diff --git a/SparkleShare/Makefile.am b/SparkleShare/Makefile.am
index 12abb8a9..72c35657 100644
--- a/SparkleShare/Makefile.am
+++ b/SparkleShare/Makefile.am
@@ -23,5 +23,7 @@ include $(top_srcdir)/build/build.mk
 
 bin_SCRIPTS = sparkleshare
 
+dist_man_MANS = $(top_srcdir)/man/sparkleshare.1
+
 Applicationsdir = $(datadir)/applications
 dist_Applications_DATA = sparkleshare.desktop
diff --git a/man/sparkleshare.1 b/man/sparkleshare.1
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..20e11ef2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/man/sparkleshare.1
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+.TH sparkleshare 1  "August 16, 2010" "version 0.2" "USER COMMANDS"
+.SH NAME
+sparkleshare \- sharing work made easy
+.SH SYNOPSIS
+.B sparkleshare
+[start|stop|restart|help]
+.SH DESCRIPTION
+A file sharing system for the desktop that retains a full history of
+changes made, and allows work to be sychronized across many systems.
+Based on the underlying `git' version control system, sparkleshare is
+fast and secure, but the interface is straightforward enough for all
+to use.
+.SH OPTIONS
+.TP
+start
+Start the sparkleshare system, presenting an introductory dialog if
+this is the first time that it has been run.
+.TP
+stop
+Stop sparkleshare, halting all current file sharing and no longer watch
+for changes in the configured shares.
+.TP
+restart
+Restart sparkleshare.
+.SH RETURN VALUES
+Currently sparkleshare only ever returns 0 on exit.
+.SH FILES
+.TP
+~/SparkleShare
+Directories set up to be shared are placed under this directory.
+.SH BUGS
+SparkleShare is currently under development, it is likely that there 
+are a number of bugs present in the system. Since the underlying 
+file sharing is simply based on `git', even if SparkleShare itself fails,
+the data is retrievable in an open format. On-disk corruption is 
+extremely unlikely.