diff --git a/packages/jumpstarter-cli/jumpstarter_cli/shell.py b/packages/jumpstarter-cli/jumpstarter_cli/shell.py
index 64e682035..521a5b2ce 100644
--- a/packages/jumpstarter-cli/jumpstarter_cli/shell.py
+++ b/packages/jumpstarter-cli/jumpstarter_cli/shell.py
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ def shell(config, command: tuple[str, ...], lease_name, selector, duration, expo
                                         "remote",
                                         config.drivers.allow,
                                         config.drivers.unsafe,
+                                        config.shell_use_profiles,
                                         command=command,
                                     )
                         else:
@@ -59,6 +60,7 @@ def shell(config, command: tuple[str, ...], lease_name, selector, duration, expo
                                 "remote",
                                 config.drivers.allow,
                                 config.drivers.unsafe,
+                                config.shell.use_profiles,
                                 command=command,
                             )
 
@@ -72,5 +74,6 @@ def shell(config, command: tuple[str, ...], lease_name, selector, duration, expo
                     "local",
                     allow=[],
                     unsafe=True,
+                    use_profiles=False,
                     command=command,
                 )
diff --git a/packages/jumpstarter/jumpstarter/common/utils.py b/packages/jumpstarter/jumpstarter/common/utils.py
index f732c942a..7450aa764 100644
--- a/packages/jumpstarter/jumpstarter/common/utils.py
+++ b/packages/jumpstarter/jumpstarter/common/utils.py
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ def launch_shell(
     context: str,
     allow: list[str],
     unsafe: bool,
+    use_profiles: bool,
     *,
     command: tuple[str, ...] | None = None,
 ) -> int:
@@ -79,7 +80,10 @@ def launch_shell(
         env = common_env | {
             "PS1": f"{ANSI_GRAY}{PROMPT_CWD} {ANSI_YELLOW}⚡{ANSI_WHITE}{context} {ANSI_YELLOW}➤{ANSI_RESET} ",
         }
-        cmd = [shell, "--norc", "--noprofile"]
+
+        cmd = [shell]
+        if not use_profiles:
+            cmd.extend(['--norc','--noprofile'])
         process = Popen(cmd, stdin=sys.stdin, stdout=sys.stdout, stderr=sys.stderr, env=env)
         return process.wait()
 
diff --git a/packages/jumpstarter/jumpstarter/common/utils_test.py b/packages/jumpstarter/jumpstarter/common/utils_test.py
index ece4c3239..86cd52dfd 100644
--- a/packages/jumpstarter/jumpstarter/common/utils_test.py
+++ b/packages/jumpstarter/jumpstarter/common/utils_test.py
@@ -5,9 +5,20 @@
 
 def test_launch_shell(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
     monkeypatch.setenv("SHELL", shutil.which("true"))
-    exit_code = launch_shell(host=str(tmp_path / "test.sock"), context="remote", allow=["*"], unsafe=False)
+    exit_code = launch_shell(
+        host=str(tmp_path / "test.sock"),
+        context="remote",
+        allow=["*"],
+        unsafe=False,
+        use_profiles=False
+    )
     assert exit_code == 0
 
     monkeypatch.setenv("SHELL", shutil.which("false"))
-    exit_code = launch_shell(host=str(tmp_path / "test.sock"), context="remote", allow=["*"], unsafe=False)
+    exit_code = launch_shell(
+        host=str(tmp_path / "test.sock"),
+        context="remote", allow=["*"],
+        unsafe=False,
+        use_profiles=False
+    )
     assert exit_code == 1
diff --git a/packages/jumpstarter/jumpstarter/config/client.py b/packages/jumpstarter/jumpstarter/config/client.py
index 0661c5019..332587ff1 100644
--- a/packages/jumpstarter/jumpstarter/config/client.py
+++ b/packages/jumpstarter/jumpstarter/config/client.py
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 from .common import CONFIG_PATH, ObjectMeta
 from .env import JMP_LEASE
 from .grpc import call_credentials
+from .shell import ShellConfigV1Alpha1
 from .tls import TLSConfigV1Alpha1
 from jumpstarter.client.grpc import ClientService, WithLease, WithLeaseList
 from jumpstarter.common.exceptions import (
@@ -103,6 +104,8 @@ class ClientConfigV1Alpha1(BaseSettings):
 
     drivers: ClientConfigV1Alpha1Drivers = Field(default_factory=ClientConfigV1Alpha1Drivers)
 
+    shell: ShellConfigV1Alpha1 = Field(default_factory=ShellConfigV1Alpha1)
+
     async def channel(self):
         if self.endpoint is None or self.token is None:
             raise ConfigurationError("endpoint or token not set in client config")
diff --git a/packages/jumpstarter/jumpstarter/config/client_config_test.py b/packages/jumpstarter/jumpstarter/config/client_config_test.py
index af9bd3735..3dbcdabf1 100644
--- a/packages/jumpstarter/jumpstarter/config/client_config_test.py
+++ b/packages/jumpstarter/jumpstarter/config/client_config_test.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 from pydantic import ValidationError
 
 from jumpstarter.common.exceptions import FileNotFoundError
-from jumpstarter.config.client import ClientConfigV1Alpha1, ClientConfigV1Alpha1Drivers
+from jumpstarter.config.client import ClientConfigV1Alpha1, ClientConfigV1Alpha1Drivers, ShellConfigV1Alpha1
 from jumpstarter.config.common import ObjectMeta
 from jumpstarter.config.env import JMP_DRIVERS_ALLOW, JMP_ENDPOINT, JMP_NAME, JMP_NAMESPACE, JMP_TOKEN
 
@@ -212,6 +212,8 @@ def test_client_config_save(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch):
   - jumpstarter.drivers.*
   - vendorpackage.*
   unsafe: false
+shell:
+  use_profiles: false
 """
     config = ClientConfigV1Alpha1(
         alias="testclient",
@@ -219,6 +221,7 @@ def test_client_config_save(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch):
         endpoint="jumpstarter.my-lab.com:1443",
         token="dGhpc2lzYXRva2VuLTEyMzQxMjM0MTIzNEyMzQtc2Rxd3Jxd2VycXdlcnF3ZXJxd2VyLTEyMzQxMjM0MTIz",
         drivers=ClientConfigV1Alpha1Drivers(allow=["jumpstarter.drivers.*", "vendorpackage.*"], unsafe=False),
+        shell=ShellConfigV1Alpha1(use_profiles=False),
     )
     with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(mode="w", delete=False) as f:
         with patch.object(ClientConfigV1Alpha1, "_get_path", return_value=Path(f.name)) as _get_path_mock:
@@ -248,6 +251,8 @@ def test_client_config_save_explicit_path():
   - jumpstarter.drivers.*
   - vendorpackage.*
   unsafe: false
+shell:
+  use_profiles: false
 """
     config = ClientConfigV1Alpha1(
         alias="testclient",
@@ -255,6 +260,7 @@ def test_client_config_save_explicit_path():
         endpoint="jumpstarter.my-lab.com:1443",
         token="dGhpc2lzYXRva2VuLTEyMzQxMjM0MTIzNEyMzQtc2Rxd3Jxd2VycXdlcnF3ZXJxd2VyLTEyMzQxMjM0MTIz",
         drivers=ClientConfigV1Alpha1Drivers(allow=["jumpstarter.drivers.*", "vendorpackage.*"], unsafe=False),
+        shell=ShellConfigV1Alpha1(use_profiles=False),
     )
     with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(mode="w", delete=False) as f:
         with patch.object(ClientConfigV1Alpha1, "ensure_exists"):
@@ -280,6 +286,8 @@ def test_client_config_save_unsafe_drivers():
 drivers:
   allow: []
   unsafe: true
+shell:
+  use_profiles: false
 """
     config = ClientConfigV1Alpha1(
         alias="testclient",
@@ -287,6 +295,7 @@ def test_client_config_save_unsafe_drivers():
         endpoint="jumpstarter.my-lab.com:1443",
         token="dGhpc2lzYXRva2VuLTEyMzQxMjM0MTIzNEyMzQtc2Rxd3Jxd2VycXdlcnF3ZXJxd2VyLTEyMzQxMjM0MTIz",
         drivers=ClientConfigV1Alpha1Drivers(allow=[], unsafe=True),
+        shell=ShellConfigV1Alpha1(use_profiles=False),
     )
     with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(mode="w", delete=False) as f:
         with patch.object(ClientConfigV1Alpha1, "ensure_exists"):
diff --git a/packages/jumpstarter/jumpstarter/config/shell.py b/packages/jumpstarter/jumpstarter/config/shell.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c0109a574
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/jumpstarter/jumpstarter/config/shell.py
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+from pydantic import BaseModel
+
+
+class ShellConfigV1Alpha1(BaseModel):
+    use_profiles: bool = False