diff --git a/examples/run_async.py b/examples/run_async.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..71912e5a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/run_async.py
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+from sanic import Sanic
+from sanic.response import json
+from multiprocessing import Event
+from signal import signal, SIGINT
+import asyncio
+
+app = Sanic(__name__)
+
+@app.route("/")
+async def test(request):
+    return json({"answer": "42"})
+
+server = app.create_server(host="0.0.0.0", port=8001)
+loop = asyncio.get_event_loop()
+task = asyncio.ensure_future(server)
+signal(SIGINT, lambda s, f: loop.close())
+try:
+    loop.run_forever()
+except:
+    loop.stop()
diff --git a/sanic/sanic.py b/sanic/sanic.py
index cea09470..c56e2420 100644
--- a/sanic/sanic.py
+++ b/sanic/sanic.py
@@ -348,9 +348,8 @@ class Sanic:
         log.debug(self.config.LOGO)
 
         # Serve
-        if ssl is None:
-            proto = "http"
-        else:
+        proto = "http"
+        if ssl is not None:
             proto = "https"
         log.info('Goin\' Fast @ {}://{}:{}'.format(proto, host, port))
 
@@ -378,6 +377,63 @@ class Sanic:
             self.sock.close()
         get_event_loop().stop()
 
+    async def create_server(self, host="127.0.0.1", port=8000, debug=False,
+                            before_start=None, after_start=None,
+                            before_stop=None, after_stop=None, ssl=None,
+                            sock=None, loop=None, protocol=HttpProtocol,
+                            backlog=100, stop_event=None):
+        '''
+        Asynchronous version of `run`.
+        '''
+        loop = get_event_loop()
+        server_settings = {
+            'protocol': protocol,
+            'host': host,
+            'port': port,
+            'sock': sock,
+            'ssl': ssl,
+            'debug': debug,
+            'request_handler': self.handle_request,
+            'error_handler': self.error_handler,
+            'request_timeout': self.config.REQUEST_TIMEOUT,
+            'request_max_size': self.config.REQUEST_MAX_SIZE,
+            'loop': loop,
+            'backlog': backlog
+        }
+
+        # -------------------------------------------- #
+        # Register start/stop events
+        # -------------------------------------------- #
+
+        for event_name, settings_name, args, reverse in (
+                ("before_server_start", "before_start", before_start, False),
+                ("after_server_start", "after_start", after_start, False),
+                ("before_server_stop", "before_stop", before_stop, True),
+                ("after_server_stop", "after_stop", after_stop, True),
+                ):
+            listeners = []
+            for blueprint in self.blueprints.values():
+                listeners += blueprint.listeners[event_name]
+            if args:
+                if callable(args):
+                    args = [args]
+                listeners += args
+            if reverse:
+                listeners.reverse()
+            # Prepend sanic to the arguments when listeners are triggered
+            listeners = [partial(listener, self) for listener in listeners]
+            server_settings[settings_name] = listeners
+
+        server_settings['run_async'] = True
+
+        # Serve
+        proto = "http"
+        if ssl is not None:
+            proto = "https"
+        log.info('Goin\' Fast @ {}://{}:{}'.format(proto, host, port))
+
+        return await serve(**server_settings)
+
     def serve_multiple(self, server_settings, workers, stop_event=None):
         """
         Starts multiple server processes simultaneously.  Stops on interrupt
diff --git a/sanic/server.py b/sanic/server.py
index 74ffb832..cf04df16 100644
--- a/sanic/server.py
+++ b/sanic/server.py
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ def serve(host, port, request_handler, error_handler, before_start=None,
           after_start=None, before_stop=None, after_stop=None, debug=False,
           request_timeout=60, ssl=None, sock=None, request_max_size=None,
           reuse_port=False, loop=None, protocol=HttpProtocol, backlog=100,
-          register_sys_signals=True):
+          register_sys_signals=True, run_async=False):
     """
     Starts asynchronous HTTP Server on an individual process.
 
@@ -320,11 +320,13 @@ def serve(host, port, request_handler, error_handler, before_start=None,
         sock=sock,
         backlog=backlog
     )
-
     # Instead of pulling time at the end of every request,
     # pull it once per minute
     loop.call_soon(partial(update_current_time, loop))
 
+    if run_async:
+        return server_coroutine
+
     try:
         http_server = loop.run_until_complete(server_coroutine)
     except Exception: