diff --git a/lib/rake/application.rb b/lib/rake/application.rb
index 87ae47b32..b784cdef6 100644
--- a/lib/rake/application.rb
+++ b/lib/rake/application.rb
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 require_relative "thread_history_display"
 require_relative "trace_output"
 require_relative "win32"
+require_relative "console"
 
 module Rake
 
@@ -644,6 +645,9 @@ def standard_rake_options # :nodoc:
               options.ignore_deprecate = true
             }
           ],
+          ["--console", "-c", "Start an interactive Rake console (IRB)", lambda { |value|
+            Console.start
+          }],
         ])
     end
 
diff --git a/lib/rake/console.rb b/lib/rake/console.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3c4f2ace4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/rake/console.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+module Rake
+  module Console
+    def self.start
+      require "irb"
+
+      puts "Rake console, version #{Rake::VERSION}"
+      Rake.application.load_rakefile
+      ARGV.clear
+      IRB.start
+      exit
+    end
+  end
+end