cmdname)
-        command = getattr(__import__(modname, {}, {}, [cmdname]), 'Command', None)
-        if callable(command):
-            d[cmdname] = command()
-        else:
-            print 'WARNING: Module %r does not define a Command class' % modname
-    return d
-
-def _get_commands_dict():
-    cmds = _get_commands_from_module('scrapy.commands')
-    cmds_module = settings['COMMANDS_MODULE']
-    if cmds_module:
-        cmds.update(_get_commands_from_module(cmds_module))
-    return cmds
-
-def _get_command_name(argv):
-    for arg in argv[1:]:
-        if not arg.startswith('-'):
-            return arg
-
-def _print_usage(inside_project):
-    if inside_project:
-        print "Scrapy %s - project: %s\n" % (scrapy.__version__, \
-            settings['BOT_NAME'])
-    else:
-        print "Scrapy %s - no active project\n" % scrapy.__version__
-    print "Usage"
-    print "=====\n"
-    print "To run a command:"
-    print "  scrapy-ctl.py <command> [options] [args]\n"
-    print "To get help:"
-    print "  scrapy-ctl.py <command> -h\n"
-    print "Available commands"
-    print "==================\n"
-    cmds = _get_commands_dict()
-    for cmdname, cmdclass in sorted(cmds.iteritems()):
-        if inside_project or not cmdclass.requires_project:
-            print "%s %s" % (cmdname, cmdclass.syntax())
-            print "  %s" % cmdclass.short_desc()
-    print
-
-def _update_default_settings(module, cmdname):
-    if not module:
-        return
-    try:
-        mod = __import__('%s.%s' % (module, cmdname), {}, {}, [''])
-    except ImportError:
-        return
-    settingsdict = vars(mod)
-    for k, v in settingsdict.iteritems():
-        if not k.startswith("_"):
-            settings.defaults[k] = v
-
-def execute(argv=None):
-    if argv is None:
-        argv = sys.argv
-
-    cmds = _get_commands_dict()
-
-    cmdname = _get_command_name(argv)
-    _update_default_settings('scrapy.conf.commands', cmdname)
-    _update_default_settings(settings['COMMANDS_SETTINGS_MODULE'], cmdname)
-
-    parser = optparse.OptionParser(formatter=optparse.TitledHelpFormatter(), \
-        conflict_handler='resolve', add_help_option=False)
-
-    if cmdname in cmds:
-        cmd = cmds[cmdname]
-        cmd.add_options(parser)
-        opts, args = parser.parse_args(args=argv[1:])
-        cmd.process_options(args, opts)
-        parser.usage = "%%prog %s %s" % (cmdname, cmd.syntax())
-        parser.description = cmd.long_desc()
-        if cmd.requires_project and not settings.settings_module:
-            print "Error running: scrapy-ctl.py %s\n" % cmdname
-            print "Cannot find project settings module in python path: %s" % \
-                settings.settings_module_path
-            sys.exit(1)
-        if opts.help:
-            parser.print_help()
-            sys.exit()
-    elif not cmdname:
-        cmd = ScrapyCommand()
-        cmd.add_options(parser)
-        opts, args = parser.parse_args(args=argv)
-        cmd.process_options(args, opts)
-        _print_usage(settings.settings_module)
-        sys.exit(2)
-    else:
-        print "Unknown command: %s\n" % cmdname
-        print 'Use "scrapy-ctl.py -h" for help' 
-        sys.exit(2)
-
-    del args[0]  # remove command name from args
-    send_catch_log(signal=command_executed, cmdname=cmdname, cmdobj=cmd, \
-        args=args, opts=opts)
-    from scrapy.core.manager import scrapymanager
-    scrapymanager.configure(control_reactor=True)
-    ret = _run_command(cmd, args, opts)
-    if ret is False:
-        parser.print_help()
-
-def _run_command(cmd, args, opts):
-    if opts.profile or opts.lsprof:
-        return _run_command_profiled(cmd, args, opts)
-    else:
-        return cmd.run(args, opts)
-
-def _run_command_profiled(cmd, args, opts):
-    if opts.profile:
-        log.msg("writing cProfile stats to %r" % opts.profile)
-    if opts.lsprof:
-        log.msg("writing lsprof stats to %r" % opts.lsprof)
-    loc = locals()
-    p = cProfile.Profile()
-    p.runctx('ret = cmd.run(args, opts)', globals(), loc)
-    if opts.profile:
-        p.dump_stats(opts.profile)
-    k = lsprofcalltree.KCacheGrind(p)
-    if opts.lsprof:
-        with open(opts.lsprof, 'w') as f:
-            k.output(f)
-    return loc['ret']
-
-if __name__ == '__main__':
-    execute()
+def execute():
+    warnings.warn("scrapy.command.cmdline.execute() is deprecated, modify your " \
+        "project-ctl.py script to use scrapy.cmdline.execute() instead", \
+        DeprecationWarning, stacklevel=2)
+    cmdline.execute()
diff --git a/scrapy/templates/project/scrapy-ctl.py b/scrapy/templates/project/scrapy-ctl.py
index 0c5176f10..931d31afe 100755
--- a/scrapy/templates/project/scrapy-ctl.py
+++ b/scrapy/templates/project/scrapy-ctl.py
@@ -3,5 +3,5 @@
 import os
 os.environ.setdefault('SCRAPY_SETTINGS_MODULE', '${project_name}.settings')
 
-from scrapy.command.cmdline import execute
+from scrapy.cmdline import execute
 execute()
diff --git a/scrapy/tests/test_cmdline/__init__.py b/scrapy/tests/test_cmdline/__init__.py
index 671b8f2fb..7c88870c3 100644
--- a/scrapy/tests/test_cmdline/__init__.py
+++ b/scrapy/tests/test_cmdline/__init__.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ class CmdlineTest(unittest.TestCase):
         self.env['SCRAPY_SETTINGS_MODULE'] = 'scrapy.tests.test_cmdline.settings'
 
     def _execute(self, *new_args, **kwargs):
-        args = (sys.executable, '-m', 'scrapy.command.cmdline') + new_args
+        args = (sys.executable, '-m', 'scrapy.cmdline') + new_args
         proc = Popen(args, stdout=PIPE, stderr=PIPE, env=self.env, **kwargs)
         comm = proc.communicate()
         return comm[0].strip()
diff --git a/scrapy/tests/test_commands.py b/scrapy/tests/test_commands.py
index 6eed6d22a..a76ba08d8 100644
--- a/scrapy/tests/test_commands.py
+++ b/scrapy/tests/test_commands.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ class ProjectTest(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def call(self, *new_args, **kwargs):
         out = os.tmpfile()
-        args = (sys.executable, '-m', 'scrapy.command.cmdline') + new_args
+        args = (sys.executable, '-m', 'scrapy.cmdline') + new_args
         return subprocess.call(args, stdout=out, stderr=out, cwd=self.cwd, \
             env=self.env, **kwargs)