diff --git a/src/kernel/apps/shell/args.c b/src/kernel/apps/shell/args.c
index 5a33ac2301..f670e6204f 100644
--- a/src/kernel/apps/shell/args.c
+++ b/src/kernel/apps/shell/args.c
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 #include <ctype.h>
 #include <syscalls.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
 
 #include "args.h"
 #include "shell_defs.h"
@@ -10,18 +11,16 @@
 
 bool af_exit_after_script;
 char *af_script_file_name;
+char *gCommandToExecute = NULL;
 
+static const char *kUsage =
+"Usage: shell [ -s ] [ -c <command> ] [ <script> ... ]\n";
 
-static void handle_option(char *option){
-
-	switch(option[1]){
-		case 's':// setup script
-			if(option[2] == 0){
-				af_exit_after_script = false;
-			}
-	}
-
-	printf("wrong option : %s \n",option);
+static
+void
+print_usage(bool error)
+{
+	fprintf((error ? stderr : stdout), kUsage);
 }
 
 void init_arguments(int argc,char **argv){
@@ -30,11 +29,29 @@ void init_arguments(int argc,char **argv){
 	int shell_argc = 0;
 	char name[255];
 
-   af_exit_after_script = true;
+	af_exit_after_script = true;
 	af_script_file_name  = NULL;
 
 	while((cnt < argc) && (argv[cnt][0] == '-')){
-		handle_option(argv[cnt]);
+		const char *option = argv[cnt];
+		switch(option[1]){
+			case 's':	// setup script
+				if (option[2] == 0)
+					af_exit_after_script = false;
+				break;
+			case 'c':	// execute command
+				cnt++;
+				if (cnt >= argc) {
+					print_usage(true);
+					exit(1);
+				}
+				gCommandToExecute = argv[cnt];
+				// ignore further args
+				return;
+			default:
+				print_usage(true);
+				exit(1);
+		}
 		cnt++;
 	}
 
@@ -54,6 +71,4 @@ void init_arguments(int argc,char **argv){
 		shell_var_set_number(NAME_VAR_ARGC,shell_argc);
 
 	}
-
-
 }
diff --git a/src/kernel/apps/shell/args.h b/src/kernel/apps/shell/args.h
index cb94a61997..23f811dc73 100644
--- a/src/kernel/apps/shell/args.h
+++ b/src/kernel/apps/shell/args.h
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 extern bool af_exit_after_script;
 extern char *af_script_file_name;
+extern char *gCommandToExecute;
 
 void init_arguments(int argc,char **argv);
 
diff --git a/src/kernel/apps/shell/main.c b/src/kernel/apps/shell/main.c
index 8aedd79e5f..c3871274f9 100644
--- a/src/kernel/apps/shell/main.c
+++ b/src/kernel/apps/shell/main.c
@@ -80,6 +80,12 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 			exit(0);
 	}
 
+	if (gCommandToExecute) {
+		if (strlen(gCommandToExecute) > 0)
+			parse_string(gCommandToExecute);
+		exit(0);
+	}
+
 	printf("Welcome to the Haiku shell\n");
 
 	for (;;) {