diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 6e1a598..03c2be4 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ async fn main() -> Result<()> {
     let request_context = mqtt::RequestContext {
         sections: sections.clone(),
         section_runner: section_runner.clone(),
+        program_runner: program_runner.clone(),
     };
     let mut mqtt_interface = mqtt::MqttInterfaceTask::start(mqtt_options, request_context);
 
diff --git a/src/mqtt/request/mod.rs b/src/mqtt/request/mod.rs
index ae367db..e90b08b 100644
--- a/src/mqtt/request/mod.rs
+++ b/src/mqtt/request/mod.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use crate::{model::Sections, section_runner::SectionRunner};
+use crate::{model::Sections, program_runner::ProgramRunner, section_runner::SectionRunner};
 
 use futures_util::ready;
 use futures_util::FutureExt;
@@ -6,11 +6,13 @@ use num_derive::FromPrimitive;
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 use std::{fmt, future::Future, pin::Pin, task::Poll};
 
+mod programs;
 mod sections;
 
 pub struct RequestContext {
     pub sections: Sections,
     pub section_runner: SectionRunner,
+    pub program_runner: ProgramRunner,
 }
 
 type BoxFuture<Output> = Pin<Box<dyn Future<Output = Output>>>;
@@ -30,6 +32,7 @@ pub enum ErrorCode {
     // NotUnique = 110,
     NoSuchSection = 120,
     NoSuchSectionRun = 121,
+    NoSuchProgram = 122,
     Internal = 200,
     NotImplemented = 201,
     Timeout = 300,
@@ -258,6 +261,7 @@ pub enum Request {
     CancelSection(sections::CancelSectionRequest),
     CancelSectionRunId(sections::CancelSectionRunIdRequest),
     PauseSectionRunner(sections::PauseSectionRunnerRequest),
+    RunProgram(programs::RunProgramRequest),
 }
 
 impl IRequest for Request {
@@ -269,6 +273,7 @@ impl IRequest for Request {
             Request::CancelSection(req) => req.exec_erased(ctx),
             Request::CancelSectionRunId(req) => req.exec_erased(ctx),
             Request::PauseSectionRunner(req) => req.exec_erased(ctx),
+            Request::RunProgram(req) => req.exec_erased(ctx),
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/mqtt/request/programs.rs b/src/mqtt/request/programs.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b105990
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/mqtt/request/programs.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+use super::*;
+use crate::{model::ProgramId, program_runner::ProgramRunnerError};
+use eyre::WrapErr;
+
+#[derive(Debug, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[serde(rename_all = "camelCase")]
+pub struct RunProgramRequest {
+    program_id: ProgramId,
+}
+
+impl IRequest for RunProgramRequest {
+    type Response = ResponseMessage;
+
+    fn exec(&mut self, ctx: &mut RequestContext) -> RequestFuture<Self::Response> {
+        let mut program_runner = ctx.program_runner.clone();
+        let program_id = self.program_id;
+        Box::pin(async move {
+            match program_runner.run_program_id(program_id).await {
+                Ok(program) => Ok(ResponseMessage::new(format!(
+                    "running program '{}'",
+                    program.name
+                ))),
+                Err(e @ ProgramRunnerError::InvalidProgramId(_)) => Err(RequestError::with_name(
+                    ErrorCode::NoSuchProgram,
+                    e,
+                    "program",
+                )),
+                Err(e) => Err(e).wrap_err("could not run program")?,
+            }
+        })
+    }
+}