diff --git a/Gruntfile.js b/Gruntfile.js
index 160db85d5..1092b3de2 100644
--- a/Gruntfile.js
+++ b/Gruntfile.js
@@ -65,6 +65,9 @@ module.exports = function(grunt) {
       run_android: {
         command: 'cordova run android --device',
       },
+      run_android_emulator: {
+        command: 'cordova run android --emulator',
+      },
       sign_android: {
         // When the build log outputs "Built the following apk(s):", it seems to need the filename to start with "android-release".
         // It looks like it simply lists all apk files starting with "android-release"
@@ -370,6 +373,7 @@ module.exports = function(grunt) {
   // Build android
   grunt.registerTask('start-android', ['build-android-debug', 'exec:run_android']);
   grunt.registerTask('build-android-debug', ['exec:build_android_debug']);
+  grunt.registerTask('start-android-emulator', ['build-android-debug', 'exec:run_android_emulator']);
   grunt.registerTask('build-android-release', ['prod', 'exec:build_android_release', 'sign-android']);
   grunt.registerTask('sign-android', ['exec:sign_android']);
 
diff --git a/app-template/package-template.json b/app-template/package-template.json
index 200c269f6..11b15bfcd 100644
--- a/app-template/package-template.json
+++ b/app-template/package-template.json
@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@
     "start":                  "npm run build:www && ionic serve --nolivereload --nogulp -s --address 0.0.0.0",
     "start:chrome":           "npm run build:www && ionic serve --nolivereload --nogulp -s --address 0.0.0.0 --browser \"google chrome\"",
     "start:android":          "grunt start-android",
+    "start:android-emulator": "grunt start-android",
     "start:android-log":      "grunt start-android && npm run log:android",
     "start:ios":              "grunt start-ios",
     "start:windows":          "npm run build:www && npm run build:windows",