diff --git a/bin/cli.js b/bin/cli.js
index ba9951ba6..653489b6e 100755
--- a/bin/cli.js
+++ b/bin/cli.js
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
  *
  * Example usage:
  *     mathjs                                 Open a command prompt
+ *     mathjs 1+2                             Evaluate expression
  *     mathjs script.txt                      Run a script file
  *     mathjs script1.txt script2.txt         Run two script files
  *     mathjs script.txt > results.txt        Run a script file, output to file
@@ -336,7 +337,7 @@ function outputHelp() {
   console.log('functions, and a flexible expression parser.');
   console.log();
   console.log('Usage:');
-  console.log('    mathjs [scriptfile(s)] {OPTIONS}');
+  console.log('    mathjs [scriptfile(s)|expression] {OPTIONS}');
   console.log();
   console.log('Options:');
   console.log('    --version, -v       Show application version');
@@ -348,6 +349,7 @@ function outputHelp() {
   console.log();
   console.log('Example usage:');
   console.log('    mathjs                                Open a command prompt');
+  console.log('    mathjs 1+2                            Evaluate expression');
   console.log('    mathjs script.txt                     Run a script file');
   console.log('    mathjs script.txt script2.txt         Run two script files');
   console.log('    mathjs script.txt > results.txt       Run a script file, output to file');
@@ -420,9 +422,15 @@ else if (scripts.length === 0) {
   runStream(process.stdin, process.stdout, mode, parenthesis);
 }
 else {
-  //work through the queue of scripts
-  scripts.forEach(function (arg) {
-    // run a script file
-    runStream(fs.createReadStream(arg), process.stdout, mode, parenthesis);
-  });
+  fs.stat(scripts[0], function(e, f) {
+    if (e) {
+      console.log(getMath().eval(scripts.join(' ')).toString())
+    } else {
+    //work through the queue of scripts
+      scripts.forEach(function (arg) {
+        // run a script file
+          runStream(fs.createReadStream(arg), process.stdout, mode, parenthesis);
+      });
+    }
+  })
 }
diff --git a/test/cli/cli.js b/test/cli/cli.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..56e8428d5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/cli/cli.js
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+var assert = require('assert')
+var cp = require('child_process')
+    
+function run(args, done) {
+  cp.exec('bin/cli.js "' + args +'"', function(e,r) {
+    done(e, r.replace(/\n$/g, ''))
+  })
+}
+describe('evaluate expression', function() {
+    it('should sum numbers', function(done) {
+        run('1+1', function(e, result) {
+          assert.equal(result, 2)
+          done()
+        })
+    })
+    
+    it('should multiply matrices', function(done) {
+        run('[1,2] * [3,4]', function(e, result) {
+          assert.equal(result, 11)
+          done()
+        })
+    })
+    
+    it('should thow error', function(done) {
+      run('y=x', function(e, result) {
+        assert.equal(/^Error/g.test(e.toString()),true)
+        done()
+      })
+    })
+    
+    it('should interpret scripts', function(done) {
+      run('test/cli/script1" "test/cli/script2', function(e, result){
+        result = result.split('\n')
+        assert.equal(result[0], 2)
+        assert.equal(result[1], 8)
+        done()
+      })
+    })
+    
+})
diff --git a/test/cli/script1 b/test/cli/script1
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c040fa67d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/cli/script1
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+1+1
diff --git a/test/cli/script2 b/test/cli/script2
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..63c10fdf2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/cli/script2
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+2*4