diff --git a/message.drush.inc b/message.drush.inc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5d07db9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/message.drush.inc
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+<?php
+
+/**
+ * @file
+ * Defines drush commands.
+ */
+
+
+/**
+ * Implements hook_drush_command().
+ */
+function message_drush_command() {
+  $items = array();
+  $items['message-purge'] = array(
+    'description' => t('Batch purge old messages (will only affect messages that are eligible for purging based on message settings).'),
+    'arguments' => array(
+      'purge_limit' => 'The total number of messages to purge. Defaults to 10,000. Set to -1 to purge all eligible messages (warning: this can cause memory limit errors for very large sets).',
+      'loop_limit' => 'The number of messages to purge per loop. Defaults to 100.',
+    ),
+    'bootstrap' => DRUSH_BOOTSTRAP_DRUPAL_FULL,
+    'aliases' => array('purge-messages'),
+    'drupal dependencies' => array('message'),
+    'callback' => 'drush_message_purge',
+  );
+  return $items;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Drush command to batch purge old messages.
+ */
+function drush_message_purge() {
+  drush_print("Starting message purge.");
+
+  // Get drush params.
+  $args = drush_get_arguments();
+  $purge_limit = MESSAGE_PURGE_LIMIT_DRUSH_DEFAULT;
+  $loop_limit = MESSAGE_PURGE_LOOP_DRUSH_DEFAULT;
+  if (isset($args[1]) && is_numeric($args[1])) {
+    $purge_limit = $args[1];
+  }
+  if (isset($args[2]) && is_numeric($args[2])) {
+    $loop_limit = $args[2];
+  }
+  if ($purge_limit > 0) {
+    drush_print("Purge Limit: $purge_limit");
+  }
+  else {
+    drush_print("Purge Limit: no limit (purge all eligible messages)");
+  }
+  drush_print("Loop Limit: $loop_limit");
+
+  $completed = 0;
+  do {
+    // Prevent over-purging.
+    if ($purge_limit > 0 && $completed + $loop_limit > $purge_limit) {
+      $loop_limit = $purge_limit - $completed;
+    }
+
+    // Do the actual purging.
+    $purge_count = message_purge($loop_limit);
+
+    // Stop if there are no more messages to purge.
+    if ($purge_count == 0) {
+      drush_print("No more messages to purge.");
+      return;
+    }
+
+    // Provide feedback on progress.
+    $completed += $purge_count;
+    $percent_completed = round(100 * $completed/$purge_limit);
+    if ($purge_limit > 0) {
+      drush_print("Completed $completed of $purge_limit purges ($percent_completed%).");
+    }
+    else {
+      drush_print("Completed $completed purges.");
+    }
+
+    // Stop when we reach purge limit.
+    if ($purge_limit > 0 && $completed >= $purge_limit) {
+      drush_print("Purge limit reached.");
+      return;
+    }
+  } while (TRUE);
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/message.module b/message.module
index 2bcf0c1..2494eca 100644
--- a/message.module
+++ b/message.module
@@ -13,7 +13,13 @@ define('MESSAGE_FIELD_MESSAGE_TEXT', 'message_text');
 /**
  * The maximal amount of messages to be purged upon hook_cron()
  */
-define('MESSAGE_PURGE_LIMIT', 100);
+define('MESSAGE_PURGE_LIMIT_CRON', 100);
+
+/**
+ * Drush purge defaults. See message.drush.inc.
+ */
+define('MESSAGE_PURGE_LIMIT_DRUSH_DEFAULT', 10000);
+define('MESSAGE_PURGE_LOOP_DRUSH_DEFAULT', 100);
 
 /**
  * Implementation of hook_views_api().
@@ -270,7 +276,20 @@ function message_menu() {
  */
 function message_cron() {
   // The maximal amount of messages to purge per cron run.
-  $purge_limit = variable_get('message_delete_cron_limit', MESSAGE_PURGE_LIMIT);
+  $purge_limit = variable_get('message_delete_cron_limit', MESSAGE_PURGE_LIMIT_CRON);
+  message_purge($purge_limit);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Purge a given number of messages based on purge settings set in the admin
+ * interface.
+ *
+ * @param int $purge_limit
+ *   The total number of messages to purge.
+ * @return number
+ *   The total number of messages that were actually purged.
+ */
+function message_purge($purge_limit) {
   // Messages to be deleted.
   $purge_messages = array();
   // Names of non global-purge-settings overriding message types.
@@ -317,9 +336,13 @@ function message_cron() {
   }
 
   // Delete all gathered messages.
+  $purge_count = 0;
   if (!empty($purge_messages)) {
+    $purge_count += count($purge_messages);
     message_delete_multiple(array_keys($purge_messages));
   }
+
+  return $purge_count;
 }
 
 /**