diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 9dcc110f0d..a7aa2e960a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -438,25 +438,26 @@ import {withTimeout} from 'zx/experimental'
 await withTimeout(100, 'SIGTERM')`sleep 9999`
 ```
 
-### `getCtx()` and `runInCtx()`
+### `ctx()`
 
-[async_hooks](https://nodejs.org/api/async_hooks.html) methods to manipulate bound context.
-This object is used by zx inners, so it has a significant impact on the call mechanics. Please use this carefully and wisely.
+[async_hooks](https://nodejs.org/api/async_hooks.html)-driven scope isolator.
+Creates a separate zx-context for the specified function.
 
 ```js
-import {getCtx, runInCtx} from 'zx/experimental'
+import {ctx} from 'zx/experimental'
 
-runInCtx({ ...getCtx() }, async () => {
+const _$ = $
+ctx(async ($) => {
   await sleep(10)
   cd('/foo')
   // $.cwd refers to /foo
-  // getCtx().cwd === $.cwd
+  // _$.cwd === $.cwd
 })
 
-runInCtx({ ...getCtx() }, async () => {
+ctx(async ($) => {
   await sleep(20)
-  // $.cwd refers to /foo
-  // but getCtx().cwd !== $.cwd
+  // _$.cwd refers to /foo
+  // but _$.cwd !== $.cwd
 })
 ```
 
diff --git a/src/experimental.ts b/src/experimental.ts
index 65a52bc2d7..899ae2136b 100644
--- a/src/experimental.ts
+++ b/src/experimental.ts
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@ import { sleep } from './goods.js'
 import { isString } from './util.js'
 import { getCtx, runInCtx } from './context.js'
 
-export { getCtx, runInCtx }
-
 // Retries a command a few times. Will return after the first
 // successful attempt, or will throw after specifies attempts count.
 export function retry(count = 5, delay = 0) {
@@ -79,3 +77,12 @@ export function startSpinner(title = '') {
       clearInterval(id)
   )(setInterval(spin, 100))
 }
+
+export function ctx(cb: (_$: typeof $) => any) {
+  const _$ = Object.assign($.bind(null), getCtx())
+  function _cb() {
+    return cb(_$)
+  }
+
+  return runInCtx(_$, _cb)
+}
diff --git a/test/experimental.test.js b/test/experimental.test.js
index d04200e131..cd2a6309d7 100644
--- a/test/experimental.test.js
+++ b/test/experimental.test.js
@@ -21,10 +21,14 @@ import {
   retry,
   startSpinner,
   withTimeout,
+  ctx,
 } from '../build/experimental.js'
 
 import chalk from 'chalk'
 
+import { ProcessPromise } from '../build/core.js'
+import { randomId } from '../build/util.js'
+
 $.verbose = false
 
 test('retry works', async () => {
@@ -71,4 +75,111 @@ test('spinner works', async () => {
   s()
 })
 
+test('ctx() provides isolates running scopes', async () => {
+  $.verbose = true
+
+  await ctx(async ($) => {
+    $.verbose = false
+    await $`echo a`
+
+    $.verbose = true
+    await $`echo b`
+
+    $.verbose = false
+    await ctx(async ($) => {
+      await $`echo d`
+
+      await ctx(async ($) => {
+        assert.ok($.verbose === false)
+
+        await $`echo e`
+        $.verbose = true
+      })
+      $.verbose = true
+    })
+
+    await $`echo c`
+  })
+
+  await $`echo f`
+
+  await ctx(async ($) => {
+    assert.is($.verbose, true)
+    $.verbose = false
+    await $`echo g`
+  })
+
+  assert.is($.verbose, true)
+
+  $.o =
+    (opts) =>
+    (...args) =>
+      ctx(($) => Object.assign($, opts)(...args))
+
+  const createHook = (opts, name = randomId(), cb = (v) => v, configurable) => {
+    ProcessPromise.prototype[name] = function (...args) {
+      Object.assign(this.ctx, opts)
+      return cb(this, ...args)
+    }
+
+    const getP = (p, opts, $args) =>
+      p instanceof ProcessPromise ? p : $.o(opts)(...$args)
+
+    return (...args) => {
+      if (!configurable) {
+        const p = getP(args[0], opts, args)
+        return p[name]()
+      }
+
+      return (...$args) => {
+        const p = getP($args[0], opts, $args)
+        return p[name](...args)
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  const quiet = createHook({ verbose: false }, 'quiet')
+  const debug = createHook({ verbose: 2 }, 'debug')
+
+  const timeout = createHook(
+    null,
+    'timeout',
+    (p, t, signal) => {
+      if (!t) return p
+      let timer = setTimeout(() => p.kill(signal), t)
+
+      return Object.assign(
+        p.finally(() => clearTimeout(timer)),
+        p
+      )
+    },
+    true
+  )
+
+  await quiet`echo 'quiet'`
+  await debug($`echo 'debug'`)
+  await $`echo 'chained'`.quiet()
+
+  try {
+    await quiet(timeout(100, 'SIGKILL')`sleep 9999`)
+  } catch {
+    console.log('killed1')
+  }
+
+  try {
+    const p = $`sleep 9999`
+    await quiet(timeout(100, 'SIGKILL')(p))
+  } catch {
+    console.log('killed2')
+  }
+
+  try {
+    await $`sleep 9999`.quiet().timeout(100, 'SIGKILL')
+  } catch {
+    console.log('killed3')
+  }
+
+  $.verbose = false
+})
+
 test.run()
diff --git a/test/index.test.js b/test/index.test.js
index 3b69eb81bb..16224144ce 100755
--- a/test/index.test.js
+++ b/test/index.test.js
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ import { Writable } from 'node:stream'
 import { Socket } from 'node:net'
 import '../build/globals.js'
 import { ProcessPromise } from '../build/index.js'
-import {getCtx, runInCtx} from '../build/experimental.js'
+import { getCtx, runInCtx } from '../build/context.js'
 
 test('only stdout is used during command substitution', async () => {
   let hello = await $`echo Error >&2; echo Hello`