diff --git a/cdist/__init__.py b/cdist/__init__.py
index bd45e740..20c76b31 100644
--- a/cdist/__init__.py
+++ b/cdist/__init__.py
@@ -40,8 +40,11 @@ BANNER = """
  "8888P'   `"888*""     R888" `   ^"F        'Y"
    "P'        ""         ""
 """
+
 DOT_CDIST   = ".cdist"
 
+REMOTE_COPY = "scp -o User=root -q"
+REMOTE_EXEC = "ssh -o User=root -q"
 
 class Error(Exception):
     """Base exception class for this project"""
diff --git a/cdist/shell.py b/cdist/shell.py
index f68a47ed..bc2c1ee9 100644
--- a/cdist/shell.py
+++ b/cdist/shell.py
@@ -20,9 +20,13 @@
 #
 
 import logging
-import sys
+import os
+import subprocess
 
-import cdist
+# FIXME: only considering config here - enable
+# command line switch for using install object
+# when it is available
+import cdist.config
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -32,9 +36,25 @@ class Shell(object):
         pass
 
     @classmethod
-    def commandline(cls):
+    def commandline(cls, args):
         pass
         # initialise cdist
+        import cdist.context
+
+        context = cdist.context.Context(
+            target_host="cdist-shell-no-target-host",
+            remote_copy=cdist.REMOTE_COPY,
+            remote_exec=cdist.REMOTE_EXEC)
+
+        config = cdist.config.Config(context)
+
         # Startup Shell
+        if args.shell:
+            shell = [args.shell]
+        elif 'SHELL' in os.environ:
+            shell = [os.environ['SHELL']]
+        else:
+            shell = ["/bin/sh"]
 
-
+        log.info("Starting shell...")
+        subprocess.call(shell)
diff --git a/scripts/cdist b/scripts/cdist
index 79a89a7c..935e9096 100755
--- a/scripts/cdist
+++ b/scripts/cdist
@@ -75,11 +75,11 @@ def commandline():
     parser['configinstall'].add_argument('--remote-copy',
          help='Command to use for remote copy (should behave like scp)',
          action='store', dest='remote_copy',
-         default="scp -o User=root -q")
+         default=cdist.REMOTE_COPY)
     parser['configinstall'].add_argument('--remote-exec',
          help='Command to use for remote execution (should behave like ssh)',
          action='store', dest='remote_exec',
-         default="ssh -o User=root -q")
+         default=cdist.REMOTE_EXEC)
 
     # Config
     parser['config'] = parser['sub'].add_parser('config',
@@ -89,6 +89,8 @@ def commandline():
     # Shell
     parser['shell'] = parser['sub'].add_parser('shell', 
         parents=[parser['loglevel']])
+    parser['shell'].add_argument('-s', '--shell',
+         help='Select shell to use, defaults to current shell')
     parser['shell'].set_defaults(func=cdist.shell.Shell.commandline)