diff --git a/_bin/runtipictl b/_bin/runtipictl
index 102d0ef..6c871ab 100755
--- a/_bin/runtipictl
+++ b/_bin/runtipictl
@@ -6,6 +6,12 @@ jlmkr () {
 
 JAIL_UID=${JAIL_UID:-${UID}}
 
+jlmkr-shell() {
+    if jlmkr exec runtipi true; then
+         jlmkr shell --uid "${JAIL_UID}" runtipi
+    fi
+}
+
 jlmkr-exec () {
     local set_x=" set -x; pwd; id; "
     [ -z "$QUIET" ] || set_x=""
@@ -83,6 +89,9 @@ case "${1}" in
         _ERROR_MSG="ERROR: failed to invoke a command inside the runtipi jail and can't start the jail." \
         runtipi-cli start --env-file user-config/.env.local --no-permissions
         ;;
+    shell)
+        jlmkr-shell
+        ;;
     exec)
         jlmkr-exec "${@:2}"
         ;;
@@ -124,6 +133,7 @@ case "${1}" in
             "" "" "" \
             "misc." "" ""\
             "" "exec"       "execute within the shell, START_DIR env applies" \
+            "" "shell"      "enter an insteractive shell" \
             "" "" "" \
             "" "setup"      "setup runtipictl in user's .local/bin dir"