diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index 7a3ef909..cc679b44 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+20 October 2007
+
+* (nicm) Add default-command option and change default to be $SHELL rather than
+  $SHELL -l. Also try to read shell from passwd db if $SHELL isn't present.
+
 19 October 2007
 
 * (nicm) -n on new-session is now -s, and -n is now the initial window name.
@@ -139,5 +144,5 @@
   (including mutt, emacs). No status bar yet and no key remapping or other
   customisation.
 
-$Id: CHANGES,v 1.45 2007-10-19 17:15:28 nicm Exp $
+$Id: CHANGES,v 1.46 2007-10-20 09:57:08 nicm Exp $
 
diff --git a/cmd-set-option.c b/cmd-set-option.c
index b383c0a8..24d4a2f6 100644
--- a/cmd-set-option.c
+++ b/cmd-set-option.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $Id: cmd-set-option.c,v 1.9 2007-10-19 10:21:33 nicm Exp $ */
+/* $Id: cmd-set-option.c,v 1.10 2007-10-20 09:57:08 nicm Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2007 Nicholas Marriott <nicm@users.sourceforge.net>
@@ -186,6 +186,13 @@ cmd_set_option_exec(void *ptr, unused struct cmd_ctx *ctx)
 			ctx->error(ctx, "unknown bell-action: %s", data->value);
 			return;
 		}
+	} else if (strcmp(data->option, "default-command") == 0) { 
+		if (data->value == NULL) {
+			ctx->error(ctx, "invalid value");
+			return;			
+		}
+		xfree(default_command);
+		default_command = xstrdup(data->value);
 	} else {
 		ctx->error(ctx, "unknown option: %s", data->option);
 		return;
diff --git a/tmux.c b/tmux.c
index 17e0e30e..b89538e2 100644
--- a/tmux.c
+++ b/tmux.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $Id: tmux.c,v 1.34 2007-10-19 21:58:17 nicm Exp $ */
+/* $Id: tmux.c,v 1.35 2007-10-20 09:57:08 nicm Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2007 Nicholas Marriott <nicm@users.sourceforge.net>
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <paths.h>
 #include <poll.h>
+#include <pwd.h>
 #include <signal.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
@@ -168,6 +169,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	struct pollfd	 	 pfd;
 	struct hdr	 	 hdr;
 	const char		*shell;
+	struct passwd		*pw;
 	char			*path, *cause, name[MAXNAMELEN];
 	int	 		 n, opt;
 
@@ -203,9 +205,15 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	bell_action = BELL_ANY;
 
 	shell = getenv("SHELL");
-	if (shell == NULL || *shell == '\0')
-		shell = "/bin/ksh";
-	xasprintf(&default_command, "exec %s -l", shell);
+	if (shell == NULL || *shell == '\0') {
+		pw = getpwuid(getuid());
+		if (pw != NULL)
+			shell = pw->pw_shell;
+		endpwent();
+		if (shell == NULL || *shell == '\0')
+			shell = _PATH_BSHELL;
+	}
+	xasprintf(&default_command, "exec %s", shell);
 
 	if ((cmd = cmd_parse(argc, argv, &cause)) == NULL) {
 		if (cause == NULL)