diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 4d679b71..05c04475 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ ext/report_image
 ext/res_limit
 ext/rss_comments
 ext/rss_images
+ext/shimmie_api
 ext/simpletest
 ext/site_description
 ext/sitemap
diff --git a/contrib/shimmie_api/main.php b/contrib/shimmie_api/main.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2d323430
--- /dev/null
+++ b/contrib/shimmie_api/main.php
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+<?php
+/*
+ * Name: [Beta] Shimmie JSON API
+ * Author: Shish <webmaster@shishnet.org>
+ * Description: A JSON interface to shimmie data [WARNING]
+ * Documentation:
+ *   <b>Admin Warning:</b> this exposes private data, eg IP addresses
+ *   <p><b>Developer Warning:</b> the API is unstable; notably, private data may get hidden
+ */
+
+class ShimmieApi extends SimpleExtension {
+	public function onPageRequest(PageRequestEvent $event) {
+		global $database, $page;
+
+		if($event->page_matches("api/shimmie")) {
+			$page->set_mode("data");
+			$page->set_type("text/plain");
+
+			if($event->get_arg(0) == "get_tags") {
+				if($event->count_args() == 2) {
+					$all = $database->get_all(
+						"SELECT tag FROM tags WHERE tag LIKE ?",
+						array($event->get_arg(1)."%"));
+				}
+				else {
+					$all = $database->get_all("SELECT tag FROM tags");
+				}
+				$res = array();
+				foreach($all as $row) {$res[] = $row["tag"];}
+				$page->set_data(json_encode($res));
+			}
+
+			if($event->get_arg(0) == "get_image") {
+				$image = Image::by_id(int_escape($event->get_arg(1)));
+				$image->get_tag_array(); // tag data isn't loaded into the object until necessary
+				$page->set_data(json_encode($image));
+			}
+
+			if($event->get_arg(0) == "find_images") {
+				$search_terms = $event->get_search_terms();
+				$page_number = $event->get_page_number();
+				$page_size = $event->get_page_size();
+				$images = Image::find_images(($page_number-1)*$page_size, $page_size, $search_terms);
+				foreach($images as $image) $image->get_tag_array();
+				$page->set_data(json_encode($images));
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
+?>