diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 03235630..fca94070 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ TODO:
   - [x] basic 'capistrano/deploy' noop example
   - [x] don't care too much about testing at this point (rspec included for my reference)
 
-  - [ ] before/after task hooks
+  - [x] before/after task hooks
   - [ ] consider requiring default tasks via configuration (strategy?) rather than Capfile
   - [ ] write more default tasks
   - [ ] handle multiple stage file generation
@@ -40,3 +40,30 @@ Capify:
     $ cap -vT
 
     $ cap deploy
+
+## Before / After
+
+Where calling on the same task name, executed in order of inclusion
+
+
+    # call an existing task
+    before :starting, :ensure_user
+
+    after :finishing, :notify
+
+
+    # or define in block
+    before :starting, :ensure_user do
+      #
+    end
+
+    after :finishing, :notify do
+      #
+    end
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
diff --git a/lib/capistrano/dsl.rb b/lib/capistrano/dsl.rb
index b2de527f..ba6b7f70 100644
--- a/lib/capistrano/dsl.rb
+++ b/lib/capistrano/dsl.rb
@@ -1,8 +1,20 @@
 module Capistrano
   module DSL
 
+    def before(task, prerequisite, *args, &block)
+      rerequisite = Rake::Task.define_task(prerequisite, *args, &block) if block_given?
+      Rake::Task[task].enhance [prerequisite]
+    end
+
+    def after(task, post_task, *args, &block)
+      post_task = Rake::Task.define_task(post_task, *args, &block) if block_given?
+      Rake::Task[task].enhance do
+        invoke(post_task)
+      end
+    end
+
     def invoke(task)
-      ::Rake::Task["deploy:#{task}"].invoke
+      Rake::Task[task].invoke
     end
 
     def fetch(key)
diff --git a/lib/capistrano/tasks/deploy.rake b/lib/capistrano/tasks/deploy.rake
index a504e84e..8dd98ae6 100644
--- a/lib/capistrano/tasks/deploy.rake
+++ b/lib/capistrano/tasks/deploy.rake
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ end
 desc "Deploy"
 task :deploy do
   %w{starting start update finalize restart finishing finished}.each do |stage|
-    invoke stage
+    invoke "deploy:#{stage}"
   end
 end
 task default: :deploy