diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 320302b1c..0c90b8a6f 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -65,3 +65,4 @@ tunnel.log
 **/result-*
 .develop.cmd
 /.vscode
+.ghc/ghci_history
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 5c3ab799c..5e00fe41a 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -113,6 +113,11 @@ start:
 %-uniworxdb: SERVICE_VARIANT=uniworxdb
 %-uniworxdb: CONTAINER_CMD=localhost/fradrive/backend
 
+.PHONY: %-ghci
+%-ghci: SERVICE=backend
+%-ghci: SERVICE_VARIANT=ghci
+%-ghci: CONTAINER_CMD=localhost/fradrive/backend
+
 .PHONY: %-hoogle
 %-hoogle: SERVICE=backend
 %-hoogle: SERVICE_VARIANT=hoogle
@@ -175,6 +180,16 @@ lint-%: CF_PREFIX = lint-
 lint-%: CONTAINER_ATTACHED = true
 lint-%: --act ;
 
+.PHONY: shell-%
+# HELP(shell-$SERVICE): launch (bash) shell inside a new $SERVICE container
+shell-%: JOB=shell
+shell-%: CF_PREFIX=shell-
+shell-%: CONTAINER_ATTACHED=true
+shell-%: --act ;
+.PHONY: ghci
+# HELP: launch new backend instance and enter interactive ghci shell (WIP)
+ghci: shell-ghci;
+
 --act: --develop_containerized;
 
 --develop_%: PORTS = $(foreach PORT,$(BASE_PORTS),$(shell utils/next_free_port.pl $(PORT)))
@@ -299,6 +314,13 @@ well-known: static;
 	AVSPASS=${AVSPASS:-nopasswordset} ; \
 	stack exec uniworxdb -- $(UNIWORXDB_OPTS)
 
+--shell-ghci:
+	stack exec -- ghci
+# --main-is uniworx:exe:uniworx
+
+--shell-%:
+	/bin/bash
+
 # HELP(start-minio): start minio service
 
 .PHONY: status
@@ -324,21 +346,16 @@ log-%:
 .PHONY: enter
 # HELP: launch (bash) shell inside a currently running container. Use ./enter shell wrapper for more convenient usage, possibly with tab-completion in the future
 enter: --ensure-develop
-	$(MAKE) -- --shell
+	$(MAKE) -- --enter
 
 .PHONY: psql
 # HELP: enter psql (postgresql) cli inside a currently running database container
 psql: ENTRYPOINT=/usr/bin/psql -d uniworx
 psql: EXEC_OPTS=--user postgres
 psql: --ensure-develop
-	$(MAKE) -- --shell CONTAINER_FILE=develop/`cat develop/.current`/start-postgres
+	$(MAKE) -- --enter CONTAINER_FILE=develop/`cat develop/.current`/start-postgres
 
-.PHONY: ghci
-# HELP: launch new backend instance and enter interactive ghci shell (WIP)
-ghci: ENTRYPOINT=stack ghci
-ghci: --shell;
-
---shell:
+--enter:
 	CONTAINER_ID=`cat $(CONTAINER_FILE) | grep 'CONTAINER_ID=' | sed 's/CONTAINER_ID=//'` ; \
 	$(CONTAINER_COMMAND) exec -it $(EXEC_OPTS) $${CONTAINER_ID} $(if $(ENTRYPOINT),$(ENTRYPOINT),/bin/bash)