diff --git a/synapse/app/homeserver.py b/synapse/app/homeserver.py
index 1fa93be93..b033073ef 100755
--- a/synapse/app/homeserver.py
+++ b/synapse/app/homeserver.py
@@ -32,13 +32,6 @@ from synapse.storage.prepare_database import UpgradeDatabaseException, prepare_d
 
 from synapse.server import HomeServer
 
-
-from twisted.conch.manhole import ColoredManhole
-from twisted.conch.insults import insults
-from twisted.conch import manhole_ssh
-from twisted.cred import checkers, portal
-
-
 from twisted.internet import reactor, task, defer
 from twisted.application import service
 from twisted.web.resource import Resource, EncodingResourceWrapper
@@ -64,6 +57,7 @@ from synapse.federation.transport.server import TransportLayerServer
 from synapse.util.rlimit import change_resource_limit
 from synapse.util.versionstring import get_version_string
 from synapse.util.httpresourcetree import create_resource_tree
+from synapse.util.manhole import listen_manhole
 
 from synapse.http.site import SynapseSite
 
@@ -209,25 +203,12 @@ class SynapseHomeServer(HomeServer):
             if listener["type"] == "http":
                 self._listener_http(config, listener)
             elif listener["type"] == "manhole":
-                checker = checkers.InMemoryUsernamePasswordDatabaseDontUse(
-                    matrix="rabbithole"
-                )
-
-                rlm = manhole_ssh.TerminalRealm()
-                rlm.chainedProtocolFactory = lambda: insults.ServerProtocol(
-                    ColoredManhole,
-                    {
-                        "__name__": "__console__",
-                        "hs": self,
-                    }
-                )
-
-                f = manhole_ssh.ConchFactory(portal.Portal(rlm, [checker]))
-
-                reactor.listenTCP(
-                    listener["port"],
-                    f,
-                    interface=listener.get("bind_address", '127.0.0.1')
+                listen_manhole(
+                    bind_address=listener.get("bind_address", '127.0.0.1'),
+                    bind_port=listener["port"],
+                    username="matrix",
+                    password="rabbithole",
+                    globals={"hs": self},
                 )
             else:
                 logger.warn("Unrecognized listener type: %s", listener["type"])
diff --git a/synapse/util/manhole.py b/synapse/util/manhole.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e12583209
--- /dev/null
+++ b/synapse/util/manhole.py
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+# Copyright 2016 OpenMarket Ltd
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+from twisted.conch.manhole import ColoredManhole
+from twisted.conch.insults import insults
+from twisted.conch import manhole_ssh
+from twisted.cred import checkers, portal
+
+
+from twisted.internet import reactor
+
+
+def listen_manhole(bind_address, bind_port, username, password, globals):
+    """Starts a ssh listener with password authentication using
+    the given username and password. Clients connecting to the ssh
+    listener will find themselves in a colored python shell with
+    the supplied globals.
+
+    Args:
+        bind_address(str): IP address to listen on.
+        bind_port(int): TCP port to listen on.
+        username(str): The username ssh clients should auth with.
+        password(str): The password ssh clients should auth with.
+        globals(dict): The variables to expose in the shell.
+    """
+
+    checker = checkers.InMemoryUsernamePasswordDatabaseDontUse(
+        **{username: password}
+    )
+
+    rlm = manhole_ssh.TerminalRealm()
+    rlm.chainedProtocolFactory = lambda: insults.ServerProtocol(
+        ColoredManhole,
+        dict(globals, __name__="__console__")
+    )
+
+    factory = manhole_ssh.ConchFactory(portal.Portal(rlm, [checker]))
+
+    reactor.listenTCP(bind_port, factory, interface=bind_address)