diff --git a/scripts/shell.py b/scripts/shell.py
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index d51eca6cf..4d6614353
--- a/scripts/shell.py
+++ b/scripts/shell.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+
 import os
-import argparse
+import sys
 import numpy as np
 
 import ray
@@ -8,19 +10,20 @@ import ray.array.remote as ra
 import ray.array.distributed as da
 import example_functions
 
-DEFAULT_NUM_WORKERS = 10
-DEFAULT_WORKER_PATH = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), "default_worker.py")
+def main(argv):
+  DEFAULT_NUM_WORKERS = 1
+  DEFAULT_WORKER_PATH = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), "default_worker.py")
 
-parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="Parse shell options")
-parser.add_argument("--scheduler-address", default="127.0.0.1:10001", type=str, help="the scheduler's address")
-parser.add_argument("--objstore-address", default="127.0.0.1:20001", type=str, help="the objstore's address")
-parser.add_argument("--worker-address", default="127.0.0.1:30001", type=str, help="the worker's address")
-parser.add_argument("--attach", action="store_true", help="If true, attach the shell to an already running cluster. If false, start a new cluster.")
-parser.add_argument("--worker-path", type=str, help="Path to the worker script")
-parser.add_argument("--num-workers", type=int, help="Number of workers to start")
+  import argparse  # No need for this to be global
+  parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="Parse shell options")
+  parser.add_argument("--scheduler-address", default="127.0.0.1:10001", type=str, help="the scheduler's address")
+  parser.add_argument("--objstore-address", default="127.0.0.1:20001", type=str, help="the objstore's address")
+  parser.add_argument("--worker-address", default="127.0.0.1:30001", type=str, help="the worker's address")
+  parser.add_argument("--attach", action="store_true", help="If true, attach the shell to an already running cluster. If false, start a new cluster.")
+  parser.add_argument("--worker-path", type=str, help="Path to the worker script")
+  parser.add_argument("--num-workers", type=int, help="Number of workers to start")
 
-if __name__ == "__main__":
-  args = parser.parse_args()
+  args, unknown_args = parser.parse_known_args(argv)
   if args.attach:
     assert args.worker_path is None, "when attaching, no new worker can be started"
     assert args.num_workers is None, "when attaching, no new worker can be started"
@@ -29,6 +32,8 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
     ray.services.start_ray_local(num_workers=args.num_workers if not args.num_workers is None else DEFAULT_NUM_WORKERS,
                                  worker_path=args.worker_path if not args.worker_path is None else DEFAULT_WORKER_PATH,
                                  driver_mode=ray.SHELL_MODE)
+  return unknown_args
 
+if __name__ == "__main__":
   import IPython
-  IPython.embed()
+  IPython.terminal.ipapp.launch_new_instance(argv=main(sys.argv[1:]), user_ns=globals())