diff --git a/lib/ChangeLog b/lib/ChangeLog
index a91901c..6eb70a2 100644
--- a/lib/ChangeLog
+++ b/lib/ChangeLog
@@ -1,4 +1,9 @@
 2004-12-17 Andrew J. Schorr <ajschorr@alumni.princeton.edu>
+
+	* command.c: (do_echo) Added new "echo" command, useful for
+	  watchdog pinging to make sure the daemon is responsive.
+
+2004-12-17 Andrew J. Schorr <ajschorr@alumni.princeton.edu>
 	
 	* pid_output.c: (pid_output_lock) Eliminate static function, and just
 	  use the #ifdef to decide which version of the function to include.
diff --git a/lib/command.c b/lib/command.c
index cabdb23..2766c41 100644
--- a/lib/command.c
+++ b/lib/command.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
-   $Id: command.c,v 1.29 2004/12/07 17:15:56 ajs Exp $
+   $Id: command.c,v 1.30 2004/12/17 23:16:33 ajs Exp $
 
    Command interpreter routine for virtual terminal [aka TeletYpe]
    Copyright (C) 1997, 98, 99 Kunihiro Ishiguro
@@ -2995,6 +2995,19 @@
   return CMD_SUCCESS;
 }
 
+DEFUN_HIDDEN (do_echo,
+	      echo_cmd,
+	      "echo .MESSAGE",
+	      "Echo a message back to the vty\n"
+	      "The message to echo\n")
+{
+  char *message;
+
+  vty_out (vty, "%s%s",(message = argv_concat(argv, argc, 0)), VTY_NEWLINE);
+  XFREE(MTYPE_TMP, message);
+  return CMD_SUCCESS;
+}
+
 DEFUN (config_logmsg,
        config_logmsg_cmd,
        "logmsg "LOG_LEVELS" .MESSAGE",
@@ -3465,6 +3478,7 @@
       install_element (VIEW_NODE, &config_terminal_length_cmd);
       install_element (VIEW_NODE, &config_terminal_no_length_cmd);
       install_element (VIEW_NODE, &show_logging_cmd);
+      install_element (VIEW_NODE, &echo_cmd);
     }
 
   if (terminal)
@@ -3482,6 +3496,7 @@
       install_element (ENABLE_NODE, &config_terminal_length_cmd);
       install_element (ENABLE_NODE, &config_terminal_no_length_cmd);
       install_element (ENABLE_NODE, &show_logging_cmd);
+      install_element (ENABLE_NODE, &echo_cmd);
       install_element (ENABLE_NODE, &config_logmsg_cmd);
 
       install_default (CONFIG_NODE);