diff --git a/src/bin/pmt.rs b/src/bin/pmt.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9ad9ff1a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/bin/pmt.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,414 @@
+/// Control magnetic tape drive operation
+///
+/// This is a Rust implementation, meant to replace the 'mt' command
+/// line tool.
+///
+/// Features:
+///
+/// - written in Rust
+/// - optional json output format
+/// - support tape alert flags
+/// - support volume statistics
+/// - read cartridge memory
+
+use std::fs::File;
+
+use anyhow::{bail, Error};
+use serde_json::Value;
+
+use proxmox::{
+    api::{
+        api,
+        cli::*,
+        RpcEnvironment,
+    },
+};
+
+use proxmox_backup::{
+    tools::sgutils2::{
+        scsi_inquiry,
+    },
+    config::{
+        self,
+        drive::complete_drive_name,
+    },
+    backup::Fingerprint,
+    api2::types::{
+        LINUX_DRIVE_PATH_SCHEMA,
+        DRIVE_NAME_SCHEMA,
+        TAPE_ENCRYPTION_KEY_FINGERPRINT_SCHEMA,
+        MEDIA_SET_UUID_SCHEMA,
+        LinuxTapeDrive,
+    },
+    tape::{
+        complete_drive_path,
+        linux_tape_device_list,
+        drive::{
+            TapeDriver,
+            LinuxTapeHandle,
+            open_linux_tape_device,
+            check_tape_is_linux_tape_device,
+        },
+    },
+};
+
+fn get_tape_handle(param: &Value) -> Result<LinuxTapeHandle, Error> {
+
+    if let Some(name) = param["drive"].as_str() {
+        let (config, _digest) = config::drive::config()?;
+        let drive: LinuxTapeDrive = config.lookup("linux", &name)?;
+        eprintln!("using device {}", drive.path);
+        return drive.open();
+    }
+
+    if let Some(device) = param["device"].as_str() {
+        eprintln!("using device {}", device);
+        return Ok(LinuxTapeHandle::new(open_linux_tape_device(&device)?))
+    }
+
+    if let Ok(name) = std::env::var("PROXMOX_TAPE_DRIVE") {
+        let (config, _digest) = config::drive::config()?;
+        let drive: LinuxTapeDrive = config.lookup("linux", &name)?;
+        eprintln!("using device {}", drive.path);
+        return drive.open();
+    }
+
+    if let Ok(device) = std::env::var("TAPE") {
+        eprintln!("using device {}", device);
+        return Ok(LinuxTapeHandle::new(open_linux_tape_device(&device)?))
+    }
+
+    let (config, _digest) = config::drive::config()?;
+
+    let mut drive_names = Vec::new();
+    for (name, (section_type, _)) in config.sections.iter() {
+        if section_type != "linux" { continue; }
+        drive_names.push(name);
+    }
+
+    if drive_names.len() == 1 {
+        let name = drive_names[0];
+        let drive: LinuxTapeDrive = config.lookup("linux", &name)?;
+        eprintln!("using device {}", drive.path);
+        return drive.open();
+    }
+
+    bail!("no drive/device specified");
+}
+
+#[api(
+   input: {
+        properties: {
+            drive: {
+                schema: DRIVE_NAME_SCHEMA,
+                optional: true,
+            },
+            device: {
+                schema: LINUX_DRIVE_PATH_SCHEMA,
+                optional: true,
+            },
+            "output-format": {
+                schema: OUTPUT_FORMAT,
+                optional: true,
+            },
+        },
+    },
+)]
+/// Read Cartridge Memory
+fn cartridge_memory(param: Value) -> Result<(), Error> {
+
+    let output_format = get_output_format(&param);
+
+    let mut handle = get_tape_handle(&param)?;
+    let result = handle.cartridge_memory();
+
+    if output_format == "json-pretty" {
+        let result = result.map_err(|err: Error| err.to_string());
+        println!("{}", serde_json::to_string_pretty(&result)?);
+        return Ok(());
+    }
+
+    if output_format == "json" {
+        let result = result.map_err(|err: Error| err.to_string());
+        println!("{}", serde_json::to_string(&result)?);
+        return Ok(());
+    }
+
+    if output_format != "text" {
+        bail!("unknown output format '{}'", output_format);
+    }
+
+    let list = result?;
+
+    for item in list {
+        println!("{}|{}|{}", item.id, item.name, item.value);
+    }
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+#[api(
+   input: {
+        properties: {
+            drive: {
+                schema: DRIVE_NAME_SCHEMA,
+                optional: true,
+            },
+            device: {
+                schema: LINUX_DRIVE_PATH_SCHEMA,
+                optional: true,
+            },
+       },
+    },
+)]
+/// Eject drive media
+fn eject(param: Value) -> Result<(), Error> {
+
+    let mut handle = get_tape_handle(&param)?;
+    handle.eject_media()?;
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+
+#[api(
+   input: {
+        properties: {
+            drive: {
+                schema: DRIVE_NAME_SCHEMA,
+                optional: true,
+            },
+            device: {
+                schema: LINUX_DRIVE_PATH_SCHEMA,
+                optional: true,
+            },
+       },
+    },
+)]
+/// Move to end of media
+fn eod(param: Value) -> Result<(), Error> {
+
+    let mut handle = get_tape_handle(&param)?;
+    handle.move_to_eom()?;
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+
+#[api(
+   input: {
+        properties: {
+            drive: {
+                schema: DRIVE_NAME_SCHEMA,
+                optional: true,
+            },
+            device: {
+                schema: LINUX_DRIVE_PATH_SCHEMA,
+                optional: true,
+            },
+       },
+    },
+)]
+/// Load media
+fn load(param: Value) -> Result<(), Error> {
+
+    let mut handle = get_tape_handle(&param)?;
+    handle.mtload()?;
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+
+#[api(
+   input: {
+        properties: {
+            drive: {
+                schema: DRIVE_NAME_SCHEMA,
+                optional: true,
+            },
+            device: {
+                schema: LINUX_DRIVE_PATH_SCHEMA,
+                optional: true,
+            },
+       },
+    },
+)]
+/// Rewind the tape
+fn rewind(param: Value) -> Result<(), Error> {
+
+    let mut handle = get_tape_handle(&param)?;
+    handle.rewind()?;
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+
+#[api(
+   input: {
+        properties: {
+           "output-format": {
+                schema: OUTPUT_FORMAT,
+                optional: true,
+            },
+        },
+    },
+)]
+/// Scan for existing tape changer devices
+fn scan(param: Value) -> Result<(), Error> {
+
+    let output_format = get_output_format(&param);
+
+    let list = linux_tape_device_list();
+
+    if output_format == "json-pretty" {
+        println!("{}", serde_json::to_string_pretty(&list)?);
+        return Ok(());
+    }
+
+    if output_format == "json" {
+        println!("{}", serde_json::to_string(&list)?);
+        return Ok(());
+    }
+
+    if output_format != "text" {
+        bail!("unknown output format '{}'", output_format);
+    }
+
+    for item in list.iter() {
+        println!("{} ({}/{}/{})", item.path, item.vendor, item.model, item.serial);
+    }
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+#[api(
+    input: {
+        properties: {
+            drive: {
+                schema: DRIVE_NAME_SCHEMA,
+                optional: true,
+            },
+            device: {
+                schema: LINUX_DRIVE_PATH_SCHEMA,
+                optional: true,
+            },
+            "output-format": {
+                schema: OUTPUT_FORMAT,
+                optional: true,
+            },
+        },
+    },
+)]
+/// Drive Status
+fn status(param: Value) -> Result<(), Error> {
+
+    let output_format = get_output_format(&param);
+
+    let mut handle = get_tape_handle(&param)?;
+    let result = handle.get_drive_and_media_status();
+
+    if output_format == "json-pretty" {
+        let result = result.map_err(|err: Error| err.to_string());
+        println!("{}", serde_json::to_string_pretty(&result)?);
+        return Ok(());
+    }
+
+    if output_format == "json" {
+        let result = result.map_err(|err: Error| err.to_string());
+        println!("{}", serde_json::to_string(&result)?);
+        return Ok(());
+    }
+
+    if output_format != "text" {
+        bail!("unknown output format '{}'", output_format);
+    }
+
+    let status = result?;
+
+    println!("{}", serde_json::to_string_pretty(&status)?);
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+#[api(
+    input: {
+        properties: {
+            drive: {
+                schema: DRIVE_NAME_SCHEMA,
+                optional: true,
+            },
+            device: {
+                schema: LINUX_DRIVE_PATH_SCHEMA,
+                optional: true,
+            },
+            "output-format": {
+                schema: OUTPUT_FORMAT,
+                optional: true,
+            },
+        },
+    },
+)]
+/// Volume Statistics
+fn volume_statistics(param: Value) -> Result<(), Error> {
+
+    let output_format = get_output_format(&param);
+
+    let mut handle = get_tape_handle(&param)?;
+    let result = handle.volume_statistics();
+
+    if output_format == "json-pretty" {
+        let result = result.map_err(|err: Error| err.to_string());
+        println!("{}", serde_json::to_string_pretty(&result)?);
+        return Ok(());
+    }
+
+    if output_format == "json" {
+        let result = result.map_err(|err: Error| err.to_string());
+        println!("{}", serde_json::to_string(&result)?);
+        return Ok(());
+    }
+
+    if output_format != "text" {
+        bail!("unknown output format '{}'", output_format);
+    }
+
+    let data = result?;
+
+    println!("{}", serde_json::to_string_pretty(&data)?);
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+fn main() -> Result<(), Error> {
+
+    let uid = nix::unistd::Uid::current();
+
+    let username = match nix::unistd::User::from_uid(uid)? {
+        Some(user) => user.name,
+        None => bail!("unable to get user name"),
+    };
+
+    let std_cmd = |method| {
+        CliCommand::new(method)
+            .completion_cb("drive", complete_drive_name)
+            .completion_cb("device", complete_drive_path)
+    };
+
+    let cmd_def = CliCommandMap::new()
+        .insert("cartridge-memory", std_cmd(&API_METHOD_CARTRIDGE_MEMORY))
+        .insert("eject", std_cmd(&API_METHOD_EJECT))
+        .insert("eod", std_cmd(&API_METHOD_EOD))
+        .insert("load", std_cmd(&API_METHOD_LOAD))
+        .insert("rewind", std_cmd(&API_METHOD_REWIND))
+        .insert("scan", CliCommand::new(&API_METHOD_SCAN))
+        .insert("status", std_cmd(&API_METHOD_STATUS))
+        .insert("volume-statistics", std_cmd(&API_METHOD_VOLUME_STATISTICS))
+        ;
+
+    let mut rpcenv = CliEnvironment::new();
+    rpcenv.set_auth_id(Some(format!("{}@pam", username)));
+
+    run_cli_command(cmd_def, rpcenv, None);
+
+    Ok(())
+}
diff --git a/src/tape/drive/linux_tape.rs b/src/tape/drive/linux_tape.rs
index e3c4918c..d0f4ae79 100644
--- a/src/tape/drive/linux_tape.rs
+++ b/src/tape/drive/linux_tape.rs
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ impl LinuxTapeHandle {
         Ok(())
     }
 
-    fn mtload(&mut self) -> Result<(), Error> {
+    pub fn mtload(&mut self) -> Result<(), Error> {
 
         let cmd = mtop { mt_op: MTCmd::MTLOAD, mt_count: 1, };