diff --git a/gridfs/grid_file.py b/gridfs/grid_file.py
index c82f05574..d94345381 100644
--- a/gridfs/grid_file.py
+++ b/gridfs/grid_file.py
@@ -227,8 +227,8 @@ class GridFile(object):
 
         self.__flush_write_buffer()
 
-        md5 = self.__collection.database._command(SON([("filemd5", self.__id),
-                                                       ("root", self.__collection.name)]))["md5"]
+        md5 = self.__collection.database.command(SON([("filemd5", self.__id),
+                                                      ("root", self.__collection.name)]))["md5"]
 
         grid_file = self.__collection.files.find_one({"_id": self.__id})
         grid_file["md5"] = md5
diff --git a/pymongo/collection.py b/pymongo/collection.py
index c5bb1e02c..b831dc4be 100644
--- a/pymongo/collection.py
+++ b/pymongo/collection.py
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ class Collection(object):
         command = SON({"create": self.__name})
         command.update(options)
 
-        self.__database._command(command)
+        self.__database.command(command)
 
     def __getattr__(self, name):
         """Get a sub-collection of this collection by name.
@@ -589,10 +589,10 @@ class Collection(object):
 
         self.__database.connection._purge_index(self.__database.name,
                                                 self.__name, name)
-        self.__database._command(SON([("deleteIndexes",
-                                       self.__name),
-                                      ("index", name)]),
-                                 ["ns not found"])
+        self.__database.command(SON([("deleteIndexes",
+                                      self.__name),
+                                     ("index", name)]),
+                                ["ns not found"])
 
     def index_information(self):
         """Get information on this collection's indexes.
@@ -677,7 +677,7 @@ class Collection(object):
         if finalize is not None:
             group["finalize"] = Code(finalize)
 
-        return self.__database._command({"group":group})["retval"]
+        return self.__database.command({"group":group})["retval"]
 
     def rename(self, new_name):
         """Rename this collection.
@@ -704,7 +704,7 @@ class Collection(object):
                               ("to", "%s.%s" % (self.__database.name,
                                                 new_name))])
 
-        self.__database.connection.admin._command(rename_command)
+        self.__database.connection.admin.command(rename_command)
 
     def distinct(self, key):
         """Get a list of distinct values for `key` among all documents in this
@@ -756,7 +756,7 @@ class Collection(object):
                        ("map", map), ("reduce", reduce)])
         command.update(**kwargs)
 
-        response = self.__database._command(command)
+        response = self.__database.command(command)
         if full_response:
             return response
         return self.__database[response["result"]]
diff --git a/pymongo/connection.py b/pymongo/connection.py
index 984b38d22..aa442cf79 100644
--- a/pymongo/connection.py
+++ b/pymongo/connection.py
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ class Connection(object): # TODO support auth for pooling
 
         Return a tuple (host, port).
         """
-        result = self["admin"]._command({"ismaster": 1}, sock=sock)
+        result = self["admin"].command({"ismaster": 1}, _sock=sock)
 
         if result["ismaster"] == 1:
             return True
@@ -736,14 +736,14 @@ class Connection(object): # TODO support auth for pooling
     def __database_info(self):
         """Get a dictionary of (database_name: size_on_disk).
         """
-        result = self["admin"]._command({"listDatabases": 1})
+        result = self["admin"].command({"listDatabases": 1})
         info = result["databases"]
         return dict([(db["name"], db["sizeOnDisk"]) for db in info])
 
     def server_info(self):
         """Get information about the MongoDB server we're connected to.
         """
-        return self["admin"]._command({"buildinfo": 1})
+        return self.admin.command({"buildinfo": 1})
 
     def database_names(self):
         """Get a list of the names of all databases on the connected server.
@@ -770,7 +770,7 @@ class Connection(object): # TODO support auth for pooling
                             "(Database, str, unicode)")
 
         self._purge_index(name)
-        self[name]._command({"dropDatabase": 1})
+        self[name].command({"dropDatabase": 1})
 
     def __iter__(self):
         return self
diff --git a/pymongo/cursor.py b/pymongo/cursor.py
index eadb17f4c..a9c7a96ec 100644
--- a/pymongo/cursor.py
+++ b/pymongo/cursor.py
@@ -307,8 +307,7 @@ class Cursor(object):
             if self.__skip:
                 command["skip"] = self.__skip
 
-        response = self.__collection.database._command(command,
-                                                       ["ns missing"])
+        response = self.__collection.database.command(command, ["ns missing"])
         if response.get("errmsg", "") == "ns missing":
             return 0
         return int(response["n"])
@@ -337,7 +336,7 @@ class Cursor(object):
         if self.__spec:
             command["query"] = self.__spec
 
-        return self.__collection.database._command(command)["values"]
+        return self.__collection.database.command(command)["values"]
 
     def explain(self):
         """Returns an explain plan record for this cursor.
diff --git a/pymongo/database.py b/pymongo/database.py
index cf78a9cdd..0e4911302 100644
--- a/pymongo/database.py
+++ b/pymongo/database.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 """Database level operations."""
 
 import types
+import warnings
 try:
     import hashlib
     _md5func = hashlib.md5
@@ -194,9 +195,23 @@ class Database(object):
         return son
 
     def _command(self, command, allowable_errors=[], check=True, sock=None):
-        """Issue a DB command.
+        warnings.warn("The '_command' method is deprecated. "
+                      "Please use 'command' instead.", DeprecationWarning)
+        return self.command(command, check, allowable_errors, sock)
+
+    def command(self, command, check=True, allowable_errors=[], _sock=None):
+        """Issue a MongoDB command.
+
+        Send a command to the database and return the response.
+
+        :Parameters:
+          - `command`: document representing the command to be issued
+          - `check` (optional): check the response for errors, raising
+            :class:`~pymongo.errors.OperationFailure` if there are any
+          - `allowable_errors`: if `check` is ``True``, error messages in this
+            list will be ignored by error-checking
         """
-        result = self["$cmd"].find_one(command, _sock=sock,
+        result = self["$cmd"].find_one(command, _sock=_sock,
                                        _must_use_master=True,
                                        _is_command=True)
 
@@ -237,7 +252,7 @@ class Database(object):
         if name not in self.collection_names():
             return
 
-        self._command({"drop": unicode(name)})
+        self.command({"drop": unicode(name)})
 
     def validate_collection(self, name_or_collection):
         """Validate a collection.
@@ -253,7 +268,7 @@ class Database(object):
             raise TypeError("name_or_collection must be an instance of "
                             "(Collection, str, unicode)")
 
-        result = self._command({"validate": unicode(name)})
+        result = self.command({"validate": unicode(name)})
 
         info = result["result"]
         if info.find("exception") != -1 or info.find("corrupt") != -1:
@@ -266,7 +281,7 @@ class Database(object):
         Returns one of (:data:`~pymongo.OFF`,
         :data:`~pymongo.SLOW_ONLY`, :data:`~pymongo.ALL`).
         """
-        result = self._command({"profile": -1})
+        result = self.command({"profile": -1})
 
         assert result["was"] >= 0 and result["was"] <= 2
         return result["was"]
@@ -284,7 +299,7 @@ class Database(object):
         if not isinstance(level, types.IntType) or level < 0 or level > 2:
             raise ValueError("level must be one of (OFF, SLOW_ONLY, ALL)")
 
-        self._command({"profile": level})
+        self.command({"profile": level})
 
     def profiling_info(self):
         """Returns a list containing current profiling information.
@@ -297,7 +312,7 @@ class Database(object):
         Return None if the last operation was error-free. Otherwise return the
         error that occurred.
         """
-        error = self._command({"getlasterror": 1})
+        error = self.command({"getlasterror": 1})
         if error.get("err", 0) is None:
             return None
         if error["err"] == "not master":
@@ -309,7 +324,7 @@ class Database(object):
 
         Returns a SON object with status information.
         """
-        return self._command({"getlasterror": 1})
+        return self.command({"getlasterror": 1})
 
     def previous_error(self):
         """Get the most recent error to have occurred on this database.
@@ -318,7 +333,7 @@ class Database(object):
         `Database.reset_error_history`. Returns None if no such errors have
         occurred.
         """
-        error = self._command({"getpreverror": 1})
+        error = self.command({"getpreverror": 1})
         if error.get("err", 0) is None:
             return None
         return error
@@ -329,7 +344,7 @@ class Database(object):
         Calls to `Database.previous_error` will only return errors that have
         occurred since the most recent call to this method.
         """
-        self._command({"reseterror": 1})
+        self.command({"reseterror": 1})
 
     def __iter__(self):
         return self
@@ -370,17 +385,17 @@ class Database(object):
         if not isinstance(password, types.StringTypes):
             raise TypeError("password must be an instance of (str, unicode)")
 
-        result = self._command({"getnonce": 1})
+        result = self.command({"getnonce": 1})
         nonce = result["nonce"]
         digest = self._password_digest(name, password)
         md5hash = _md5func()
         md5hash.update("%s%s%s" % (nonce, unicode(name), digest))
         key = unicode(md5hash.hexdigest())
         try:
-            result = self._command(SON([("authenticate", 1),
-                                        ("user", unicode(name)),
-                                        ("nonce", nonce),
-                                        ("key", key)]))
+            result = self.command(SON([("authenticate", 1),
+                                       ("user", unicode(name)),
+                                       ("nonce", nonce),
+                                       ("key", key)]))
             return True
         except OperationFailure:
             return False
@@ -390,7 +405,7 @@ class Database(object):
 
         Note that other databases may still be authorized.
         """
-        self._command({"logout": 1})
+        self.command({"logout": 1})
 
     def dereference(self, dbref):
         """Dereference a DBRef, getting the SON object it points to.
@@ -433,7 +448,7 @@ class Database(object):
             code = Code(code)
 
         command = SON([("$eval", code), ("args", list(args))])
-        result = self._command(command)
+        result = self.command(command)
         return result.get("retval", None)
 
     def __call__(self, *args, **kwargs):
diff --git a/test/test_cursor.py b/test/test_cursor.py
index 036e42c35..f1e22be4c 100644
--- a/test/test_cursor.py
+++ b/test/test_cursor.py
@@ -318,34 +318,34 @@ class TestCursor(unittest.TestCase):
         db = self.db
         db.drop_collection("test")
 
-        client_cursors = db._command({"cursorInfo": 1})["clientCursors_size"]
-        by_location = db._command({"cursorInfo": 1})["byLocation_size"]
+        client_cursors = db.command({"cursorInfo": 1})["clientCursors_size"]
+        by_location = db.command({"cursorInfo": 1})["byLocation_size"]
 
         test = db.test
         for i in range(10000):
             test.insert({"i": i})
 
         self.assertEqual(client_cursors,
-                         db._command({"cursorInfo": 1})["clientCursors_size"])
+                         db.command({"cursorInfo": 1})["clientCursors_size"])
         self.assertEqual(by_location,
-                         db._command({"cursorInfo": 1})["byLocation_size"])
+                         db.command({"cursorInfo": 1})["byLocation_size"])
 
         for _ in range(10):
             db.test.find_one()
 
         self.assertEqual(client_cursors,
-                         db._command({"cursorInfo": 1})["clientCursors_size"])
+                         db.command({"cursorInfo": 1})["clientCursors_size"])
         self.assertEqual(by_location,
-                         db._command({"cursorInfo": 1})["byLocation_size"])
+                         db.command({"cursorInfo": 1})["byLocation_size"])
 
         for _ in range(10):
             for x in db.test.find():
                 break
 
         self.assertEqual(client_cursors,
-                         db._command({"cursorInfo": 1})["clientCursors_size"])
+                         db.command({"cursorInfo": 1})["clientCursors_size"])
         self.assertEqual(by_location,
-                         db._command({"cursorInfo": 1})["byLocation_size"])
+                         db.command({"cursorInfo": 1})["byLocation_size"])
 
         a = db.test.find()
         for x in a:
@@ -353,25 +353,25 @@ class TestCursor(unittest.TestCase):
 
         self.assertNotEqual(
             client_cursors,
-            db._command({"cursorInfo": 1})["clientCursors_size"])
+            db.command({"cursorInfo": 1})["clientCursors_size"])
         self.assertNotEqual(by_location,
-                            db._command({"cursorInfo": 1})["byLocation_size"])
+                            db.command({"cursorInfo": 1})["byLocation_size"])
 
         del a
 
         self.assertEqual(client_cursors,
-                         db._command({"cursorInfo": 1})["clientCursors_size"])
+                         db.command({"cursorInfo": 1})["clientCursors_size"])
         self.assertEqual(by_location,
-                         db._command({"cursorInfo": 1})["byLocation_size"])
+                         db.command({"cursorInfo": 1})["byLocation_size"])
 
         a = db.test.find().limit(10)
         for x in a:
             break
 
         self.assertEqual(client_cursors,
-                         db._command({"cursorInfo": 1})["clientCursors_size"])
+                         db.command({"cursorInfo": 1})["clientCursors_size"])
         self.assertEqual(by_location,
-                         db._command({"cursorInfo": 1})["byLocation_size"])
+                         db.command({"cursorInfo": 1})["byLocation_size"])
 
     def test_rewind(self):
         self.db.test.save({"x": 1})
diff --git a/test/test_database.py b/test/test_database.py
index c240cda3d..0cf91fe61 100644
--- a/test/test_database.py
+++ b/test/test_database.py
@@ -182,11 +182,11 @@ class TestDatabase(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(None, db.error())
         self.assertEqual(None, db.previous_error())
 
-        db._command({"forceerror": 1}, check=False)
+        db.command({"forceerror": 1}, check=False)
         self.assert_(db.error())
         self.assert_(db.previous_error())
 
-        db._command({"forceerror": 1}, check=False)
+        db.command({"forceerror": 1}, check=False)
         self.assert_(db.error())
         prev_error = db.previous_error()
         self.assertEqual(prev_error["nPrev"], 1)
diff --git a/test/test_master_slave_connection.py b/test/test_master_slave_connection.py
index 5675c7dec..9028c67eb 100644
--- a/test/test_master_slave_connection.py
+++ b/test/test_master_slave_connection.py
@@ -202,11 +202,11 @@ class TestMasterSlaveConnection(unittest.TestCase):
 
         def cursor_count():
             count = 0
-            res = self.connection.master.test_pymongo._command({
+            res = self.connection.master.test_pymongo.command({
                     "cursorInfo": 1})
             count += res["clientCursors_size"]
             for slave in self.connection.slaves:
-                res = slave.test_pymongo._command({"cursorInfo": 1})
+                res = slave.test_pymongo.command({"cursorInfo": 1})
                 count += res["clientCursors_size"]
             return count