diff --git a/examples/deploy-container.sh b/examples/deploy-container.sh
index 5912ba5..f9fc494 100755
--- a/examples/deploy-container.sh
+++ b/examples/deploy-container.sh
@@ -62,7 +62,13 @@ in {
 }
 EOF
 # Run command in container
-c() { sudo extra-container run demo-node -- "$@" | cat; }
+c() {
+    if [[ $# > 0 ]]; then
+        sudo extra-container run demo-node -- "$@" | cat;
+    else
+        sudo nixos-container root-login demo-node
+    fi
+}
 
 echo
 echo "Bitcoind service:"
@@ -81,6 +87,6 @@ echo "Bitcoind data dir:"
 sudo ls -al /var/lib/containers/demo-node/var/lib/bitcoind
 
 # Uncomment to start a shell session here
-# export -f c; bash -li
+# . start-bash-session.sh
 
 # Cleanup happens at exit (see above)
diff --git a/examples/deploy-nixops.sh b/examples/deploy-nixops.sh
index b204aa9..155cc5e 100755
--- a/examples/deploy-nixops.sh
+++ b/examples/deploy-nixops.sh
@@ -38,7 +38,8 @@ nixops deploy -d bitcoin-node
 # Connect to node
 nixops ssh bitcoin-node systemctl status bitcoind
 
+c() { nixops ssh bitcoin-node "$@"; }
 # Uncomment to start a shell session here
-# bash -li
+# . start-bash-session.sh
 
 # Cleanup happens at exit (see above)
diff --git a/examples/deploy-qemu-vm.sh b/examples/deploy-qemu-vm.sh
index a87547c..01ad0df 100755
--- a/examples/deploy-qemu-vm.sh
+++ b/examples/deploy-qemu-vm.sh
@@ -91,6 +91,6 @@ echo "Node info:"
 c nodeinfo
 
 # Uncomment to start a shell session here
-# export -f c; bash -li
+# . start-bash-session.sh
 
 # Cleanup happens at exit (see above)
diff --git a/examples/start-bash-session.sh b/examples/start-bash-session.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..37ba4fc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/start-bash-session.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+# Start an interactive bash session in the current bash environment.
+
+USAGE_INFO='
+Starting shell...
+Run "c COMMAND" to execute a command on the bitcoin node
+Run "c" to start a shell session inside the node'
+
+# BASH_ENVIRONMENT contains definitions of read-only variables like 'BASHOPTS' that
+# cause warnings on evaluation. Suppress these warnings while sourcing.
+BASH_ENVIRONMENT=<(declare -p; declare -pf) \
+USAGE_INFO="$USAGE_INFO" \
+  bash --rcfile <(echo '
+    source $BASH_ENVIRONMENT 2>/dev/null
+    echo "$USAGE_INFO"
+  ')