diff --git a/src/generators/shared/utils/getIntro.js b/src/generators/shared/utils/getIntro.js
index 3a11c1d237..c0fa4b4a69 100644
--- a/src/generators/shared/utils/getIntro.js
+++ b/src/generators/shared/utils/getIntro.js
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ export default function getIntro ( format, options, imports ) {
 	if ( format === 'cjs' ) return getCjsIntro( options, imports );
 	if ( format === 'iife' ) return getIifeIntro( options, imports );
 	if ( format === 'umd' ) return getUmdIntro( options, imports );
+	if ( format === 'eval' ) return getEvalIntro( options, imports );
 
 	throw new Error( `Not implemented: ${format}` );
 }
@@ -60,6 +61,10 @@ function getUmdIntro ( options, imports ) {
 		}(this, (function (${paramString( imports )}) { 'use strict';` + '\n\n';
 }
 
+function getEvalIntro ( options, imports ) {
+	return `(function (${paramString( imports )}) { 'use strict';\n\n`;
+}
+
 function paramString ( imports ) {
 	return imports.length ? ` ${imports.map( dep => dep.name ).join( ', ' )} ` : '';
 }
diff --git a/src/generators/shared/utils/getOutro.js b/src/generators/shared/utils/getOutro.js
index 283151267b..7f7c9354cf 100644
--- a/src/generators/shared/utils/getOutro.js
+++ b/src/generators/shared/utils/getOutro.js
@@ -18,6 +18,11 @@ export default function getOutro ( format, name, options, imports ) {
 		return `return ${name};\n\n}(${globals.join( ', ' )}));`;
 	}
 
+	if ( format === 'eval' ) {
+		const globals = getGlobals( imports, options );
+		return `return ${name};\n\n}(${globals.join( ', ' )}));`;
+	}
+
 	if ( format === 'umd' ) {
 		return `return ${name};\n\n})));`;
 	}
diff --git a/src/index.js b/src/index.js
index b3d85116e3..ceb94442f4 100644
--- a/src/index.js
+++ b/src/index.js
@@ -46,4 +46,28 @@ export function compile ( source, _options ) {
 	return compiler( parsed, source, options, names );
 }
 
+export function create ( source, _options = {} ) {
+	_options.format = 'eval';
+
+	const compiled = compile( source, _options );
+
+	if ( !compiled || !compiled.code ) {
+		return;
+	}
+
+	let result;
+	try {
+		result = ( 1, eval )( compiled.code );
+	} catch ( err ) {
+		if ( _options.onerror ) {
+			_options.onerror( err );
+		} else {
+			throw err;
+		}
+		return;
+	}
+
+	return result;
+}
+
 export { parse, validate, version as VERSION };
diff --git a/test/create.js b/test/create.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..153192de27
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/create.js
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+import deindent from '../src/utils/deindent.js';
+import assert from 'assert';
+import { svelte } from './helpers.js';
+
+describe( 'create', () => {
+	it( 'should return a component constructor', () => {
+		const source = deindent`
+			<div>{{prop}}</div>
+		`;
+
+		const component = svelte.create( source );
+		assert( component instanceof Function );
+	});
+
+	it( 'should throw error when source is invalid ', done => {
+		const source = deindent`
+			<div>{{prop}</div>
+		`;
+
+		const component = svelte.create( source, {
+			onerror: () => {
+				done();
+			}
+		});
+
+		assert.equal( component, undefined );
+	});
+
+	it( 'should return undefined when source is invalid ', () => {
+		const source = deindent`
+			<div>{{prop}</div>
+		`;
+
+		const component = svelte.create( source, {
+			onerror: () => {}
+		});
+
+		assert.equal( component, undefined );
+	});
+});
diff --git a/test/formats.js b/test/formats.js
index 9b803cadcc..16ad77ce55 100644
--- a/test/formats.js
+++ b/test/formats.js
@@ -63,6 +63,21 @@ function testIife ( code, name, globals, html ) {
 	});
 }
 
+function testEval ( code, name, globals, html ) {
+	const fn = new Function( Object.keys( globals ), `return ${code};` );
+
+	return env().then( window => {
+		const SvelteComponent = fn( ...Object.keys( globals ).map( key => globals[ key ] ) );
+
+		const main = window.document.body.querySelector( 'main' );
+		const component = new SvelteComponent({ target: main });
+
+		assert.htmlEqual( main.innerHTML, html );
+
+		component.destroy();
+	});
+}
+
 describe( 'formats', () => {
 	before( setupHtmlEqual );
 
@@ -175,4 +190,31 @@ describe( 'formats', () => {
 				.then( () => testIife( code, 'Foo', { answer: 42 }, `<div>42</div>` ) );
 		});
 	});
+
+	describe( 'eval', () => {
+		it( 'generates a self-executing script that returns the component on eval', () => {
+			const source = deindent`
+				<div>{{answer}}</div>
+
+				<script>
+					import answer from 'answer';
+
+					export default {
+						data () {
+							return { answer };
+						}
+					};
+				</script>
+			`;
+
+			const { code } = svelte.compile( source, {
+				format: 'eval',
+				globals: {
+					answer: 'answer'
+				}
+			});
+
+			return testEval( code, 'Foo', { answer: 42 }, `<div>42</div>` );
+		});
+	});
 });