diff --git a/cmd/zrok/daemon.go b/cmd/zrok/daemon.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c2977b17
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/zrok/daemon.go
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"github.com/openziti/zrok/environment"
+	"github.com/openziti/zrok/tui"
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+)
+
+func init() {
+	rootCmd.AddCommand(newDaemonCommand().cmd)
+}
+
+type daemonCommand struct {
+	cmd *cobra.Command
+}
+
+func newDaemonCommand() *daemonCommand {
+	cmd := &cobra.Command{
+		Use:   "daemon",
+		Short: "Launch a zrok daemon",
+		Args:  cobra.NoArgs,
+	}
+	command := &daemonCommand{cmd: cmd}
+	cmd.Run = command.run
+	return command
+}
+
+func (cmd *daemonCommand) run(_ *cobra.Command, _ []string) {
+	root, err := environment.LoadRoot()
+	if err != nil {
+		tui.Error("error loading zrokdir", err)
+	}
+
+	if !root.IsEnabled() {
+		tui.Error("unable to load environment; did you 'zrok enable'?", nil)
+	}
+}