diff --git a/mininet/term.py b/mininet/term.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3cd70f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mininet/term.py
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+"""
+Terminal creation and cleanup.
+Utility functions to run a term (connected via screen(1)) on each host.
+
+Requires GNU screen(1) and xterm(1).
+Optionally uses gnome-terminal.
+"""
+
+import re
+from subprocess import Popen
+
+from mininet.log import error
+from mininet.util import quietRun
+
+def quoteArg( arg ):
+    "Quote an argument if it contains spaces."
+    return repr( arg ) if ' ' in arg else arg
+
+def makeTerm( node, title='Node', term='xterm' ):
+    """Run screen on a node, and hook up a terminal.
+       node: Node object
+       title: base title
+       term: 'xterm' or 'gterm'
+       returns: process created"""
+    title += ': ' + node.name
+    if not node.inNamespace:
+        title += ' (root)'
+    cmds = {
+        'xterm': [ 'xterm', '-title', title, '-e' ],
+        'gterm': [ 'gnome-terminal', '--title', title, '-e' ]
+    }
+    if term not in cmds:
+        error( 'invalid terminal type: %s' % term )
+        return
+    if not node.execed:
+        node.cmd( 'screen -dmS ' + 'mininet.' + node.name)
+        args = [ 'screen', '-D', '-RR', '-S', 'mininet.' + node.name ]
+    else:
+        args = [ 'sh', '-c', 'exec tail -f /tmp/' + node.name + '*.log' ]
+    if term == 'gterm':
+        # Compress these for gnome-terminal, which expects one token
+        # to follow the -e option
+        args = [ ' '.join( [ quoteArg( arg ) for arg in args ] ) ]
+    return Popen( cmds[ term ] + args )
+
+def cleanUpScreens():
+    "Remove moldy old screen sessions."
+    r = r'(\d+\.mininet\.[hsc]\d+)'
+    output = quietRun( 'screen -ls' ).split( '\n' )
+    for line in output:
+        m = re.search( r, line )
+        if m:
+            quietRun( 'screen -S ' + m.group( 1 ) + ' -X quit' )
+
+def makeTerms( nodes, title='Node', term='xterm' ):
+    """Create terminals.
+       nodes: list of Node objects
+       title: base title for each
+       returns: list of created terminal processes"""
+    return [ makeTerm( node, title, term ) for node in nodes ]