diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 2ec62b7..81bedf9 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -24,5 +24,5 @@ cargo build
 ## Run
 
 ```bash
-sudo target/debug/{{project-name}} --path target/bpfel-unknown-none/debug/{{project-name}}
+cargo xtask run -p
 ```
diff --git a/xtask/src/build_ebpf.rs b/xtask/src/build_ebpf.rs
index 21d8220..85facdc 100644
--- a/xtask/src/build_ebpf.rs
+++ b/xtask/src/build_ebpf.rs
@@ -32,13 +32,15 @@ impl std::fmt::Display for Architecture {
 
 #[derive(StructOpt)]
 pub struct Options {
+    /// Set the endianness of the BPF target
     #[structopt(default_value = "bpfel-unknown-none", long)]
-    target: Architecture,
+    pub target: Architecture,
+    /// Build the release target
     #[structopt(long)]
-    release: bool,
+    pub release: bool,
 }
 
-pub fn build(opts: Options) -> Result<(), anyhow::Error> {
+pub fn build_ebpf(opts: Options) -> Result<(), anyhow::Error> {
     let dir = PathBuf::from("{{project-name}}-ebpf");
     let target = format!("--target={}", opts.target);
     let mut args = vec![
@@ -56,7 +58,7 @@ pub fn build(opts: Options) -> Result<(), anyhow::Error> {
         .current_dir(&dir)
         .args(&args)
         .status()
-        .expect("failed to build bpf examples");
+        .expect("failed to build bpf program");
     assert!(status.success());
     Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/xtask/src/main.rs b/xtask/src/main.rs
index 96308fd..9dedae1 100644
--- a/xtask/src/main.rs
+++ b/xtask/src/main.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 mod build_ebpf;
+mod run;
 
 use std::process::exit;
 
@@ -12,6 +13,7 @@ pub struct Options {
 #[derive(StructOpt)]
 enum Command {
     BuildEbpf(build_ebpf::Options),
+    Run(run::Options),
 }
 
 fn main() {
@@ -19,7 +21,8 @@ fn main() {
 
     use Command::*;
     let ret = match opts.command {
-        BuildEbpf(opts) => build_ebpf::build(opts),
+        BuildEbpf(opts) => build_ebpf::build_ebpf(opts),
+        Run(opts) => run::run(opts),
     };
 
     if let Err(e) = ret {
diff --git a/xtask/src/run.rs b/xtask/src/run.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..63474ee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/xtask/src/run.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+use std::{os::unix::process::CommandExt, process::Command};
+
+use anyhow::Context as _;
+use structopt::StructOpt;
+
+use crate::build_ebpf::{build_ebpf, Architecture, Options as BuildOptions};
+
+#[derive(StructOpt)]
+pub struct Options {
+    /// Set the endianness of the BPF target
+    #[structopt(default_value = "bpfel-unknown-none", long)]
+    pub bpf_target: Architecture,
+    /// Build and run the release target
+    #[structopt(long)]
+    pub release: bool,
+    /// The command used to wrap your application
+    #[structopt(short, long, default_value = "sudo -E")]
+    pub runner: String,
+    /// A convenience flag that will supply `--path /path/to/bpf/object` to your application
+    #[structopt(short = "p", long)]
+    pub supply_path: bool,
+    /// Arguments to pass to your application
+    #[structopt(name = "args", last = true)]
+    pub run_args: Vec<String>,
+}
+
+/// Build the project
+fn build(opts: &Options) -> Result<(), anyhow::Error> {
+    let mut args = vec!["build"];
+    if opts.release {
+        args.push("--release")
+    }
+    let status = Command::new("cargo")
+        .args(&args)
+        .status()
+        .expect("failed to build userspace");
+    assert!(status.success());
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+/// Build and run the project
+pub fn run(opts: Options) -> Result<(), anyhow::Error> {
+    // build our ebpf program followed by our application
+    build_ebpf(BuildOptions {
+        target: opts.bpf_target,
+        release: opts.release,
+    })
+    .context("Error while building eBPF program")?;
+    build(&opts).context("Error while building userspace application")?;
+
+    // profile we are building (release or debug)
+    let profile = if opts.release { "release" } else { "debug" };
+    let bin_path = format!("target/{}/{{project-name}}", profile);
+    let bpf_path = format!("target/{}/{}/{{project-name}}", opts.bpf_target, profile);
+
+    // arguments to pass to the application
+    let mut run_args: Vec<_> = opts.run_args.iter().map(String::as_str).collect();
+    if opts.supply_path {
+        run_args.push("--path");
+        run_args.push(bpf_path.as_str());
+    };
+
+    // configure args
+    let mut args: Vec<_> = opts.runner.trim().split_terminator(" ").collect();
+    args.push(bin_path.as_str());
+    args.append(&mut run_args);
+
+    // spawn the command
+    let err = Command::new(args.get(0).expect("No first argument"))
+        .args(args.iter().skip(1))
+        .exec();
+
+    // we shouldn't get here unless the command failed to spawn
+    Err(anyhow::Error::from(err).context(format!("Failed to run `{}`", args.join(" "))))
+}