diff --git a/asyncio/__init__.py b/asyncio/__init__.py
index 011466b3..30cfbdce 100644
--- a/asyncio/__init__.py
+++ b/asyncio/__init__.py
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 from .futures import *
 from .locks import *
 from .protocols import *
+from .runners import *
 from .queues import *
 from .streams import *
 from .subprocess import *
@@ -36,6 +37,7 @@
            futures.__all__ +
            locks.__all__ +
            protocols.__all__ +
+           runners.__all__ +
            queues.__all__ +
            streams.__all__ +
            subprocess.__all__ +
diff --git a/asyncio/runners.py b/asyncio/runners.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..fb70ac57
--- /dev/null
+++ b/asyncio/runners.py
@@ -0,0 +1,148 @@
+"""asyncio.run() and asyncio.run_forever() functions."""
+
+__all__ = ['run', 'run_forever']
+
+import inspect
+import threading
+
+from . import coroutines
+from . import events
+
+
+def _cleanup(loop):
+    try:
+        # `shutdown_asyncgens` was added in Python 3.6; not all
+        # event loops might support it.
+        shutdown_asyncgens = loop.shutdown_asyncgens
+    except AttributeError:
+        pass
+    else:
+        loop.run_until_complete(shutdown_asyncgens())
+    finally:
+        events.set_event_loop(None)
+        loop.close()
+
+
+def run(main, *, debug=False):
+    """Run a coroutine.
+
+    This function runs the passed coroutine, taking care of
+    managing the asyncio event loop and finalizing asynchronous
+    generators.
+
+    This function must be called from the main thread, and it
+    cannot be called when another asyncio event loop is running.
+
+    If debug is True, the event loop will be run in debug mode.
+
+    This function should be used as a main entry point for
+    asyncio programs, and should not be used to call asynchronous
+    APIs.
+
+    Example:
+
+        async def main():
+            await asyncio.sleep(1)
+            print('hello')
+
+        asyncio.run(main())
+    """
+    if events._get_running_loop() is not None:
+        raise RuntimeError(
+            "asyncio.run() cannot be called from a running event loop")
+    if not isinstance(threading.current_thread(), threading._MainThread):
+        raise RuntimeError(
+            "asyncio.run() must be called from the main thread")
+    if not coroutines.iscoroutine(main):
+        raise ValueError("a coroutine was expected, got {!r}".format(main))
+
+    loop = events.new_event_loop()
+    try:
+        events.set_event_loop(loop)
+
+        if debug:
+            loop.set_debug(True)
+
+        return loop.run_until_complete(main)
+    finally:
+        _cleanup(loop)
+
+
+def run_forever(main, *, debug=False):
+    """Run asyncio loop.
+
+    main must be an asynchronous generator with one yield, separating
+    program initialization from cleanup logic.
+
+    If debug is True, the event loop will be run in debug mode.
+
+    This function should be used as a main entry point for
+    asyncio programs, and should not be used to call asynchronous
+    APIs.
+
+    Example:
+
+        async def main():
+            server = await asyncio.start_server(...)
+            try:
+                yield  # <- Let event loop run forever.
+            except KeyboardInterrupt:
+                print('^C received; exiting.')
+            finally:
+                server.close()
+                await server.wait_closed()
+
+        asyncio.run_forever(main())
+    """
+    if not hasattr(inspect, 'isasyncgen'):
+        raise NotImplementedError
+
+    if events._get_running_loop() is not None:
+        raise RuntimeError(
+            "asyncio.run_forever() cannot be called from a running event loop")
+    if not isinstance(threading.current_thread(), threading._MainThread):
+        raise RuntimeError(
+            "asyncio.run_forever() must be called from the main thread")
+    if not inspect.isasyncgen(main):
+        raise ValueError(
+            "an asynchronous generator was expected, got {!r}".format(main))
+
+    one_yield_msg = ("asyncio.run_forever() supports only "
+                     "asynchronous generators with one empty yield")
+    loop = events.new_event_loop()
+    try:
+        events.set_event_loop(loop)
+        if debug:
+            loop.set_debug(True)
+
+        ret = None
+        try:
+            ret = loop.run_until_complete(main.asend(None))
+        except StopAsyncIteration as ex:
+            return
+        if ret is not None:
+            raise RuntimeError(one_yield_msg)
+
+        yielded_twice = False
+        try:
+            loop.run_forever()
+        except BaseException as ex:
+            try:
+                loop.run_until_complete(main.athrow(ex))
+            except StopAsyncIteration as ex:
+                pass
+            else:
+                yielded_twice = True
+        else:
+            try:
+                loop.run_until_complete(main.asend(None))
+            except StopAsyncIteration as ex:
+                pass
+            else:
+                yielded_twice = True
+
+        if yielded_twice:
+            raise RuntimeError(one_yield_msg)
+
+    finally:
+        _cleanup(loop)
diff --git a/runtests.py b/runtests.py
index c4074624..8fa2db93 100644
--- a/runtests.py
+++ b/runtests.py
@@ -112,6 +112,10 @@ def list_dir(prefix, dir):
             print("Skipping '{0}': need at least Python 3.5".format(modname),
                   file=sys.stderr)
             continue
+        if modname == 'test_runner' and (sys.version_info < (3, 6)):
+            print("Skipping '{0}': need at least Python 3.6".format(modname),
+                  file=sys.stderr)
+            continue
         try:
             loader = importlib.machinery.SourceFileLoader(modname, sourcefile)
             mods.append((loader.load_module(), sourcefile))
diff --git a/tests/test_runner.py b/tests/test_runner.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d439353f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_runner.py
@@ -0,0 +1,223 @@
+"""Tests asyncio.run() and asyncio.run_forever()."""
+
+import asyncio
+import unittest
+import sys
+
+from unittest import mock
+
+
+class TestPolicy(asyncio.AbstractEventLoopPolicy):
+
+    def __init__(self, loop_factory):
+        self.loop_factory = loop_factory
+        self.loop = None
+
+    def get_event_loop(self):
+        # shouldn't ever be called by asyncio.run()
+        # or asyncio.run_forever()
+        raise RuntimeError
+
+    def new_event_loop(self):
+        return self.loop_factory()
+
+    def set_event_loop(self, loop):
+        if loop is not None:
+            # we want to check if the loop is closed
+            # in BaseTest.tearDown
+            self.loop = loop
+
+
+class BaseTest(unittest.TestCase):
+
+    def new_loop(self):
+        loop = asyncio.BaseEventLoop()
+        loop._process_events = mock.Mock()
+        loop._selector = mock.Mock()
+        loop._selector.select.return_value = ()
+        loop.shutdown_ag_run = False
+
+        async def shutdown_asyncgens():
+            loop.shutdown_ag_run = True
+        loop.shutdown_asyncgens = shutdown_asyncgens
+
+        return loop
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        super().setUp()
+
+        policy = TestPolicy(self.new_loop)
+        asyncio.set_event_loop_policy(policy)
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        policy = asyncio.get_event_loop_policy()
+        if policy.loop is not None:
+            self.assertTrue(policy.loop.is_closed())
+            self.assertTrue(policy.loop.shutdown_ag_run)
+
+        asyncio.set_event_loop_policy(None)
+        super().tearDown()
+
+
+class RunTests(BaseTest):
+
+    def test_asyncio_run_return(self):
+        async def main():
+            await asyncio.sleep(0)
+            return 42
+
+        self.assertEqual(asyncio.run(main()), 42)
+
+    def test_asyncio_run_raises(self):
+        async def main():
+            await asyncio.sleep(0)
+            raise ValueError('spam')
+
+        with self.assertRaisesRegex(ValueError, 'spam'):
+            asyncio.run(main())
+
+    def test_asyncio_run_only_coro(self):
+        for o in {1, lambda: None}:
+            with self.subTest(obj=o), \
+                    self.assertRaisesRegex(ValueError,
+                                           'a coroutine was expected'):
+                asyncio.run(o)
+
+    def test_asyncio_run_debug(self):
+        async def main(expected):
+            loop = asyncio.get_event_loop()
+            self.assertIs(loop.get_debug(), expected)
+
+        asyncio.run(main(False))
+        asyncio.run(main(True), debug=True)
+
+    def test_asyncio_run_from_running_loop(self):
+        async def main():
+            asyncio.run(main())
+
+        with self.assertRaisesRegex(RuntimeError,
+                                    'cannot be called from a running'):
+            asyncio.run(main())
+
+
+class RunForeverTests(BaseTest):
+
+    def stop_soon(self, *, exc=None):
+        loop = asyncio.get_event_loop()
+
+        if exc:
+            def throw():
+                raise exc
+            loop.call_later(0.01, throw)
+        else:
+            loop.call_later(0.01, loop.stop)
+
+    def test_asyncio_run_forever_return(self):
+        async def main():
+            if 0:
+                yield
+            return
+
+        self.assertIsNone(asyncio.run_forever(main()))
+
+    def test_asyncio_run_forever_non_none_yield(self):
+        async def main():
+            yield 1
+
+        with self.assertRaisesRegex(RuntimeError, 'one empty yield'):
+            self.assertIsNone(asyncio.run_forever(main()))
+
+    def test_asyncio_run_forever_try_finally(self):
+        DONE = 0
+
+        async def main():
+            nonlocal DONE
+            self.stop_soon()
+            try:
+                yield
+            finally:
+                DONE += 1
+
+        asyncio.run_forever(main())
+        self.assertEqual(DONE, 1)
+
+    def test_asyncio_run_forever_raises_before_yield(self):
+        async def main():
+            await asyncio.sleep(0)
+            raise ValueError('spam')
+            yield
+
+        with self.assertRaisesRegex(ValueError, 'spam'):
+            asyncio.run_forever(main())
+
+    def test_asyncio_run_forever_raises_after_yield(self):
+        async def main():
+            self.stop_soon()
+            yield
+            raise ValueError('spam')
+
+        with self.assertRaisesRegex(ValueError, 'spam'):
+            asyncio.run_forever(main())
+
+    def test_asyncio_run_forever_two_yields(self):
+        async def main():
+            self.stop_soon()
+            yield
+            yield
+            raise ValueError('spam')
+
+        with self.assertRaisesRegex(RuntimeError, 'one empty yield'):
+            asyncio.run_forever(main())
+
+    def test_asyncio_run_forever_only_ag(self):
+        async def coro():
+            pass
+
+        for o in {1, lambda: None, coro()}:
+            with self.subTest(obj=o), \
+                    self.assertRaisesRegex(ValueError,
+                                           'an asynchronous.*was expected'):
+                asyncio.run_forever(o)
+
+    def test_asyncio_run_forever_debug(self):
+        async def main(expected):
+            loop = asyncio.get_event_loop()
+            self.assertIs(loop.get_debug(), expected)
+            if 0:
+                yield
+
+        asyncio.run_forever(main(False))
+        asyncio.run_forever(main(True), debug=True)
+
+    def test_asyncio_run_forever_from_running_loop(self):
+        async def main():
+            asyncio.run_forever(main())
+            if 0:
+                yield
+
+        with self.assertRaisesRegex(RuntimeError,
+                                    'cannot be called from a running'):
+            asyncio.run_forever(main())
+
+    def test_asyncio_run_forever_base_exception(self):
+        vi = sys.version_info
+        if vi[:2] != (3, 6) or vi.releaselevel == 'beta' and vi.serial < 4:
+            # See http://bugs.python.org/issue28721 for details.
+            raise unittest.SkipTest(
+                'this test requires Python 3.6b4 or greater')
+
+        DONE = 0
+
+        class MyExc(BaseException):
+            pass
+
+        async def main():
+            nonlocal DONE
+            self.stop_soon(exc=MyExc)
+            try:
+                yield
+            except MyExc:
+                DONE += 1
+
+        asyncio.run_forever(main())
+        self.assertEqual(DONE, 1)