diff --git a/extra/run-desc/run-desc.factor b/extra/run-desc/run-desc.factor
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6acf66d1b0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/extra/run-desc/run-desc.factor
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+USING: io io.encodings.utf8 io.launcher kernel sequences ;
+IN: run-desc
+: run-desc ( desc -- result ) utf8 [ contents [ but-last ] [ f ] if* ] with-process-reader ;