diff --git a/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/base/js/dialog.js b/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/base/js/dialog.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a792a179b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/base/js/dialog.js
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+//  Copyright (C) 2013  The IPython Development Team
+//
+//  Distributed under the terms of the BSD License.  The full license is in
+//  the file COPYING, distributed as part of this software.
+//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+//============================================================================
+// Utility for modal dialogs with bootstrap
+//============================================================================
+
+IPython.namespace('IPython.dialog');
+
+IPython.dialog = (function (IPython) {
+    
+    var modal = function (options) {
+        var dialog = $("<div/>").addClass("modal").attr("role", "dialog");
+        dialog.append(
+            $("<div/>")
+                .addClass("modal-header")
+                .append($("<button>")
+                    .addClass("close")
+                    .attr("data-dismiss", "modal")
+                    .html("&times;")
+                ).append(
+                    $("<h3/>").text(options.title || "")
+                )
+        ).append(
+            $("<div/>").addClass("modal-body").append(
+                options.body || $("<p/>")
+            )
+        );
+        
+        var footer = $("<div/>").addClass("modal-footer");
+        
+        for (var label in options.buttons) {
+            var btn_opts = options.buttons[label];
+            var button = $("<button/>")
+                .addClass("btn")
+                .attr("data-dismiss", "modal")
+                .text(label);
+            if (btn_opts.click) {
+                button.click($.proxy(btn_opts.click, dialog));
+            }
+            if (btn_opts.class) {
+                button.addClass(btn_opts.class);
+            }
+            footer.append(button);
+        }
+        dialog.append(footer);
+        // hook up on-open event
+        dialog.on("shown", function() {
+            setTimeout(function() {
+                footer.find("button").last().focus();
+                if (options.open) {
+                    $.proxy(options.open, dialog)();
+                }
+            }, 0);
+        });
+        
+        // destroy dialog on hide, unless explicitly asked not to
+        if (options.destroy == undefined || options.destroy) {
+            dialog.on("hidden", function () {
+                dialog.remove();
+            });
+        }
+        
+        dialog.modal(options);
+        // setTimeout(function() {
+        //     footer.find("button").last().focus()
+        // }, 0);
+    }
+    
+    return {
+        modal : modal,
+    };
+
+}(IPython));