diff --git a/RNS/Utilities/rnsd.py b/RNS/Utilities/rnsd.py
index 46f837b..b286729 100755
--- a/RNS/Utilities/rnsd.py
+++ b/RNS/Utilities/rnsd.py
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ import time
 from RNS._version import __version__
 
 
-def program_setup(configdir, verbosity = 0, quietness = 0, service = False):
+def program_setup(configdir, verbosity = 0, quietness = 0, service = False, interactive=False):
     targetverbosity = verbosity-quietness
 
     if service:
@@ -47,8 +47,9 @@ def program_setup(configdir, verbosity = 0, quietness = 0, service = False):
         #     RNS.Reticulum.get_instance().shared_instance_interface.server.daemon_threads = True
         RNS.log("Started rnsd version {version}".format(version=__version__), RNS.LOG_NOTICE)
 
-    while True:
-        time.sleep(1)
+    if interactive: import code; code.interact(local=globals())
+    else:
+        while True: time.sleep(1)
 
 def main():
     try:
@@ -57,6 +58,7 @@ def main():
         parser.add_argument('-v', '--verbose', action='count', default=0)
         parser.add_argument('-q', '--quiet', action='count', default=0)
         parser.add_argument('-s', '--service', action='store_true', default=False, help="rnsd is running as a service and should log to file")
+        parser.add_argument('-i', '--interactive', action='store_true', default=False, help="drop into interactive shell after initialisation")
         parser.add_argument("--exampleconfig", action='store_true', default=False, help="print verbose configuration example to stdout and exit")
         parser.add_argument("--version", action="version", version="rnsd {version}".format(version=__version__))
         
@@ -71,7 +73,7 @@ def main():
         else:
             configarg = None
 
-        program_setup(configdir = configarg, verbosity=args.verbose, quietness=args.quiet, service=args.service)
+        program_setup(configdir = configarg, verbosity=args.verbose, quietness=args.quiet, service=args.service, interactive=args.interactive)
 
     except KeyboardInterrupt:
         print("")