diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index f4b56f9094dc..2f33d88c35d9 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -59,7 +59,8 @@
 		"onCommand:jupyter.execCurrentCellAndAdvance",
 		"onCommand:python.displayHelp",
 		"onCommand:python.buildWorkspaceSymbols",
-		"onCommand:python.updateSparkLibrary"
+		"onCommand:python.updateSparkLibrary",
+		"onCommand:python.startREPL"
 	],
 	"main": "./out/client/extension",
 	"contributes": {
diff --git a/src/client/common/utils.ts b/src/client/common/utils.ts
index 470531675a92..35919f3d8641 100644
--- a/src/client/common/utils.ts
+++ b/src/client/common/utils.ts
@@ -81,6 +81,17 @@ export function getPythonInterpreterDirectory(): Promise<string> {
         return pythonInterpretterDirectory = '';
     });
 }
+export function getPathFromPythonCommand(args: string[]): Promise<string> {
+    return execPythonFile(settings.PythonSettings.getInstance().pythonPath, args, __dirname).then(stdout => {
+        if (stdout.length === 0) {
+            return "";
+        }
+        let lines = stdout.split(/\r?\n/g).filter(line => line.length > 0);
+        return validatePath(lines[0]);
+    }).catch(() => {
+        return "";
+    });
+}
 
 export function execPythonFile(file: string, args: string[], cwd: string, includeErrorAsResponse: boolean = false, stdOut: (line: string) => void = null, token?: CancellationToken): Promise<string> {
     // If running the python file, then always revert to execFileInternal
diff --git a/src/client/extension.ts b/src/client/extension.ts
index dcf94083387b..d3d47d57b481 100644
--- a/src/client/extension.ts
+++ b/src/client/extension.ts
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import { BlockFormatProviders } from './typeFormatters/blockFormatProvider';
 import * as os from 'os';
 import * as fs from 'fs';
 import { activateSingleFileDebug } from './singleFileDebug';
+import { getPathFromPythonCommand } from './common/utils';
 
 const PYTHON: vscode.DocumentFilter = { language: 'python', scheme: 'file' };
 let unitTestOutChannel: vscode.OutputChannel;
@@ -63,9 +64,13 @@ export function activate(context: vscode.ExtensionContext) {
     context.subscriptions.push(activateFormatOnSaveProvider(PYTHON, settings.PythonSettings.getInstance(), formatOutChannel));
 
     context.subscriptions.push(vscode.commands.registerCommand(Commands.Start_REPL, () => {
-        let term = vscode.window.createTerminal('Python', pythonSettings.pythonPath);
-        term.show();
-        context.subscriptions.push(term);
+        getPathFromPythonCommand(["-c", "import sys;print(sys.executable)"]).catch(()=>{
+            return pythonSettings.pythonPath;
+        }).then(pythonExecutablePath => {
+            let term = vscode.window.createTerminal('Python', pythonExecutablePath);
+            term.show();
+            context.subscriptions.push(term);
+        });
     }));
 
     // Enable indentAction
@@ -136,7 +141,12 @@ class PythonExt {
 
     private _ensureState(): void {
         // context: python.isDjangoProject
-        this._isDjangoProject.set(fs.existsSync(vscode.workspace.rootPath.concat("/manage.py")));
+        if (typeof vscode.workspace.rootPath === 'string'){
+            this._isDjangoProject.set(fs.existsSync(vscode.workspace.rootPath.concat("/manage.py")));
+        }
+        else {
+            this._isDjangoProject.set(false);
+        }
     }
 }