diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index e0d63ba2e18..df490beb2f3 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -10,4 +10,5 @@ src/registry/Cargo.lock
 rustc
 __pycache__
 .idea/
-*.iml
\ No newline at end of file
+*.iml
+*.swp
diff --git a/src/bin/bench.rs b/src/bin/bench.rs
index ff1e0b4e7ba..d164c7a81b6 100644
--- a/src/bin/bench.rs
+++ b/src/bin/bench.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+use std::env;
+
 use cargo::core::Workspace;
 use cargo::ops::{self, MessageFormat, Packages};
 use cargo::util::{CliResult, CliError, Config, CargoErrorKind};
@@ -88,17 +90,23 @@ Compilation can be customized with the `bench` profile in the manifest.
 ";
 
 pub fn execute(options: Options, config: &Config) -> CliResult {
-    let root = find_root_manifest_for_wd(options.flag_manifest_path, config.cwd())?;
-
-    let spec = Packages::from_flags(options.flag_all,
-                                    &options.flag_exclude,
-                                    &options.flag_package)?;
+    debug!("executing; cmd=cargo-bench; args={:?}",
+           env::args().collect::<Vec<_>>());
 
     config.configure(options.flag_verbose,
                      options.flag_quiet,
                      &options.flag_color,
                      options.flag_frozen,
                      options.flag_locked)?;
+
+    let root = find_root_manifest_for_wd(options.flag_manifest_path, config.cwd())?;
+    let ws = Workspace::new(&root, config)?;
+
+    let spec = Packages::from_flags(ws.is_virtual(),
+                                    options.flag_all,
+                                    &options.flag_exclude,
+                                    &options.flag_package)?;
+
     let ops = ops::TestOptions {
         no_run: options.flag_no_run,
         no_fail_fast: options.flag_no_fail_fast,
@@ -124,7 +132,6 @@ pub fn execute(options: Options, config: &Config) -> CliResult {
         },
     };
 
-    let ws = Workspace::new(&root, config)?;
     let err = ops::run_benches(&ws, &ops, &options.arg_args)?;
     match err {
         None => Ok(()),
diff --git a/src/bin/build.rs b/src/bin/build.rs
index c679fc50f06..04a108a4030 100644
--- a/src/bin/build.rs
+++ b/src/bin/build.rs
@@ -92,8 +92,10 @@ pub fn execute(options: Options, config: &Config) -> CliResult {
                      options.flag_locked)?;
 
     let root = find_root_manifest_for_wd(options.flag_manifest_path, config.cwd())?;
+    let ws = Workspace::new(&root, config)?;
 
-    let spec = Packages::from_flags(options.flag_all,
+    let spec = Packages::from_flags(ws.is_virtual(),
+                                    options.flag_all,
                                     &options.flag_exclude,
                                     &options.flag_package)?;
 
@@ -117,7 +119,6 @@ pub fn execute(options: Options, config: &Config) -> CliResult {
         target_rustc_args: None,
     };
 
-    let ws = Workspace::new(&root, config)?;
     ops::compile(&ws, &opts)?;
     Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/src/bin/check.rs b/src/bin/check.rs
index fd36f542000..ed4942de61c 100644
--- a/src/bin/check.rs
+++ b/src/bin/check.rs
@@ -91,7 +91,8 @@ pub fn execute(options: Options, config: &Config) -> CliResult {
     let root = find_root_manifest_for_wd(options.flag_manifest_path, config.cwd())?;
     let ws = Workspace::new(&root, config)?;
 
-    let spec = Packages::from_flags(options.flag_all,
+    let spec = Packages::from_flags(ws.is_virtual(),
+                                    options.flag_all,
                                     &options.flag_exclude,
                                     &options.flag_package)?;
 
diff --git a/src/bin/doc.rs b/src/bin/doc.rs
index 6b4190985df..25aa0ec8a49 100644
--- a/src/bin/doc.rs
+++ b/src/bin/doc.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+use std::env;
+
 use cargo::core::Workspace;
 use cargo::ops::{self, MessageFormat, Packages};
 use cargo::util::{CliResult, Config};
@@ -69,6 +71,9 @@ the `cargo help pkgid` command.
 ";
 
 pub fn execute(options: Options, config: &Config) -> CliResult {
+    debug!("executing; cmd=cargo-check; args={:?}",
+           env::args().collect::<Vec<_>>());
+
     config.configure(options.flag_verbose,
                      options.flag_quiet,
                      &options.flag_color,
@@ -76,8 +81,9 @@ pub fn execute(options: Options, config: &Config) -> CliResult {
                      options.flag_locked)?;
 
     let root = find_root_manifest_for_wd(options.flag_manifest_path, config.cwd())?;
+    let ws = Workspace::new(&root, config)?;
 
-    let spec = if options.flag_all {
+    let spec = if options.flag_all || (ws.is_virtual() && options.flag_package.is_empty()) {
         Packages::All
     } else {
         Packages::Packages(&options.flag_package)
@@ -109,7 +115,6 @@ pub fn execute(options: Options, config: &Config) -> CliResult {
         },
     };
 
-    let ws = Workspace::new(&root, config)?;
     ops::doc(&ws, &doc_opts)?;
     Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/src/bin/test.rs b/src/bin/test.rs
index fe8d5757f8c..7010fbad441 100644
--- a/src/bin/test.rs
+++ b/src/bin/test.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+use std::env;
+
 use cargo::core::Workspace;
 use cargo::ops::{self, MessageFormat, Packages};
 use cargo::util::{CliResult, CliError, Config, CargoErrorKind};
@@ -109,6 +111,9 @@ To get the list of all options available for the test binaries use this:
 ";
 
 pub fn execute(options: Options, config: &Config) -> CliResult {
+    debug!("executing; cmd=cargo-test; args={:?}",
+           env::args().collect::<Vec<_>>());
+
     config.configure(options.flag_verbose,
                      options.flag_quiet,
                      &options.flag_color,
@@ -116,6 +121,7 @@ pub fn execute(options: Options, config: &Config) -> CliResult {
                      options.flag_locked)?;
 
     let root = find_root_manifest_for_wd(options.flag_manifest_path, config.cwd())?;
+    let ws = Workspace::new(&root, config)?;
 
     let empty = Vec::new();
     let (mode, filter);
@@ -132,7 +138,8 @@ pub fn execute(options: Options, config: &Config) -> CliResult {
                                          &options.flag_bench, options.flag_benches);
     }
 
-    let spec = Packages::from_flags(options.flag_all,
+    let spec = Packages::from_flags(ws.is_virtual(),
+                                    options.flag_all,
                                     &options.flag_exclude,
                                     &options.flag_package)?;
 
@@ -157,7 +164,6 @@ pub fn execute(options: Options, config: &Config) -> CliResult {
         },
     };
 
-    let ws = Workspace::new(&root, config)?;
     let err = ops::run_tests(&ws, &ops, &options.arg_args)?;
     match err {
         None => Ok(()),
diff --git a/src/cargo/core/workspace.rs b/src/cargo/core/workspace.rs
index 5f93baa856b..ad53fc5b5c9 100644
--- a/src/cargo/core/workspace.rs
+++ b/src/cargo/core/workspace.rs
@@ -179,6 +179,13 @@ impl<'cfg> Workspace<'cfg> {
         }
     }
 
+    pub fn is_virtual(&self) -> bool {
+        match *self.packages.get(&self.current_manifest) {
+            MaybePackage::Package(..) => false,
+            MaybePackage::Virtual(..) => true
+        }
+    }
+
     /// Returns the `Config` this workspace is associated with.
     pub fn config(&self) -> &'cfg Config {
         self.config
diff --git a/src/cargo/ops/cargo_compile.rs b/src/cargo/ops/cargo_compile.rs
index de2cc1e2b56..c1b0243e786 100644
--- a/src/cargo/ops/cargo_compile.rs
+++ b/src/cargo/ops/cargo_compile.rs
@@ -110,9 +110,11 @@ pub enum Packages<'a> {
 }
 
 impl<'a> Packages<'a> {
-    pub fn from_flags(all: bool, exclude: &'a Vec<String>, package: &'a Vec<String>)
+    pub fn from_flags(virtual_ws: bool, all: bool, exclude: &'a Vec<String>, package: &'a Vec<String>)
         -> CargoResult<Self>
     {
+        let all = all || (virtual_ws && package.is_empty());
+
         let packages = match (all, &exclude) {
             (true, exclude) if exclude.is_empty() => Packages::All,
             (true, exclude) => Packages::OptOut(exclude),
diff --git a/tests/bench.rs b/tests/bench.rs
index cf68a629eee..56cc52f6e3d 100644
--- a/tests/bench.rs
+++ b/tests/bench.rs
@@ -1189,3 +1189,55 @@ fn legacy_bench_name() {
 [WARNING] path `[..]src[/]bench.rs` was erroneously implicitly accepted for benchmark `bench`,
 please set bench.path in Cargo.toml"));
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn bench_virtual_manifest_all_implied() {
+    if !is_nightly() { return }
+
+    let p = project("workspace")
+        .file("Cargo.toml", r#"
+            [workspace]
+            members = ["foo", "bar"]
+        "#)
+        .file("foo/Cargo.toml", r#"
+            [project]
+            name = "foo"
+            version = "0.1.0"
+        "#)
+        .file("foo/src/lib.rs", r#"
+            pub fn foo() {}
+        "#)
+        .file("foo/benches/foo.rs", r#"
+            #![feature(test)]
+            extern crate test;
+            use test::Bencher;
+            #[bench]
+            fn bench_foo(_: &mut Bencher) -> () { () }
+        "#)
+        .file("bar/Cargo.toml", r#"
+            [project]
+            name = "bar"
+            version = "0.1.0"
+        "#)
+        .file("bar/src/lib.rs", r#"
+            pub fn bar() {}
+        "#)
+        .file("bar/benches/bar.rs", r#"
+            #![feature(test)]
+            extern crate test;
+            use test::Bencher;
+            #[bench]
+            fn bench_bar(_: &mut Bencher) -> () { () }
+        "#);
+
+    // The order in which foo and bar are built is not guaranteed
+    
+    assert_that(p.cargo_process("bench"),
+                execs().with_status(0)
+                       .with_stderr_contains("\
+[RUNNING] target[/]release[/]deps[/]bar-[..][EXE]")
+                       .with_stdout_contains("test bench_bar ... bench: [..]")
+                       .with_stderr_contains("\
+[RUNNING] target[/]release[/]deps[/]foo-[..][EXE]")
+                       .with_stdout_contains("test bench_foo ... bench: [..]"));
+}
diff --git a/tests/build.rs b/tests/build.rs
index f3e9445f8e3..2f82def40ee 100644
--- a/tests/build.rs
+++ b/tests/build.rs
@@ -3038,6 +3038,73 @@ fn build_all_virtual_manifest() {
                        [..] Finished dev [unoptimized + debuginfo] target(s) in [..]\n"));
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn build_virtual_manifest_all_implied() {
+    let p = project("workspace")
+        .file("Cargo.toml", r#"
+            [workspace]
+            members = ["foo", "bar"]
+        "#)
+        .file("foo/Cargo.toml", r#"
+            [project]
+            name = "foo"
+            version = "0.1.0"
+        "#)
+        .file("foo/src/lib.rs", r#"
+            pub fn foo() {}
+        "#)
+        .file("bar/Cargo.toml", r#"
+            [project]
+            name = "bar"
+            version = "0.1.0"
+        "#)
+        .file("bar/src/lib.rs", r#"
+            pub fn bar() {}
+        "#);
+
+    // The order in which foo and bar are built is not guaranteed
+    assert_that(p.cargo_process("build"),
+                execs().with_status(0)
+                       .with_stderr_contains("[..] Compiling bar v0.1.0 ([..])")
+                       .with_stderr_contains("[..] Compiling foo v0.1.0 ([..])")
+                       .with_stderr("[..] Compiling [..] v0.1.0 ([..])\n\
+                       [..] Compiling [..] v0.1.0 ([..])\n\
+                       [..] Finished dev [unoptimized + debuginfo] target(s) in [..]\n"));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn build_virtual_manifest_one_project() {
+    let p = project("workspace")
+        .file("Cargo.toml", r#"
+            [workspace]
+            members = ["foo", "bar"]
+        "#)
+        .file("foo/Cargo.toml", r#"
+            [project]
+            name = "foo"
+            version = "0.1.0"
+        "#)
+        .file("foo/src/lib.rs", r#"
+            pub fn foo() {}
+        "#)
+        .file("bar/Cargo.toml", r#"
+            [project]
+            name = "bar"
+            version = "0.1.0"
+        "#)
+        .file("bar/src/lib.rs", r#"
+            pub fn bar() {}
+        "#);
+
+    assert_that(p.cargo_process("build")
+                 .arg("-p").arg("foo"),
+                execs().with_status(0)
+                       .with_stderr_does_not_contain("bar")
+                       .with_stderr_contains("[..] Compiling foo v0.1.0 ([..])")
+                       .with_stderr("[..] Compiling [..] v0.1.0 ([..])\n\
+                       [..] Finished dev [unoptimized + debuginfo] target(s) in [..]\n"));
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn build_all_virtual_manifest_implicit_examples() {
     let p = project("foo")
diff --git a/tests/check.rs b/tests/check.rs
index 09ebfb0ac44..d0a0e48fff3 100644
--- a/tests/check.rs
+++ b/tests/check.rs
@@ -393,3 +393,34 @@ fn check_all() {
         .with_stderr_contains("[..] --crate-name b b[/]src[/]main.rs [..]")
         );
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn check_virtual_all_implied() {
+    let p = project("workspace")
+        .file("Cargo.toml", r#"
+            [workspace]
+            members = ["foo", "bar"]
+        "#)
+        .file("foo/Cargo.toml", r#"
+            [project]
+            name = "foo"
+            version = "0.1.0"
+        "#)
+        .file("foo/src/lib.rs", r#"
+            pub fn foo() {}
+        "#)
+        .file("bar/Cargo.toml", r#"
+            [project]
+            name = "bar"
+            version = "0.1.0"
+        "#)
+        .file("bar/src/lib.rs", r#"
+            pub fn bar() {}
+        "#);
+
+    assert_that(p.cargo_process("check").arg("-v"),
+                execs().with_status(0)
+        .with_stderr_contains("[..] --crate-name foo foo[/]src[/]lib.rs [..]")
+        .with_stderr_contains("[..] --crate-name bar bar[/]src[/]lib.rs [..]")
+        );
+}
diff --git a/tests/doc.rs b/tests/doc.rs
index 119b5d32a44..2c322a91709 100644
--- a/tests/doc.rs
+++ b/tests/doc.rs
@@ -692,6 +692,37 @@ fn doc_all_virtual_manifest() {
                        .with_stderr_contains("[..] Documenting foo v0.1.0 ([..])"));
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn doc_virtual_manifest_all_implied() {
+    let p = project("workspace")
+        .file("Cargo.toml", r#"
+            [workspace]
+            members = ["foo", "bar"]
+        "#)
+        .file("foo/Cargo.toml", r#"
+            [project]
+            name = "foo"
+            version = "0.1.0"
+        "#)
+        .file("foo/src/lib.rs", r#"
+            pub fn foo() {}
+        "#)
+        .file("bar/Cargo.toml", r#"
+            [project]
+            name = "bar"
+            version = "0.1.0"
+        "#)
+        .file("bar/src/lib.rs", r#"
+            pub fn bar() {}
+        "#);
+
+    // The order in which foo and bar are documented is not guaranteed
+    assert_that(p.cargo_process("doc"),
+                execs().with_status(0)
+                       .with_stderr_contains("[..] Documenting bar v0.1.0 ([..])")
+                       .with_stderr_contains("[..] Documenting foo v0.1.0 ([..])"));
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn doc_all_member_dependency_same_name() {
     let p = project("workspace")
diff --git a/tests/test.rs b/tests/test.rs
index 686157a3247..d0d577d0991 100644
--- a/tests/test.rs
+++ b/tests/test.rs
@@ -2455,6 +2455,38 @@ fn test_all_virtual_manifest() {
                        .with_stdout_contains("test b ... ok"));
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn test_virtual_manifest_all_implied() {
+    let p = project("workspace")
+        .file("Cargo.toml", r#"
+            [workspace]
+            members = ["a", "b"]
+        "#)
+        .file("a/Cargo.toml", r#"
+            [project]
+            name = "a"
+            version = "0.1.0"
+        "#)
+        .file("a/src/lib.rs", r#"
+            #[test]
+            fn a() {}
+        "#)
+        .file("b/Cargo.toml", r#"
+            [project]
+            name = "b"
+            version = "0.1.0"
+        "#)
+        .file("b/src/lib.rs", r#"
+            #[test]
+            fn b() {}
+        "#);
+
+    assert_that(p.cargo_process("test"),
+                execs().with_status(0)
+                       .with_stdout_contains("test a ... ok")
+                       .with_stdout_contains("test b ... ok"));
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn test_all_member_dependency_same_name() {
     let p = project("workspace")
diff --git a/tests/workspaces.rs b/tests/workspaces.rs
index 4670d28f77a..1228ae28218 100644
--- a/tests/workspaces.rs
+++ b/tests/workspaces.rs
@@ -673,7 +673,7 @@ manifest located at: [..]
 }
 
 #[test]
-fn virtual_build() {
+fn virtual_build_all_implied() {
     let p = project("foo")
         .file("Cargo.toml", r#"
             [workspace]
@@ -688,11 +688,7 @@ fn virtual_build() {
         .file("bar/src/main.rs", "fn main() {}");
     p.build();
     assert_that(p.cargo("build"),
-                execs().with_status(101)
-                       .with_stderr("\
-error: manifest path `[..]` is a virtual manifest, but this command \
-requires running against an actual package in this workspace
-"));
+                execs().with_status(0));
 }
 
 #[test]