diff --git a/src/Makefile.am b/src/Makefile.am
index 5616796ea..9b1ce595b 100644
--- a/src/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/Makefile.am
@@ -23,7 +23,8 @@ libaugeas_la_SOURCES = augeas.h augeas.c augrun.c pathx.c \
 	memory.h memory.c ref.h ref.c \
     syntax.c syntax.h parser.y builtin.c lens.c lens.h regexp.c regexp.h \
 	transform.h transform.c ast.c get.c put.c list.h \
-    info.c info.h errcode.c errcode.h jmt.h jmt.c
+    info.c info.h errcode.c errcode.h jmt.h jmt.c \
+	schema.h schema.c
 
 if USE_VERSION_SCRIPT
   AUGEAS_VERSION_SCRIPT = $(VERSION_SCRIPT_FLAGS)$(srcdir)/augeas_sym.version
diff --git a/src/augrun.c b/src/augrun.c
index 15b198449..68c23e877 100644
--- a/src/augrun.c
+++ b/src/augrun.c
@@ -1202,6 +1202,43 @@ static const struct command_def cmd_retrieve_def = {
     .help = cmd_retrieve_help
 };
 
+#include "syntax.h"
+#include "schema.h"
+
+static void cmd_schema(struct command *cmd) {
+    const char *lens_name = arg_value(cmd, "lens");
+    struct augeas *aug = cmd->aug;
+    struct lens *lens = NULL;
+    struct schema *schema = NULL;
+
+    lens = lens_lookup(aug, lens_name);
+    if (lens == NULL) {
+        ERR_REPORT(cmd, AUG_ECMDRUN, "Lens %s does not exist", lens_name);
+        return;
+    }
+
+    schema = schema_from_lens(lens);
+    ERR_BAIL(aug);
+    simplify_schema(schema);
+    dump_schema(cmd->out, schema);
+ error:
+    free_schema(schema);
+}
+
+static const struct command_opt_def cmd_schema_opts[] = {
+    { .type = CMD_STR, .name = "lens", .optional = false,
+      .help = "show schema for this lens" },
+    CMD_OPT_DEF_LAST
+};
+
+static const struct command_def cmd_schema_def = {
+    .name = "schema",
+    .opts = cmd_schema_opts,
+    .handler = cmd_schema,
+    .synopsis = "show the schema for a lens",
+    .help = "show the schema for a lens"
+};
+
 /* Given a path "/augeas/files/FILENAME/error", return FILENAME */
 static char *err_filename(const char *match) {
     int noise = strlen(AUGEAS_META_FILES) + strlen("/error");
@@ -1324,6 +1361,7 @@ static const struct command_grp_def cmd_grp_admin_def = {
         &cmd_store_def,
         &cmd_transform_def,
         &cmd_load_file_def,
+        &cmd_schema_def,
         &cmd_def_last
     }
 };
diff --git a/src/augtool.c b/src/augtool.c
index b6ab4a737..3ebf51ea7 100644
--- a/src/augtool.c
+++ b/src/augtool.c
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ static char *readline_command_generator(const char *text, int state) {
         "get", "label", "ins", "load", "ls", "match",
         "mv", "cp", "rename", "print", "dump-xml", "rm", "save", "set", "setm",
         "clearm", "span", "store", "retrieve", "transform", "load-file",
-        "help", "touch", "insert", "move", "copy", "errors", NULL };
+        "help", "touch", "insert", "move", "copy", "errors", "schema", NULL };
 
     static int current = 0;
     const char *name;
diff --git a/src/schema.c b/src/schema.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..df12bffc0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/schema.c
@@ -0,0 +1,292 @@
+/*
+ * schema.c: support for generating a tree schema from a lens
+ *
+ * Copyright (C) 2016 David Lutterkort
+ *
+ * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
+ * version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+ * Lesser General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License along with this library; if not, write to the Free Software
+ * Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307  USA
+ *
+ * Author: David Lutterkort <lutter@watzmann.net>
+ */
+
+#include "schema.h"
+
+#include "internal.h"
+#include "errcode.h"
+#include "memory.h"
+
+static struct schema* make_schema(enum schema_tag tag, struct info *info) {
+  struct schema *result = NULL;
+  int r;
+
+  r = ALLOC(result);
+  ERR_NOMEM(r < 0, info);
+
+  result->tag = tag;
+  result->info = ref(info);
+
+  return result;
+ error:
+  return NULL;
+}
+
+static struct schema *make_schema_concat_or_union(struct lens *lens) {
+  struct schema *result = NULL;
+  enum schema_tag tag;
+
+  int r;
+
+  ensure0(lens->tag == L_CONCAT || lens->tag == L_UNION, lens->info);
+
+  tag = lens->tag == L_CONCAT ? S_CONCAT : S_UNION;
+
+  result = make_schema(tag, lens->info);
+  ERR_BAIL(lens->info);
+
+  r = ALLOC_N(result->children, lens->nchildren);
+  ERR_NOMEM(r < 0, lens->info);
+  result->nchildren = lens->nchildren;
+  for (int i=0; i < result->nchildren; i++) {
+    result->children[i] = schema_from_lens(lens->children[i]);
+  }
+  return result;
+ error:
+  free_schema(result);
+  return NULL;
+}
+
+void simplify_schema(struct schema *schema) {
+  if (schema == NULL)
+    return;
+
+  switch(schema->tag) {
+  case S_REC:
+  case S_UNIT:
+    break;
+  case S_CONCAT:
+  case S_UNION:
+    {
+      int nunit = 0;
+      for (int i=0; i < schema->nchildren; i++) {
+        simplify_schema(schema->children[i]);
+        if (schema->children[i]->tag == S_UNIT)
+          nunit += 1;
+      }
+      if (nunit == schema->nchildren) {
+        for (int i=0; i < schema->nchildren; i++) {
+          free_schema(schema->children[i]);
+        }
+        FREE(schema->children);
+        schema->tag = S_UNIT;
+      } else if (nunit == schema->nchildren - 1) {
+        struct schema tmp;
+        for (int i=0; i < schema->nchildren; i++) {
+          if (schema->children[i]->tag != S_UNIT) {
+            tmp = *schema->children[i];
+            free(schema->children[i]);
+          } else {
+            free_schema(schema->children[i]);
+          }
+        }
+        free(schema->children);
+        unref(schema->info, info);
+        *schema = tmp;
+      }
+    }
+    break;
+  case S_SUBTREE:
+    simplify_schema(schema->child);
+    break;
+  case S_STAR:
+  case S_MAYBE:
+  case S_SQUARE:
+    simplify_schema(schema->child);
+    if (schema->child->tag == S_UNIT) {
+      free_schema(schema->child);
+      schema->child = NULL;
+      schema->tag = S_UNIT;
+    }
+    break;
+  default:
+    BUG_ON(true, schema->info, "Unexpected schema type %d", schema->tag);
+    break;
+  }
+ error:
+  return;
+}
+
+struct schema *schema_from_lens(struct lens *lens) {
+  struct schema *result = NULL;
+
+  if (lens == NULL)
+    return NULL;
+
+  switch (lens->tag) {
+  case L_DEL:
+  case L_STORE:
+  case L_VALUE:
+  case L_KEY:
+  case L_LABEL:
+  case L_SEQ:
+  case L_COUNTER:
+    result = make_schema(S_UNIT, lens->info);
+    ERR_BAIL(lens->info);
+    break;
+  case L_SUBTREE:
+    result = make_schema(S_SUBTREE, lens->info);
+    ERR_BAIL(lens->info);
+    result->ktype = ref(lens->child->ktype);
+    result->vtype = ref(lens->child->vtype);
+    result->child = schema_from_lens(lens->child);
+    break;
+  case L_STAR:
+    result = make_schema(S_STAR, lens->info);
+    ERR_BAIL(lens->info);
+    result->child = schema_from_lens(lens->child);
+    break;
+  case L_MAYBE:
+    result = make_schema(S_MAYBE, lens->info);
+    ERR_BAIL(lens->info);
+    result->child = schema_from_lens(lens->child);
+    break;
+  case L_SQUARE:
+    result = make_schema(S_SQUARE, lens->info);
+    ERR_BAIL(lens->info);
+    result->child = schema_from_lens(lens->child);
+    break;
+  case L_CONCAT:
+  case L_UNION:
+    result = make_schema_concat_or_union(lens);
+    ERR_BAIL(lens->info);
+    break;
+  case L_REC:
+    result = make_schema(S_REC, lens->info);
+    ERR_BAIL(lens->info);
+    break;
+  default:
+    BUG_ON(true, lens->info, "Unexpected lens tag %d", lens->tag);
+    break;
+  }
+
+  return result;
+ error:
+  free_schema(result);
+  return NULL;
+}
+
+void free_schema(struct schema *schema) {
+  if (schema == NULL)
+    return;
+
+  switch(schema->tag) {
+  case S_REC:
+  case S_UNIT:
+    break;
+  case S_CONCAT:
+  case S_UNION:
+    for (int i=0; i < schema->nchildren; i++) {
+      free_schema(schema->children[i]);
+    }
+    free(schema->children);
+    break;
+  case S_SUBTREE:
+    unref(schema->ktype, regexp);
+    unref(schema->vtype, regexp);
+    free_schema(schema->child);
+    break;
+  case S_STAR:
+  case S_MAYBE:
+  case S_SQUARE:
+    free_schema(schema->child);
+    break;
+  default:
+    BUG_ON(true, schema->info, "Unexpected schema type %d", schema->tag);
+    break;
+  }
+  unref(schema->info, info);
+  free(schema);
+ error:
+  return;
+}
+
+static void print_indent(FILE *out, int indent) {
+  for (int i=0; i < indent; i++)
+    fputc(' ', out);
+}
+
+static void dump(FILE *out, struct schema *schema, int indent) {
+  if (schema == NULL) {
+    print_indent(out, indent);
+    fprintf(out, "<<NULL>>\n");
+    return;
+  }
+
+  switch(schema->tag) {
+  case S_REC:
+    print_indent(out, indent);
+    fprintf(out, "<<REC>>\n");
+  case S_UNIT:
+    print_indent(out, indent);
+    fprintf(out, "()\n");
+    break;
+  case S_CONCAT:
+  case S_UNION:
+    print_indent(out, indent);
+    if (schema->tag == S_CONCAT) {
+      fprintf(out, ".\n");
+    } else {
+      fprintf(out, "|\n");
+    }
+    for (int i=0; i < schema->nchildren; i++) {
+      dump(out, schema->children[i], indent+2);
+    }
+    break;
+  case S_SUBTREE:
+    {
+      bool unit = schema->child->tag == S_UNIT;
+      print_indent(out, indent);
+      fprintf(out, unit ? "{ " : "[ ");
+      print_regexp(out, schema->ktype);
+      fprintf(out, " = ");
+      print_regexp(out, schema->vtype);
+      fprintf(out, unit ? " }\n" : " ]\n");
+      if (! unit)
+        dump(out, schema->child, indent+2);
+    }
+    break;
+  case S_STAR:
+  case S_MAYBE:
+  case S_SQUARE:
+    print_indent(out, indent);
+    if (schema->tag == S_STAR) {
+      fputc('*', out);
+    } else if (schema->tag == S_MAYBE) {
+      fputc('?', out);
+    } else {
+      fputc('#', out);
+    }
+    fputc('\n', out);
+    dump(out, schema->child, indent+2);
+    break;
+  default:
+    BUG_ON(true, schema->info, "Unexpected schema type %d", schema->tag);
+    break;
+  }
+ error:
+  return;
+}
+
+void dump_schema(FILE *out, struct schema *schema) {
+  dump(out, schema, 0);
+}
diff --git a/src/schema.h b/src/schema.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9c2f93468
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/schema.h
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+/*
+ * schema.h: support for generating a tree schema from a lens
+ *
+ * Copyright (C) 2016 David Lutterkort
+ *
+ * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
+ * version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+ * Lesser General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License along with this library; if not, write to the Free Software
+ * Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307  USA
+ *
+ * Author: David Lutterkort <lutter@watzmann.net>
+ */
+
+#ifndef SCHEMA_H_
+#define SCHEMA_H_
+
+#include "stdio.h"
+
+#include "config.h"
+#include "lens.h"
+
+/* What we are trying to represent in OCaml notation:
+
+   type schema = Concat schema * schema
+            | Union  schema * schema
+            | Subtree rx * rx * schema
+            | Square schema
+            | Star   schema
+            | Maybe  schema
+            | Rec
+            | Unit
+*/
+
+enum schema_tag {
+  S_UNIT,
+  S_CONCAT,
+  S_UNION,
+  S_SUBTREE,
+  S_STAR,
+  S_MAYBE,
+  S_SQUARE,
+  S_REC
+};
+
+struct schema {
+  enum schema_tag tag;
+  struct info *info;
+  union {
+    struct {                       /* L_CONCAT, L_UNION */
+      unsigned int nchildren;
+      struct schema **children;
+    };
+    struct {                       /* L_SUBTREE */
+      struct regexp *ktype;
+      struct regexp *vtype;
+      struct schema *child;        /* L_STAR, L_MAYBE, L_SQUARE */
+    };
+  };
+};
+
+struct schema *schema_from_lens(struct lens *lens);
+void simplify_schema(struct schema *);
+void dump_schema(FILE *out, struct schema *);
+void free_schema(struct schema *);
+#endif