diff --git a/init.example.el b/init.example.el
index b4e9df284..ea853ade2 100644
--- a/init.example.el
+++ b/init.example.el
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@
 
        :term
        ;;eshell            ; a consistent, cross-platform shell (WIP)
+       ;;shell             ; a terminal REPL for Emacs
        ;;term              ; terminals in Emacs
        ;;vterm             ; another terminals in Emacs
 
diff --git a/modules/term/shell/autoload.el b/modules/term/shell/autoload.el
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..180331a60
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/term/shell/autoload.el
@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+;;; term/shell/autoload.el -*- lexical-binding: t; -*-
+
+(defun +shell-idle-p (buf)
+  "Return t if the shell in BUF is not running something.
+When available, use process hierarchy information via pstree for
+local shells.  Otherwise, we ask comint if the point is after a
+prompt."
+  (with-current-buffer buf
+    (let ((comint-says-idle (and
+                             (> (point) 1) ;; if point > 1
+                             ;; see if previous char has the prompt face
+                             (equal '(comint-highlight-prompt)
+                                    (get-text-property
+                                     (- (point) 1) 'font-lock-face)))))
+      (if (file-remote-p default-directory)
+          ;; for remote shells we have to rely on comint
+          comint-says-idle
+        ;; for local shells, we can potentially do better using pgrep
+        (condition-case nil
+            (case (call-process ;; look at the exit code of pgrep -P <pid>
+                   "pgrep" nil nil nil "-P"
+                   (number-to-string (process-id (get-buffer-process buf))))
+              (0 nil) ;; child procxesses found, not idle
+              (1 t)   ;; not running any child processes, it's idle
+              (t comint-says-idle)) ;; anything else, fall back on comint.
+          (error comint-says-idle)))))) ;; comint fallback if execution failed
+
+(defun +shell-unused-buffer ()
+  "TODO"
+  (or (cl-find-if #'+shell-idle-p (doom-buffers-in-mode 'shell-mode))
+      (generate-new-buffer "*doom:shell*")))
+
+(defun +shell-tramp-hosts ()
+  "Ask tramp for a list of hosts that we can reach through ssh."
+  (cl-reduce #'append
+             (mapcar (lambda (x)
+                       (delq nil (mapcar #'cadr (apply (car x) (cdr x)))))
+                     (tramp-get-completion-function "scp"))))
+
+(defun +shell--sentinel (process _event)
+  (when (memq (process-status process) '(exit stop))
+    (kill-buffer (process-buffer process))))
+
+
+;;;###autoload
+(defun +shell/toggle (&optional command)
+  "Toggle a persistent terminal popup window.
+
+If popup is visible but unselected, selected it.
+If popup is focused, kill it."
+  (interactive)
+  (let* ((buffer-name
+          (get-buffer-create
+           (format "*doom:shell-popup:%s*"
+                   (if (bound-and-true-p persp-mode)
+                       (safe-persp-name (get-current-persp))
+                     "main")))))
+    (if-let (win (get-buffer-window buffer))
+        (if (eq (selected-window) win)
+            (let (confirm-kill-processes)
+              (set-process-query-on-exit-flag (get-buffer-process buffer) nil)
+              (delete-window win)
+              (ignore-errors (kill-buffer buffer)))
+          (select-window win)
+          (when (bound-and-true-p evil-local-mode)
+            (evil-change-to-initial-state))
+          (goto-char (point-max)))
+      (with-current-buffer (pop-to-buffer buffer)
+        (if (not (eq major-mode 'shell-mode))
+            (shell buffer)
+          (erase-buffer)
+          (cd dir))
+        (let ((process (get-buffer-process (current-buffer))))
+          (set-process-sentinel process #'+shell--sentinel)
+          (when command
+            (comint-send-string process command)))))))
+
+;;;###autoload
+(defun +shell/here (&optional command)
+  "Open a terminal buffer in the current window.
+
+If already in a shell buffer, clear it and cd into the current directory."
+  (interactive)
+  (let ((buffer (+shell-unused-buffer))
+        (dir default-directory))
+    (with-current-buffer (switch-to-buffer buffer)
+      (if (not (eq major-mode 'shell-mode))
+          (shell buffer)
+        (erase-buffer)
+        (cd dir))
+      (let ((process (get-buffer-process (current-buffer))))
+        (set-process-sentinel process #'+shell--sentinel)
+        (when command
+          (comint-send-string process command))))
+    buffer))
+
+
+;; TODO +shell/frame -- dedicate current frame to shell buffers
+;; TODO +shell/frame-quite -- revert frame to before +term/frame
diff --git a/modules/term/shell/config.el b/modules/term/shell/config.el
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c716701c4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/term/shell/config.el
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+;;; term/shell/config.el -*- lexical-binding: t; -*-
+
+;;;###package shell
+(add-hook 'shell-mode-hook #'doom|mark-buffer-as-real)
+(add-hook 'shell-mode-hook #'hide-mode-line-mode)
diff --git a/modules/term/shell/packages.el b/modules/term/shell/packages.el
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..94be96f5c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/term/shell/packages.el
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+;; -*- no-byte-compile: t; -*-
+;;; term/shell/packages.el
+
+(package! shell :built-in t)
diff --git a/modules/term/term/autoload.el b/modules/term/term/autoload.el
index 4d4ddb491..459f29210 100644
--- a/modules/term/term/autoload.el
+++ b/modules/term/term/autoload.el
@@ -53,3 +53,7 @@ If prefix ARG, recreate the term buffer."
   ;; before `switch-to-buffer', the hooks don't trigger, so we use this
   ;; roundabout way to trigger them properly.
   (switch-to-buffer (save-window-excursion (multi-term))))
+
+
+;; TODO +term/frame -- dedicate current frame to term buffers
+;; TODO +term/frame-quite -- revert frame to before +term/frame