diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 585cdd89d..327ac2327 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -233,6 +233,15 @@ For example:
 
 Note that this will not start any services that the command's service links to. So if, for example, your one-off command talks to your database, you will need to run `fig up -d db` first.
 
+#### scale
+
+Set number of containers to run for a service.
+
+Numbers are specified in the form `service=num` as arguments.
+For example:
+
+    $ fig scale web=2 worker=3
+
 #### start
 
 Start existing containers for a service.
diff --git a/fig/cli/main.py b/fig/cli/main.py
index 24a0180d9..44422777f 100644
--- a/fig/cli/main.py
+++ b/fig/cli/main.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ from inspect import getdoc
 
 from .. import __version__
 from ..project import NoSuchService
+from ..service import CannotBeScaledError
 from .command import Command
 from .formatter import Formatter
 from .log_printer import LogPrinter
@@ -82,6 +83,7 @@ class TopLevelCommand(Command):
       ps        List containers
       rm        Remove stopped containers
       run       Run a one-off command
+      scale     Set number of containers for a service
       start     Start services
       stop      Stop services
       up        Create and start containers
@@ -220,6 +222,31 @@ class TopLevelCommand(Command):
                 service.start_container(container, ports=None)
                 c.run()
 
+    def scale(self, options):
+        """
+        Set number of containers to run for a service.
+
+        Numbers are specified in the form `service=num` as arguments.
+        For example:
+
+            $ fig scale web=2 worker=3
+
+        Usage: scale [SERVICE=NUM...]
+        """
+        for s in options['SERVICE=NUM']:
+            if '=' not in s:
+                raise UserError('Arguments to scale should be in the form service=num')
+            service_name, num = s.split('=', 1)
+            try:
+                num = int(num)
+            except ValueError:
+                raise UserError('Number of containers for service "%s" is not a number' % service)
+            try:
+                self.project.get_service(service_name).scale(num)
+            except CannotBeScaledError:
+                raise UserError('Service "%s" cannot be scaled because it specifies a port on the host. If multiple containers for this service were created, the port would clash.\n\nRemove the ":" from the port definition in fig.yml so Docker can choose a random port for each container.' % service_name)
+
+
     def start(self, options):
         """
         Start existing containers.
diff --git a/fig/service.py b/fig/service.py
index 29e867e9c..90194fdd5 100644
--- a/fig/service.py
+++ b/fig/service.py
@@ -14,6 +14,10 @@ class BuildError(Exception):
     pass
 
 
+class CannotBeScaledError(Exception):
+    pass
+
+
 class Service(object):
     def __init__(self, name, client=None, project='default', links=[], **options):
         if not re.match('^[a-zA-Z0-9]+$', name):
@@ -56,6 +60,40 @@ class Service(object):
             log.info("Killing %s..." % c.name)
             c.kill(**options)
 
+    def scale(self, desired_num):
+        if not self.can_be_scaled():
+            raise CannotBeScaledError()
+
+        # Create enough containers
+        containers = self.containers(stopped=True)
+        while len(containers) < desired_num:
+            containers.append(self.create_container())
+
+        running_containers = []
+        stopped_containers = []
+        for c in containers:
+            if c.is_running:
+                running_containers.append(c)
+            else:
+                stopped_containers.append(c)
+        running_containers.sort(key=lambda c: c.number)
+        stopped_containers.sort(key=lambda c: c.number)
+
+        # Stop containers
+        while len(running_containers) > desired_num:
+            c = running_containers.pop()
+            log.info("Stopping %s..." % c.name)
+            c.stop(timeout=1)
+            stopped_containers.append(c)
+
+        # Start containers
+        while len(running_containers) < desired_num:
+            c = stopped_containers.pop(0)
+            log.info("Starting %s..." % c.name)
+            c.start()
+            running_containers.append(c)
+
+
     def remove_stopped(self, **options):
         for c in self.containers(stopped=True):
             if not c.is_running:
@@ -231,6 +269,12 @@ class Service(object):
         """
         return '%s_%s' % (self.project, self.name)
 
+    def can_be_scaled(self):
+        for port in self.options.get('ports', []):
+            if ':' in str(port):
+                return False
+        return True
+
 
 NAME_RE = re.compile(r'^([^_]+)_([^_]+)_(run_)?(\d+)$')
 
diff --git a/tests/cli_test.py b/tests/cli_test.py
index 2146a9062..0d9a2f540 100644
--- a/tests/cli_test.py
+++ b/tests/cli_test.py
@@ -13,3 +13,26 @@ class CLITestCase(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def test_ps(self):
         self.command.dispatch(['ps'], None)
+
+    def test_scale(self):
+        project = self.command.project
+
+        self.command.scale({'SERVICE=NUM': ['simple=1']})
+        self.assertEqual(len(project.get_service('simple').containers()), 1)
+
+        self.command.scale({'SERVICE=NUM': ['simple=3', 'another=2']})
+        self.assertEqual(len(project.get_service('simple').containers()), 3)
+        self.assertEqual(len(project.get_service('another').containers()), 2)
+
+        self.command.scale({'SERVICE=NUM': ['simple=1', 'another=1']})
+        self.assertEqual(len(project.get_service('simple').containers()), 1)
+        self.assertEqual(len(project.get_service('another').containers()), 1)
+
+        self.command.scale({'SERVICE=NUM': ['simple=1', 'another=1']})
+        self.assertEqual(len(project.get_service('simple').containers()), 1)
+        self.assertEqual(len(project.get_service('another').containers()), 1)
+
+        self.command.scale({'SERVICE=NUM': ['simple=0', 'another=0']})
+        self.assertEqual(len(project.get_service('simple').containers()), 0)
+        self.assertEqual(len(project.get_service('another').containers()), 0)
+
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/simple-figfile/fig.yml b/tests/fixtures/simple-figfile/fig.yml
index aef2d39ba..225323755 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures/simple-figfile/fig.yml
+++ b/tests/fixtures/simple-figfile/fig.yml
@@ -1,2 +1,6 @@
 simple:
   image: ubuntu
+  command: /bin/sleep 300
+another:
+  image: ubuntu
+  command: /bin/sleep 300
diff --git a/tests/service_test.py b/tests/service_test.py
index 2ccf17555..ff7b24160 100644
--- a/tests/service_test.py
+++ b/tests/service_test.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
 from __future__ import absolute_import
 from fig import Service
+from fig.service import CannotBeScaledError
 from .testcases import DockerClientTestCase
 
 
@@ -193,3 +194,20 @@ class ServiceTest(DockerClientTestCase):
         self.assertIn('8000/tcp', container['HostConfig']['PortBindings'])
         self.assertEqual(container['HostConfig']['PortBindings']['8000/tcp'][0]['HostPort'], '8001')
 
+    def test_scale(self):
+        service = self.create_service('web')
+        service.scale(1)
+        self.assertEqual(len(service.containers()), 1)
+        service.scale(3)
+        self.assertEqual(len(service.containers()), 3)
+        service.scale(1)
+        self.assertEqual(len(service.containers()), 1)
+        service.scale(0)
+        self.assertEqual(len(service.containers()), 0)
+
+    def test_scale_on_service_that_cannot_be_scaled(self):
+        service = self.create_service('web', ports=['8000:8000'])
+        self.assertRaises(CannotBeScaledError, lambda: service.scale(1))
+
+
+