diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 6556559..ed0611c 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -1282,6 +1282,8 @@ name = "cosmic-files-applet"
 version = "0.1.0"
 dependencies = [
  "cosmic-files",
+ "log",
+ "zbus 4.4.0",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
diff --git a/cosmic-files-applet/Cargo.toml b/cosmic-files-applet/Cargo.toml
index b2a64e6..96a81ce 100644
--- a/cosmic-files-applet/Cargo.toml
+++ b/cosmic-files-applet/Cargo.toml
@@ -3,6 +3,10 @@ name = "cosmic-files-applet"
 version = "0.1.0"
 edition = "2021"
 
+[dependencies]
+log = "0.4"
+zbus = "4"
+
 [dependencies.cosmic-files]
 path = ".."
 default-features = false
diff --git a/cosmic-files-applet/src/file_manager.rs b/cosmic-files-applet/src/file_manager.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2be75da
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cosmic-files-applet/src/file_manager.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-only
+// Implementation of https://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Specifications/file-manager-interface/
+
+#![allow(dead_code, non_snake_case)]
+
+use std::process;
+
+pub struct FileManager;
+
+impl FileManager {
+    //TODO: return error?
+    fn open(&self, uris: &[&str], _startup_id: &str) {
+        match process::Command::new("cosmic-files").args(uris).spawn() {
+            Ok(mut child) => {
+                log::info!("spawned cosmic-files with id {:?}", child.id());
+                match child.wait() {
+                    Ok(status) => {
+                        if status.success() {
+                            log::info!("cosmic-files exited with {status}");
+                        } else {
+                            log::warn!("failed to run cosmic-files: exited with {status}");
+                        }
+                    }
+                    Err(err) => {
+                        log::warn!("failed to run cosmic-files: {err}");
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+            Err(err) => {
+                log::warn!("failed to spawn cosmic-files: {err}");
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+//TODO: why does &[&str] not implement Deserialize?
+#[zbus::interface(name = "org.freedesktop.FileManager1")]
+impl FileManager {
+    fn ShowFolders(&self, URIs: Vec<&str>, StartupId: &str) {
+        log::warn!("ShowFolders {:?} {:?}", URIs, StartupId);
+        self.open(&URIs, StartupId)
+    }
+
+    fn ShowItems(&self, URIs: Vec<&str>, StartupId: &str) {
+        log::warn!("ShowItems {:?} {:?}", URIs, StartupId);
+        self.open(&URIs, StartupId)
+    }
+
+    fn ShowItemProperties(&self, URIs: Vec<&str>, StartupId: &str) {
+        log::warn!("ShowItemProperties {:?} {:?}", URIs, StartupId);
+        self.open(&URIs, StartupId)
+    }
+}
diff --git a/cosmic-files-applet/src/main.rs b/cosmic-files-applet/src/main.rs
index 8ac8491..a724601 100644
--- a/cosmic-files-applet/src/main.rs
+++ b/cosmic-files-applet/src/main.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
+mod file_manager;
+
 fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
+    //TODO: move file manager service to its own daemon?
+    let _conn_res = zbus::blocking::connection::Builder::session()?
+        .name("org.freedesktop.FileManager1")?
+        .serve_at("/org/freedesktop/FileManager1", file_manager::FileManager)?
+        .build();
+
     cosmic_files::desktop()
 }