diff --git a/libraries/wallet/include/graphene/wallet/wallet.hpp b/libraries/wallet/include/graphene/wallet/wallet.hpp
index 1b6f9752..097bf889 100644
--- a/libraries/wallet/include/graphene/wallet/wallet.hpp
+++ b/libraries/wallet/include/graphene/wallet/wallet.hpp
@@ -947,6 +947,24 @@ class wallet_api
        */
       signed_transaction sign_transaction(signed_transaction tx, bool broadcast = false);
 
+      /** Returns an uninitialized object representing a given blockchain operation.
+       *
+       * This returns a default-initialized object of the given type; it can be used 
+       * during early development of the wallet when we don't yet have custom commands for
+       * creating all of the operations the blockchain supports.  
+       *
+       * Any operation the blockchain supports can be created using the transaction builder's
+       * \c add_operation_to_builder_transaction() , but to do that from the CLI you need to 
+       * know what the JSON form of the operation looks like.  This will give you a template
+       * you can fill in.  It's better than nothing.
+       * 
+       * @param operation_type the type of operation to return, must be one of the 
+       *                       operations defined in `graphene/chain/operations.hpp`
+       *                       (e.g., "global_parameters_update_operation")
+       * @return a default-constructed operation of the given type
+       */
+      operation get_prototype_operation(string operation_type);
+
       void dbg_make_uia(string creator, string symbol);
       void dbg_make_mia(string creator, string symbol);
       void flood_network(string prefix, uint32_t number_of_transactions);
@@ -1041,6 +1059,7 @@ FC_API( graphene::wallet::wallet_api,
         (save_wallet_file)
         (serialize_transaction)
         (sign_transaction)
+        (get_prototype_operation)
         (dbg_make_uia)
         (dbg_make_mia)
         (flood_network)
diff --git a/libraries/wallet/wallet.cpp b/libraries/wallet/wallet.cpp
index 75a6be46..4a3ef2b3 100644
--- a/libraries/wallet/wallet.cpp
+++ b/libraries/wallet/wallet.cpp
@@ -2084,6 +2084,87 @@ signed_transaction wallet_api::sign_transaction(signed_transaction tx, bool broa
    return my->sign_transaction( tx, broadcast);
 } FC_CAPTURE_AND_RETHROW( (tx) ) }
 
+operation wallet_api::get_prototype_operation(string operation_name)
+{
+   if (operation_name == "assert_operation")
+      return graphene::chain::assert_operation();
+   if (operation_name == "balance_claim_operation")
+      return graphene::chain::balance_claim_operation();
+   if (operation_name == "account_create_operation")
+      return graphene::chain::account_create_operation();
+   if (operation_name == "account_whitelist_operation")
+      return graphene::chain::account_whitelist_operation();
+   if (operation_name == "account_update_operation")
+      return graphene::chain::account_update_operation();
+   if (operation_name == "account_upgrade_operation")
+      return graphene::chain::account_upgrade_operation();
+   if (operation_name == "account_transfer_operation")
+      return graphene::chain::account_transfer_operation();
+   if (operation_name == "delegate_create_operation")
+      return graphene::chain::delegate_create_operation();
+   if (operation_name == "witness_create_operation")
+      return graphene::chain::witness_create_operation();
+   if (operation_name == "witness_withdraw_pay_operation")
+      return graphene::chain::witness_withdraw_pay_operation();
+   if (operation_name == "global_parameters_update_operation")
+      return graphene::chain::global_parameters_update_operation();
+   if (operation_name == "transfer_operation")
+      return graphene::chain::transfer_operation();
+   if (operation_name == "override_transfer_operation")
+      return graphene::chain::override_transfer_operation();
+   if (operation_name == "asset_create_operation")
+      return graphene::chain::asset_create_operation();
+   if (operation_name == "asset_global_settle_operation")
+      return graphene::chain::asset_global_settle_operation();
+   if (operation_name == "asset_settle_operation")
+      return graphene::chain::asset_settle_operation();
+   if (operation_name == "asset_fund_fee_pool_operation")
+      return graphene::chain::asset_fund_fee_pool_operation();
+   if (operation_name == "asset_update_operation")
+      return graphene::chain::asset_update_operation();
+   if (operation_name == "asset_update_bitasset_operation")
+      return graphene::chain::asset_update_bitasset_operation();
+   if (operation_name == "asset_update_feed_producers_operation")
+      return graphene::chain::asset_update_feed_producers_operation();
+   if (operation_name == "asset_publish_feed_operation")
+      return graphene::chain::asset_publish_feed_operation();
+   if (operation_name == "asset_issue_operation")
+      return graphene::chain::asset_issue_operation();
+   if (operation_name == "asset_reserve_operation")
+      return graphene::chain::asset_reserve_operation();
+   if (operation_name == "limit_order_create_operation")
+      return graphene::chain::limit_order_create_operation();
+   if (operation_name == "limit_order_cancel_operation")
+      return graphene::chain::limit_order_cancel_operation();
+   if (operation_name == "call_order_update_operation")
+      return graphene::chain::call_order_update_operation();
+   if (operation_name == "proposal_create_operation")
+      return graphene::chain::proposal_create_operation();
+   if (operation_name == "proposal_update_operation")
+      return graphene::chain::proposal_update_operation();
+   if (operation_name == "proposal_delete_operation")
+      return graphene::chain::proposal_delete_operation();
+   if (operation_name == "fill_order_operation")
+      return graphene::chain::fill_order_operation();
+   if (operation_name == "withdraw_permission_create_operation")
+      return graphene::chain::withdraw_permission_create_operation();
+   if (operation_name == "withdraw_permission_update_operation")
+      return graphene::chain::withdraw_permission_update_operation();
+   if (operation_name == "withdraw_permission_claim_operation")
+      return graphene::chain::withdraw_permission_claim_operation();
+   if (operation_name == "withdraw_permission_delete_operation")
+      return graphene::chain::withdraw_permission_delete_operation();
+   if (operation_name == "vesting_balance_create_operation")
+      return graphene::chain::vesting_balance_create_operation();
+   if (operation_name == "vesting_balance_withdraw_operation")
+      return graphene::chain::vesting_balance_withdraw_operation();
+   if (operation_name == "worker_create_operation")
+      return graphene::chain::worker_create_operation();
+   if (operation_name == "custom_operation")
+      return graphene::chain::custom_operation();
+   FC_THROW("Unsupported operation: \"${operation_name}\"", ("operation_name", operation_name));
+}
+
 void wallet_api::dbg_make_uia(string creator, string symbol)
 {
    FC_ASSERT(!is_locked());