diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index d4d8e0b4..51623dc0 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -193,8 +193,10 @@ task rhinoShell(type: JavaExec) {
   standardInput = System.in
 }
 
+// Call this task with a function definition using the `-P` parameter, e.g.
+// `./gradlew commandLine -Pfunction=manage.getAllApplications`
 task commandLine(type: JavaExec) {
   classpath = files('launcher.jar')
   main = 'helma.main.launcher.Commandline'
-  args '-h', projectDir, 'manage.getAllApplications'
+  args '-h', projectDir, function
 }
diff --git a/gradle.properties b/gradle.properties
index 31396f61..71690dc7 100644
--- a/gradle.properties
+++ b/gradle.properties
@@ -1 +1,3 @@
 org.gradle.console = plain
+
+function =