diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 41ec19eb89..239387c2f4 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -316,6 +316,7 @@ MODULES =					\
   guix/scripts/import/stackage.scm		\
   guix/scripts/import/texlive.scm  		\
   guix/scripts/environment.scm			\
+  guix/scripts/shell.scm			\
   guix/scripts/publish.scm			\
   guix/scripts/edit.scm				\
   guix/scripts/size.scm				\
@@ -552,6 +553,7 @@ SH_TESTS =					\
   tests/guix-authenticate.sh			\
   tests/guix-environment.sh			\
   tests/guix-environment-container.sh		\
+  tests/guix-shell.sh				\
   tests/guix-graph.sh				\
   tests/guix-describe.sh			\
   tests/guix-repl.sh     			\
diff --git a/doc/contributing.texi b/doc/contributing.texi
index 76ab913b0d..db0f836157 100644
--- a/doc/contributing.texi
+++ b/doc/contributing.texi
@@ -73,10 +73,10 @@ all the dependencies and appropriate environment variables are set up to
 hack on Guix:
 
 @example
-guix environment guix --pure
+guix shell -D guix --pure
 @end example
 
-@xref{Invoking guix environment}, for more information on that command.
+@xref{Invoking guix shell}, for more information on that command.
 
 If you are unable to use Guix when building Guix from a checkout, the
 following are the required packages in addition to those mentioned in the
@@ -92,10 +92,10 @@ installation instructions (@pxref{Requirements}).
 @end itemize
 
 On Guix, extra dependencies can be added by instead running @command{guix
-environment} with @option{--ad-hoc}:
+shell}:
 
 @example
-guix environment guix --pure --ad-hoc help2man git strace
+guix shell -D guix help2man git strace --pure
 @end example
 
 Run @command{./bootstrap} to generate the build system infrastructure
diff --git a/doc/guix.texi b/doc/guix.texi
index c1045b331b..63612728ed 100644
--- a/doc/guix.texi
+++ b/doc/guix.texi
@@ -119,6 +119,7 @@ Documentation License''.
 
 @dircategory Software development
 @direntry
+* guix shell: (guix)Invoking guix shell.      Creating software environments.
 * guix environment: (guix)Invoking guix environment.  Building development environments with Guix.
 * guix build: (guix)Invoking guix build.      Building packages.
 * guix pack: (guix)Invoking guix pack.        Creating binary bundles.
@@ -262,6 +263,7 @@ Channels
 
 Development
 
+* Invoking guix shell::         Spawning one-off software environments.
 * Invoking guix environment::   Setting up development environments.
 * Invoking guix pack::          Creating software bundles.
 * The GCC toolchain::           Working with languages supported by GCC.
@@ -3067,10 +3069,10 @@ substitutes: they can force a local build and @emph{challenge} providers
 (@pxref{Invoking guix challenge}).
 
 Control over the build environment is a feature that is also useful for
-developers.  The @command{guix environment} command allows developers of
+developers.  The @command{guix shell} command allows developers of
 a package to quickly set up the right development environment for their
 package, without having to manually install the dependencies of the
-package into their profile (@pxref{Invoking guix environment}).
+package into their profile (@pxref{Invoking guix shell}).
 
 @cindex replication, of software environments
 @cindex provenance tracking, of software artifacts
@@ -3234,7 +3236,7 @@ As an example, @var{file} might contain a definition like this
 Developers may find it useful to include such a @file{guix.scm} file
 in the root of their project source tree that can be used to test
 development snapshots and create reproducible development environments
-(@pxref{Invoking guix environment}).
+(@pxref{Invoking guix shell}).
 
 The @var{file} may also contain a JSON representation of one or more
 package definitions.  Running @code{guix package -f} on
@@ -5559,31 +5561,352 @@ If you are a software developer, Guix provides tools that you should find
 helpful---independently of the language you're developing in.  This is what
 this chapter is about.
 
-The @command{guix environment} command provides a convenient way to set up
-@dfn{development environments} containing all the dependencies and tools
-necessary to work on the software package of your choice.  The @command{guix
+The @command{guix shell} command provides a convenient way to set up
+one-off software environments, be it for development purposes or to run
+a command without installing it in your profile.  The @command{guix
 pack} command allows you to create @dfn{application bundles} that can be
 easily distributed to users who do not run Guix.
 
 @menu
+* Invoking guix shell::         Spawning one-off software environments.
 * Invoking guix environment::   Setting up development environments.
 * Invoking guix pack::          Creating software bundles.
 * The GCC toolchain::           Working with languages supported by GCC.
 * Invoking guix git authenticate:: Authenticating Git repositories.
 @end menu
 
-@node Invoking guix environment
-@section Invoking @command{guix environment}
+@node Invoking guix shell
+@section Invoking @command{guix shell}
 
 @cindex reproducible build environments
 @cindex development environments
 @cindex @command{guix environment}
 @cindex environment, package build environment
-The purpose of @command{guix environment} is to assist hackers in
-creating reproducible development environments without polluting their
-package profile.  The @command{guix environment} tool takes one or more
-packages, builds all of their inputs, and creates a shell
-environment to use them.
+The purpose of @command{guix shell} is to make it easy to create one-off
+software environments, without changing one's profile.  It is typically
+used to create development environments; it is also a convenient way to
+run applications without ``polluting'' your profile.
+
+@quotation Note
+The @command{guix shell} command was recently introduced to supersede
+@command{guix environment} (@pxref{Invoking guix environment}).  If you
+are familiar with @command{guix environment}, you will notice that it is
+similar but also---we hope!---more convenient.
+@end quotation
+
+The general syntax is:
+
+@example
+guix shell [@var{options}] [@var{package}@dots{}]
+@end example
+
+The following example creates an environment containing Python and NumPy,
+building or downloading any missing package, and runs the
+@command{python3} command in that environment:
+
+@example
+guix shell python python-numpy -- python3
+@end example
+
+Development environments can be created as in the example below, which
+spawns an interactive shell containing all the dependencies and
+environment variables needed to work on Inkscape:
+
+@example
+guix shell --development inkscape
+@end example
+
+Exiting the shell places the user back in the original environment
+before @command{guix shell} was invoked.  The next garbage collection
+(@pxref{Invoking guix gc}) may clean up packages that were installed in
+the environment and that are no longer used outside of it.
+
+By default, the shell session or command runs in an @emph{augmented}
+environment, where the new packages are added to search path environment
+variables such as @code{PATH}.  You can, instead, choose to create an
+@emph{isolated} environment containing nothing but the packages you
+asked for.  Passing the @option{--pure} option clears environment
+variable definitions found in the parent environment@footnote{Users
+sometimes wrongfully augment environment variables such as @env{PATH} in
+their @file{~/.bashrc} file.  As a consequence, when @command{guix
+environment} launches it, Bash may read @file{~/.bashrc}, thereby
+introducing ``impurities'' in these environment variables.  It is an
+error to define such environment variables in @file{.bashrc}; instead,
+they should be defined in @file{.bash_profile}, which is sourced only by
+log-in shells.  @xref{Bash Startup Files,,, bash, The GNU Bash Reference
+Manual}, for details on Bash start-up files.}; passing
+@option{--container} goes one step further by spawning a @dfn{container}
+isolated from the rest of the system:
+
+@example
+guix shell --container emacs gcc-toolchain
+@end example
+
+The command above spawns an interactive shell in a container when
+nothing but @code{emacs}, @code{gcc-toolchain}, and their dependencies
+is available.  The container lacks network access and shares no files
+other than the current working directory with the surrounding
+environment.  This is useful to prevent access to system-wide resources
+such as @file{/usr/bin} on foreign distros.
+
+This @option{--container} option can also prove useful if you wish to
+run a security-sensitive application, such as a web browser, in an
+isolated environment.  For example, the command below launches
+Ungoogled-Chromium in an isolated environment, this time sharing network
+access with the host and preserving its @code{DISPLAY} environment
+variable, but without even sharing the current directory:
+
+@example
+guix shell --container --network --no-cwd ungoogled-chromium \
+  --preserve='^DISPLAY$' -- chromium
+@end example
+
+@vindex GUIX_ENVIRONMENT
+@command{guix shell} defines the @env{GUIX_ENVIRONMENT}
+variable in the shell it spawns; its value is the file name of the
+profile of this environment.  This allows users to, say, define a
+specific prompt for development environments in their @file{.bashrc}
+(@pxref{Bash Startup Files,,, bash, The GNU Bash Reference Manual}):
+
+@example
+if [ -n "$GUIX_ENVIRONMENT" ]
+then
+    export PS1="\u@@\h \w [dev]\$ "
+fi
+@end example
+
+@noindent
+...@: or to browse the profile:
+
+@example
+$ ls "$GUIX_ENVIRONMENT/bin"
+@end example
+
+The available options are summarized below.
+
+@table @code
+@item --development
+@itemx -D
+Cause @command{guix shell} to include in the environment the
+dependencies of the following package rather than the package itself.
+This can be combined with other packages.  For instance, the command
+below starts an interactive shell containing the build-time dependencies
+of GNU@tie{}Guile, plus Autoconf, Automake, and Libtool:
+
+@example
+guix shell -D guile autoconf automake libtool
+@end example
+
+@item --expression=@var{expr}
+@itemx -e @var{expr}
+Create an environment for the package or list of packages that
+@var{expr} evaluates to.
+
+For example, running:
+
+@example
+guix shell -D -e '(@@ (gnu packages maths) petsc-openmpi)'
+@end example
+
+starts a shell with the environment for this specific variant of the
+PETSc package.
+
+Running:
+
+@example
+guix shell -e '(@@ (gnu) %base-packages)'
+@end example
+
+starts a shell with all the base system packages available.
+
+The above commands only use the default output of the given packages.
+To select other outputs, two element tuples can be specified:
+
+@example
+guix shell -e '(list (@@ (gnu packages bash) bash) "include")'
+@end example
+
+@item --file=@var{file}
+@itemx -f @var{file}
+Create an environment containing the package or list of packages that
+the code within @var{file} evaluates to.
+
+As an example, @var{file} might contain a definition like this
+(@pxref{Defining Packages}):
+
+@lisp
+@verbatiminclude environment-gdb.scm
+@end lisp
+
+With the file above, you can enter a development environment for GDB by
+running:
+
+@example
+guix shell -D -f gdb-devel.scm
+@end example
+
+@item --manifest=@var{file}
+@itemx -m @var{file}
+Create an environment for the packages contained in the manifest object
+returned by the Scheme code in @var{file}.  This option can be repeated
+several times, in which case the manifests are concatenated.
+
+This is similar to the same-named option in @command{guix package}
+(@pxref{profile-manifest, @option{--manifest}}) and uses the same
+manifest files.
+
+@item --pure
+Unset existing environment variables when building the new environment, except
+those specified with @option{--preserve} (see below).  This has the effect of
+creating an environment in which search paths only contain package inputs.
+
+@item --preserve=@var{regexp}
+@itemx -E @var{regexp}
+When used alongside @option{--pure}, preserve the environment variables
+matching @var{regexp}---in other words, put them on a ``white list'' of
+environment variables that must be preserved.  This option can be repeated
+several times.
+
+@example
+guix shell --pure --preserve=^SLURM openmpi @dots{} \
+  -- mpirun @dots{}
+@end example
+
+This example runs @command{mpirun} in a context where the only environment
+variables defined are @env{PATH}, environment variables whose name starts
+with @samp{SLURM}, as well as the usual ``precious'' variables (@env{HOME},
+@env{USER}, etc.).
+
+@item --search-paths
+Display the environment variable definitions that make up the
+environment.
+
+@item --system=@var{system}
+@itemx -s @var{system}
+Attempt to build for @var{system}---e.g., @code{i686-linux}.
+
+@item --container
+@itemx -C
+@cindex container
+Run @var{command} within an isolated container.  The current working
+directory outside the container is mapped inside the container.
+Additionally, unless overridden with @option{--user}, a dummy home
+directory is created that matches the current user's home directory, and
+@file{/etc/passwd} is configured accordingly.
+
+The spawned process runs as the current user outside the container.  Inside
+the container, it has the same UID and GID as the current user, unless
+@option{--user} is passed (see below).
+
+@item --network
+@itemx -N
+For containers, share the network namespace with the host system.
+Containers created without this flag only have access to the loopback
+device.
+
+@item --link-profile
+@itemx -P
+For containers, link the environment profile to @file{~/.guix-profile}
+within the container and set @code{GUIX_ENVIRONMENT} to that.
+This is equivalent to making @file{~/.guix-profile} a symlink to the
+actual profile within the container.
+Linking will fail and abort the environment if the directory already
+exists, which will certainly be the case if @command{guix shell}
+was invoked in the user's home directory.
+
+Certain packages are configured to look in @file{~/.guix-profile} for
+configuration files and data;@footnote{For example, the
+@code{fontconfig} package inspects @file{~/.guix-profile/share/fonts}
+for additional fonts.}  @option{--link-profile} allows these programs to
+behave as expected within the environment.
+
+@item --user=@var{user}
+@itemx -u @var{user}
+For containers, use the username @var{user} in place of the current
+user.  The generated @file{/etc/passwd} entry within the container will
+contain the name @var{user}, the home directory will be
+@file{/home/@var{user}}, and no user GECOS data will be copied.  Furthermore,
+the UID and GID inside the container are 1000.  @var{user}
+need not exist on the system.
+
+Additionally, any shared or exposed path (see @option{--share} and
+@option{--expose} respectively) whose target is within the current user's
+home directory will be remapped relative to @file{/home/USER}; this
+includes the automatic mapping of the current working directory.
+
+@example
+# will expose paths as /home/foo/wd, /home/foo/test, and /home/foo/target
+cd $HOME/wd
+guix shell --container --user=foo \
+     --expose=$HOME/test \
+     --expose=/tmp/target=$HOME/target
+@end example
+
+While this will limit the leaking of user identity through home paths
+and each of the user fields, this is only one useful component of a
+broader privacy/anonymity solution---not one in and of itself.
+
+@item --no-cwd
+For containers, the default behavior is to share the current working
+directory with the isolated container and immediately change to that
+directory within the container.  If this is undesirable,
+@option{--no-cwd} will cause the current working directory to @emph{not}
+be automatically shared and will change to the user's home directory
+within the container instead.  See also @option{--user}.
+
+@item --expose=@var{source}[=@var{target}]
+@itemx --share=@var{source}[=@var{target}]
+For containers, @option{--expose} (resp. @option{--share}) exposes the
+file system @var{source} from the host system as the read-only
+(resp. writable) file system @var{target} within the container.  If
+@var{target} is not specified, @var{source} is used as the target mount
+point in the container.
+
+The example below spawns a Guile REPL in a container in which the user's
+home directory is accessible read-only via the @file{/exchange}
+directory:
+
+@example
+guix shell --container --expose=$HOME=/exchange guile -- guile
+@end example
+
+@item --root=@var{file}
+@itemx -r @var{file}
+@cindex persistent environment
+@cindex garbage collector root, for environments
+Make @var{file} a symlink to the profile for this environment, and
+register it as a garbage collector root.
+
+This is useful if you want to protect your environment from garbage
+collection, to make it ``persistent''.
+
+When this option is omitted, the environment is protected from garbage
+collection only for the duration of the @command{guix shell}
+session.  This means that next time you recreate the same environment,
+you could have to rebuild or re-download packages.  @xref{Invoking guix
+gc}, for more on GC roots.
+@end table
+
+@command{guix shell} also supports all of the common build options that
+@command{guix build} supports (@pxref{Common Build Options}) as well as
+package transformation options (@pxref{Package Transformation Options}).
+
+@node Invoking guix environment
+@section Invoking @command{guix environment}
+
+The purpose of @command{guix environment} is to assist in creating
+development environments.
+
+@quotation Deprecation warning
+The @command{guix environment} command is deprecated in favor of
+@command{guix shell}, which performs similar functions but is more
+convenient to use.  @xref{Invoking guix shell}.
+
+Being deprecated, @command{guix environment} is slated for eventual
+removal, but the Guix project is committed to keeping it until May 1st,
+2023.  Please get in touch with us at @email{guix-devel@@gnu.org} if you
+would like to discuss it.
+@end quotation
 
 The general syntax is:
 
@@ -11099,14 +11422,14 @@ a container similar to the one the build daemon creates:
 $ guix build -K foo
 @dots{}
 $ cd /tmp/guix-build-foo.drv-0
-$ guix environment --no-grafts -C foo --ad-hoc strace gdb
+$ guix shell --no-grafts -C foo strace gdb
 [env]# source ./environment-variables
 [env]# cd foo-1.2
 @end example
 
 Here, @command{guix environment -C} creates a container and spawns a new
-shell in it (@pxref{Invoking guix environment}).  The @command{--ad-hoc
-strace gdb} part adds the @command{strace} and @command{gdb} commands to
+shell in it (@pxref{Invoking guix shell}).  The @command{strace gdb}
+part adds the @command{strace} and @command{gdb} commands to
 the container, which you may find handy while debugging.  The
 @option{--no-grafts} option makes sure we get the exact same
 environment, with ungrafted packages (@pxref{Security Updates}, for more
@@ -11120,7 +11443,7 @@ remove @file{/bin/sh}:
 @end example
 
 (Don't worry, this is harmless: this is all happening in the throw-away
-container created by @command{guix environment}.)
+container created by @command{guix shell}.)
 
 The @command{strace} command is probably not in the search path, but we
 can run:
@@ -13316,8 +13639,8 @@ is subject to radical change in the future.
 
 The purpose of @command{guix container} is to manipulate processes
 running within an isolated environment, commonly known as a
-``container'', typically created by the @command{guix environment}
-(@pxref{Invoking guix environment}) and @command{guix system container}
+``container'', typically created by the @command{guix shell}
+(@pxref{Invoking guix shell}) and @command{guix system container}
 (@pxref{Invoking guix system}) commands.
 
 The general syntax is:
@@ -13503,7 +13826,7 @@ listed.}.  Here's an example of the information it returns:
 $ sudo guix processes
 SessionPID: 19002
 ClientPID: 19090
-ClientCommand: guix environment --ad-hoc python
+ClientCommand: guix shell python
 
 SessionPID: 19402
 ClientPID: 19367
@@ -29695,8 +30018,7 @@ When the service is running, you can view its console by connecting to
 it with a VNC client, for example with:
 
 @example
-guix environment --ad-hoc tigervnc-client -- \
-         vncviewer localhost:5900
+guix shell tigervnc-client -- vncviewer localhost:5900
 @end example
 
 The default configuration (see @code{hurd-vm-configuration} below)
diff --git a/guix/scripts/environment.scm b/guix/scripts/environment.scm
index 54f48a7482..77956fc018 100644
--- a/guix/scripts/environment.scm
+++ b/guix/scripts/environment.scm
@@ -50,7 +50,11 @@ (define-module (guix scripts environment)
   #:use-module (srfi srfi-37)
   #:use-module (srfi srfi-98)
   #:export (assert-container-features
-            guix-environment))
+            guix-environment
+            guix-environment*
+            show-environment-options-help
+            (%options . %environment-options)
+            (%default-options . %environment-default-options)))
 
 (define %default-shell
   (or (getenv "SHELL") "/bin/sh"))
@@ -66,23 +70,16 @@ (define* (show-search-paths profile manifest #:key pure?)
                (newline)))
             (profile-search-paths profile manifest)))
 
-(define (show-help)
-  (display (G_ "Usage: guix environment [OPTION]... PACKAGE... [-- COMMAND...]
-Build an environment that includes the dependencies of PACKAGE and execute
-COMMAND or an interactive shell in that environment.\n"))
+(define (show-environment-options-help)
+  "Print help about options shared between 'guix environment' and 'guix
+shell'."
   (display (G_ "
   -e, --expression=EXPR  create environment for the package that EXPR
                          evaluates to"))
   (display (G_ "
-  -l, --load=FILE        create environment for the package that the code within
-                         FILE evaluates to"))
-  (display (G_ "
   -m, --manifest=FILE    create environment with the manifest from FILE"))
   (display (G_ "
   -p, --profile=PATH     create environment from profile at PATH"))
-  (display (G_ "
-      --ad-hoc           include all specified packages in the environment instead
-                         of only their inputs"))
   (display (G_ "
       --pure             unset existing environment variables"))
   (display (G_ "
@@ -118,7 +115,24 @@ (define (show-help)
   (display (G_ "
   -v, --verbosity=LEVEL  use the given verbosity LEVEL"))
   (display (G_ "
-      --bootstrap        use bootstrap binaries to build the environment"))
+      --bootstrap        use bootstrap binaries to build the environment")))
+
+(define (show-help)
+  (display (G_ "Usage: guix environment [OPTION]... PACKAGE... [-- COMMAND...]
+Build an environment that includes the dependencies of PACKAGE and execute
+COMMAND or an interactive shell in that environment.\n"))
+  (warning (G_ "This command is deprecated in favor of 'guix shell'.\n"))
+  (newline)
+
+  ;; These two options are left out in 'guix shell'.
+  (display (G_ "
+  -l, --load=FILE        create environment for the package that the code within
+                         FILE evaluates to"))
+  (display (G_ "
+      --ad-hoc           include all specified packages in the environment instead
+                         of only their inputs"))
+
+  (show-environment-options-help)
   (newline)
   (show-build-options-help)
   (newline)
@@ -649,11 +663,15 @@ (define (register-gc-root target root)
 
 (define-command (guix-environment . args)
   (category development)
-  (synopsis "spawn one-off software environments")
+  (synopsis "spawn one-off software environments (deprecated)")
 
+  (guix-environment* (parse-args args)))
+
+(define (guix-environment* opts)
+  "Run the 'guix environment' command on OPTS, an alist resulting for
+command-line option processing with 'parse-command-line'."
   (with-error-handling
-    (let* ((opts       (parse-args args))
-           (pure?      (assoc-ref opts 'pure))
+    (let* ((pure?      (assoc-ref opts 'pure))
            (container? (assoc-ref opts 'container?))
            (link-prof? (assoc-ref opts 'link-profile?))
            (network?   (assoc-ref opts 'network?))
@@ -724,8 +742,8 @@ (define manifest
                                      (prof-drv   (manifest->derivation
                                                   manifest system bootstrap?))
                                      (profile -> (if profile
-                                                   (readlink* profile)
-                                                   (derivation->output-path prof-drv)))
+                                                     (readlink* profile)
+                                                     (derivation->output-path prof-drv)))
                                      (gc-root -> (assoc-ref opts 'gc-root)))
 
                   ;; First build the inputs.  This is necessary even for
diff --git a/guix/scripts/shell.scm b/guix/scripts/shell.scm
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..190dd8837d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/guix/scripts/shell.scm
@@ -0,0 +1,135 @@
+;;; GNU Guix --- Functional package management for GNU
+;;; Copyright © 2021 Ludovic Courtès <ludo@gnu.org>
+;;;
+;;; This file is part of GNU Guix.
+;;;
+;;; GNU Guix is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+;;; under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+;;; the Free Software Foundation; either version 3 of the License, or (at
+;;; your option) any later version.
+;;;
+;;; GNU Guix is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
+;;; WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+;;; MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+;;; GNU General Public License for more details.
+;;;
+;;; You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+;;; along with GNU Guix.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+(define-module (guix scripts shell)
+  #:use-module (guix ui)
+  #:use-module (guix scripts environment)
+  #:autoload   (guix scripts build) (show-build-options-help)
+  #:autoload   (guix transformations) (show-transformation-options-help)
+  #:use-module (guix scripts)
+  #:use-module (srfi srfi-1)
+  #:use-module (srfi srfi-26)
+  #:use-module (srfi srfi-37)
+  #:use-module (srfi srfi-71)
+  #:use-module (ice-9 match)
+  #:export (guix-shell))
+
+(define (show-help)
+  (display (G_ "Usage: guix shell [OPTION] PACKAGES... [-- COMMAND...]
+Build an environment that includes PACKAGES and execute COMMAND or an
+interactive shell in that environment.\n"))
+  (newline)
+
+  ;; These two options differ from 'guix environment'.
+  (display (G_ "
+  -D, --development      include the development inputs of the next package"))
+  (display (G_ "
+  -f, --file=FILE        create environment for the package that the code within
+                         FILE evaluates to"))
+
+  (show-environment-options-help)
+  (newline)
+  (show-build-options-help)
+  (newline)
+  (show-transformation-options-help)
+  (newline)
+  (display (G_ "
+  -h, --help             display this help and exit"))
+  (display (G_ "
+  -V, --version          display version information and exit"))
+  (newline)
+  (show-bug-report-information))
+
+(define (tag-package-arg opts arg)
+  "Return a two-element list with the form (TAG ARG) that tags ARG with either
+'ad-hoc' in OPTS has the 'ad-hoc?' key set to #t, or 'inputs' otherwise."
+  (if (assoc-ref opts 'ad-hoc?)
+      `(ad-hoc-package ,arg)
+      `(package ,arg)))
+
+(define (ensure-ad-hoc alist)
+  (if (assq-ref alist 'ad-hoc?)
+      alist
+      `((ad-hoc? . #t) ,@alist)))
+
+(define (wrapped-option opt)
+  "Wrap OPT, a SRFI-37 option, such that its processor always adds the
+'ad-hoc?' flag to the resulting alist."
+  (option (option-names opt)
+          (option-required-arg? opt)
+          (option-optional-arg? opt)
+          (compose ensure-ad-hoc (option-processor opt))))
+
+(define %options
+  ;; Specification of the command-line options.
+  (let ((to-remove '("ad-hoc" "inherit" "load" "help" "version")))
+    (append
+        (list (option '(#\h "help") #f #f
+                      (lambda args
+                        (show-help)
+                        (exit 0)))
+              (option '(#\V "version") #f #f
+                      (lambda args
+                        (show-version-and-exit "guix shell")))
+
+              (option '(#\D "development") #f #f
+                      (lambda (opt name arg result)
+                        ;; Temporarily remove the 'ad-hoc?' flag from result.
+                        ;; The next option will put it back thanks to
+                        ;; 'wrapped-option'.
+                        (alist-delete 'ad-hoc? result)))
+
+              ;; For consistency with 'guix package', support '-f' rather than
+              ;; '-l' like 'guix environment' does.
+              (option '(#\f "file") #t #f
+                      (lambda (opt name arg result)
+                        (alist-cons 'load (tag-package-arg result arg)
+                                    result))))
+        (filter-map (lambda (opt)
+                      (and (not (any (lambda (name)
+                                       (member name to-remove))
+                                     (option-names opt)))
+                           (wrapped-option opt)))
+                    %environment-options))))
+
+(define %default-options
+  `((ad-hoc? . #t)                                ;always true
+    ,@%environment-default-options))
+
+(define (parse-args args)
+  "Parse the list of command line arguments ARGS."
+  (define (handle-argument arg result)
+    (alist-cons 'package (tag-package-arg result arg)
+                (ensure-ad-hoc result)))
+
+  ;; The '--' token is used to separate the command to run from the rest of
+  ;; the operands.
+  (let ((args command (break (cut string=? "--" <>) args)))
+    (let ((opts (parse-command-line args %options (list %default-options)
+                                    #:argument-handler handle-argument)))
+      (match command
+        (() opts)
+        (("--") opts)
+        (("--" command ...) (alist-cons 'exec command opts))))))
+
+
+(define-command (guix-shell . args)
+  (category development)
+  (synopsis "spawn one-off software environments")
+
+  (guix-environment* (parse-args args)))
diff --git a/po/guix/POTFILES.in b/po/guix/POTFILES.in
index 5e77b3c230..ee0adbcf3c 100644
--- a/po/guix/POTFILES.in
+++ b/po/guix/POTFILES.in
@@ -140,5 +140,6 @@ guix/scripts/offload.scm
 guix/scripts/perform-download.scm
 guix/scripts/refresh.scm
 guix/scripts/repl.scm
+guix/scripts/shell.scm
 guix/scripts/system/reconfigure.scm
 nix/nix-daemon/guix-daemon.cc
diff --git a/tests/guix-shell.sh b/tests/guix-shell.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f08637f7ff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/guix-shell.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+# GNU Guix --- Functional package management for GNU
+# Copyright © 2021 Ludovic Courtès <ludo@gnu.org>
+#
+# This file is part of GNU Guix.
+#
+# GNU Guix is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+# under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation; either version 3 of the License, or (at
+# your option) any later version.
+#
+# GNU Guix is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
+# WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with GNU Guix.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+#
+# Test the 'guix shell' alias.
+#
+
+guix shell --version
+
+tmpdir="t-guix-shell-$$"
+trap 'rm -r "$tmpdir"' EXIT
+mkdir "$tmpdir"
+
+guix shell --bootstrap --pure guile-bootstrap -- guile --version
+
+# '--ad-hoc' is a thing of the past.
+! guix shell --ad-hoc guile-bootstrap
+
+if guile -c '(getaddrinfo "www.gnu.org" "80" AI_NUMERICSERV)' 2> /dev/null
+then
+    # Compute the build environment for the initial GNU Make.
+    guix shell --bootstrap --no-substitutes --search-paths --pure \
+         -D -e '(@ (guix tests) gnu-make-for-tests)' > "$tmpdir/a"
+
+    # Make sure bootstrap binaries are in the profile.
+    profile=`grep "^export PATH" "$tmpdir/a" | sed -r 's|^.*="(.*)/bin"|\1|'`
+
+    # Make sure the bootstrap binaries are all listed where they belong.
+    grep -E "^export PATH=\"$profile/bin\""         "$tmpdir/a"
+    grep -E "^export CPATH=\"$profile/include\""    "$tmpdir/a"
+    grep -E "^export LIBRARY_PATH=\"$profile/lib\"" "$tmpdir/a"
+    for dep in bootstrap-binaries-0 gcc-bootstrap-0 glibc-bootstrap-0
+    do
+	guix gc --references "$profile" | grep "$dep"
+    done
+
+    # 'make-boot0' itself must not be listed.
+    ! guix gc --references "$profile" | grep make-boot0
+fi
