diff --git a/crates/shell/src/main.rs b/crates/shell/src/main.rs
index b513a6e..0556b26 100644
--- a/crates/shell/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/shell/src/main.rs
@@ -24,6 +24,10 @@ struct Options {
     #[clap(long)]
     interact: bool,
 
+    /// Do not source ~/.shellrc on startup
+    #[clap(long)]
+    norc: bool,
+
     #[clap(short, long)]
     debug: bool,
 }
@@ -34,7 +38,7 @@ fn init_state() -> ShellState {
     ShellState::new(env_vars, &cwd, commands::get_commands())
 }
 
-async fn interactive(state: Option<ShellState>) -> miette::Result<()> {
+async fn interactive(state: Option<ShellState>, norc: bool) -> miette::Result<()> {
     let config = Config::builder()
         .history_ignore_space(true)
         .completion_type(CompletionType::List)
@@ -53,6 +57,8 @@ async fn interactive(state: Option<ShellState>) -> miette::Result<()> {
     let mut state = state.unwrap_or_else(init_state);
 
     let home = dirs::home_dir().ok_or(miette::miette!("Couldn't get home directory"))?;
+
+    // Load .shell_history
     let history_file: PathBuf = [home.as_path(), Path::new(".shell_history")]
         .iter()
         .collect();
@@ -62,6 +68,16 @@ async fn interactive(state: Option<ShellState>) -> miette::Result<()> {
             .context("Failed to read the command history")?;
     }
 
+    // Load ~/.shellrc
+    let shellrc_file: PathBuf = [home.as_path(), Path::new(".shellrc")].iter().collect();
+    if !norc && Path::new(shellrc_file.as_path()).exists() {
+        let line = "source '".to_owned() + shellrc_file.to_str().unwrap() + "'";
+        let prev_exit_code = execute(&line, &mut state)
+            .await
+            .context("Failed to source ~/.shellrc")?;
+        state.set_last_command_exit_code(prev_exit_code);
+    }
+
     let mut _prev_exit_code = 0;
     loop {
         // Reset cancellation flag
@@ -156,10 +172,10 @@ async fn main() -> miette::Result<()> {
         }
         execute(&script_text, &mut state).await?;
         if options.interact {
-            interactive(Some(state)).await?;
+            interactive(Some(state), options.norc).await?;
         }
     } else {
-        interactive(None).await?;
+        interactive(None, options.norc).await?;
     }
 
     Ok(())