diff --git a/bin/config.py b/bin/config.py
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..5560fa850
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/config.py
@@ -0,0 +1,184 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""
+Test program to demonstrate the remote config interfaces in
+rclone.
+
+This program can simulate
+
+    rclone config create
+    rclone config update
+    rclone config password - NOT implemented yet
+    rclone authorize       - NOT implemented yet
+
+Pass the desired action as the first argument then any parameters.
+
+This assumes passwords will be passed in the clear.
+"""
+
+import argparse
+import subprocess
+import json
+from pprint import pprint
+
+sep = "-"*60
+
+def rpc(command, params):
+    """
+    Run the command. This could be either over the CLI or the API.
+    Here we run over the API using rclone rc --loopback which is
+    useful for making sure state is saved properly.
+    """
+    cmd = ["rclone", "-vv", "rc", "--loopback", command, "--json", json.dumps(params)]
+    result = subprocess.run(cmd, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, check=True)
+    return json.loads(result.stdout)
+
+def parse_parameters(parameters):
+    """
+    Parse the incoming key=value parameters into a dict
+    """
+    d = {}
+    for param in parameters:
+        parts = param.split("=", 1)
+        if len(parts) != 2:
+            raise ValueError("bad format for parameter need name=value")
+        d[parts[0]] = parts[1]
+    return d
+
+def ask(opt):
+    """
+    Ask the user to enter the option
+
+    This is the user interface for asking a user a question.
+
+    If there are examples they should be presented.
+    """
+    while True:
+        if opt["IsPassword"]:
+            print("*** Inputting a password")
+        print(opt['Help'])
+        examples = opt.get("Examples", ())
+        or_number = ""
+        if len(examples) > 0:
+            or_number = " or choice number"
+            for i, example in enumerate(examples):
+                print(f"{i:3} value: {example['Value']}")
+                print(f"    help:  {example['Help']}")
+        print(f"Enter a {opt['Type']} value{or_number}. Press Enter for the default ('{opt['DefaultStr']}')")
+        print(f"{opt['Name']}> ", end='')
+        s = input()
+        if s == "":
+            return opt["DefaultStr"]
+        try:
+            i = int(s)
+            if i >= 0 and i < len(examples):
+                return examples[i]["Value"]
+        except ValueError:
+            pass
+        if opt["Exclusive"]:
+            for example in examples:
+                if s == example["Value"]:
+                    return s
+            # Exclusive is set but the value isn't one of the accepted
+            # ones so continue
+            print("Value isn't one of the acceptable values")
+        else:
+            return s
+    return s
+
+def create_or_update(what, args):
+    """
+    Run the equivalent of rclone config create
+    or rclone config update
+
+    what should either be "create" or "update
+    """
+    print(what, args)
+    params = parse_parameters(args.parameters)
+    inp = {
+        "name": args.name,
+        "parameters": params,
+        "opt": {
+            "nonInteractive": True,
+            "all": args.all,
+            "noObscure": args.obscured_passwords,
+            "obscure": not args.obscured_passwords,
+        },
+    }
+    if what == "create":
+        inp["type"] = args.type
+    while True:
+        print(sep)
+        print("Input to API")
+        pprint(inp)
+        print(sep)
+        out = rpc("config/"+what, inp)
+        print(sep)
+        print("Output from API")
+        pprint(out)
+        print(sep)
+        if out["State"] == "":
+            return
+        if out["Error"]:
+                print("Error", out["Error"])
+        result = ask(out["Option"])
+        inp["opt"]["state"] = out["State"]
+        inp["opt"]["result"] = result
+        inp["opt"]["continue"] = True
+
+def create(args):
+    """Run the equivalent of rclone config create"""
+    create_or_update("create", args)
+
+def update(args):
+    """Run the equivalent of rclone config update"""
+    create_or_update("update", args)
+
+def password(args):
+    """Run the equivalent of rclone config password"""
+    print("password", args)
+    raise NotImplementedError()
+
+def authorize(args):
+    """Run the equivalent of rclone authorize"""
+    print("authorize", args)
+    raise NotImplementedError()
+
+def main():
+    """
+    Make the command line parser and dispatch
+    """
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
+        description=__doc__,
+        formatter_class=argparse.RawDescriptionHelpFormatter,
+    )
+    parser.add_argument("-a", "--all", action='store_true',
+                        help="Ask all the config questions if set")
+    parser.add_argument("-o", "--obscured-passwords", action='store_true',
+                        help="If set assume the passwords are obscured")
+
+    subparsers = parser.add_subparsers(dest='command', required=True)
+    
+    subparser = subparsers.add_parser('create')
+    subparser.add_argument("name", type=str, help="Name of remote to create")
+    subparser.add_argument("type", type=str, help="Type of remote to create")
+    subparser.add_argument("parameters", type=str, nargs='*', help="Config parameters name=value name=value")
+    subparser.set_defaults(func=create)
+
+    subparser = subparsers.add_parser('update')
+    subparser.add_argument("name", type=str, help="Name of remote to update")
+    subparser.add_argument("parameters", type=str, nargs='*', help="Config parameters name=value name=value")
+    subparser.set_defaults(func=update)
+
+    subparser = subparsers.add_parser('password')
+    subparser.add_argument("name", type=str, help="Name of remote to update")
+    subparser.add_argument("parameters", type=str, nargs='*', help="Config parameters name=value name=value")
+    subparser.set_defaults(func=password)
+
+    subparser = subparsers.add_parser('authorize')
+    subparser.set_defaults(func=authorize)
+    
+    args = parser.parse_args()
+    args.func(args)
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()
diff --git a/fs/backend_config.go b/fs/backend_config.go
index 6d8e2fad9..97db87202 100644
--- a/fs/backend_config.go
+++ b/fs/backend_config.go
@@ -60,6 +60,9 @@ var ConfigOAuth func(ctx context.Context, name string, m configmap.Mapper, ri *R
 // "config_fs_" are reserved for internal use.
 //
 // State names starting with "*" are reserved for internal use.
+//
+// Note that in the bin directory there is a python program called
+// "config.py" which shows how this interface should be used.
 type ConfigIn struct {
 	State  string // State to run
 	Result string // Result from previous Option