diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 3c79793..7de0943 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
 
 /* private */
 /* prototypes */
-static int _terminal(void);
+static int _terminal(char const * shell);
 
 static int _error(char const * message, int ret);
 static int _usage(void);
@@ -47,11 +47,11 @@ static int _usage(void);
 
 /* functions */
 /* terminal */
-static int _terminal(void)
+static int _terminal(char const * shell)
 {
 	Terminal * terminal;
 
-	if((terminal = terminal_new()) == NULL)
+	if((terminal = terminal_new(shell)) == NULL)
 		return error_print(PACKAGE);
 	gtk_main();
 	terminal_delete(terminal);
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ static int _error(char const * message, int ret)
 /* usage */
 static int _usage(void)
 {
-	fputs(_("Usage: terminal\n"), stderr);
+	fputs(_("Usage: terminal [shell]\n"), stderr);
 	return 1;
 }
 
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ static int _usage(void)
 int main(int argc, char * argv[])
 {
 	int o;
+	char const * shell = NULL;
 
 	if(setlocale(LC_ALL, "") == NULL)
 		_error("setlocale", 1);
@@ -94,7 +95,9 @@ int main(int argc, char * argv[])
 			default:
 				return _usage();
 		}
-	if(optind != argc)
+	if(argc - optind == 1)
+		shell = argv[optind];
+	else if(optind != argc)
 		return _usage();
-	return (_terminal() == 0) ? 0 : 2;
+	return (_terminal(shell) == 0) ? 0 : 2;
 }
diff --git a/src/terminal.c b/src/terminal.c
index 282f956..62140ba 100644
--- a/src/terminal.c
+++ b/src/terminal.c
@@ -52,6 +52,8 @@ typedef struct _TerminalTab TerminalTab;
 
 struct _Terminal
 {
+	char * shell;
+
 	/* internal */
 	TerminalTab * tabs;
 	size_t tabs_cnt;
@@ -156,7 +158,7 @@ static DesktopToolbar _terminal_toolbar[] =
 /* public */
 /* functions */
 /* terminal_new */
-Terminal * terminal_new(void)
+Terminal * terminal_new(char const * shell)
 {
 	Terminal * terminal;
 	GtkAccelGroup * group;
@@ -165,9 +167,16 @@ Terminal * terminal_new(void)
 
 	if((terminal = object_new(sizeof(*terminal))) == NULL)
 		return NULL;
+	terminal->shell = (shell != NULL) ? strdup(shell) : NULL;
 	terminal->tabs = NULL;
 	terminal->tabs_cnt = 0;
 	terminal->window = NULL;
+	/* check for errors */
+	if(shell != NULL && terminal->shell == NULL)
+	{
+		terminal_delete(terminal);
+		return NULL;
+	}
 	/* widgets */
 	group = gtk_accel_group_new();
 	terminal->window = gtk_window_new(GTK_WINDOW_TOPLEVEL);
@@ -221,6 +230,7 @@ void terminal_delete(Terminal * terminal)
 	if(terminal->window != NULL)
 		gtk_widget_destroy(terminal->window);
 	free(terminal->tabs);
+	free(terminal->shell);
 	object_delete(terminal);
 }
 
@@ -234,7 +244,7 @@ static int _terminal_open_tab(Terminal * terminal)
 	TerminalTab * p;
 	GtkWidget * widget;
 	char * argv[] = { BINDIR "/xterm", "xterm", "-into", NULL,
-		"-class", "Terminal", NULL };
+		"-class", "Terminal", NULL, NULL };
 	char buf[16];
 	GSpawnFlags flags = G_SPAWN_FILE_AND_ARGV_ZERO
 		| G_SPAWN_DO_NOT_REAP_CHILD;
@@ -272,6 +282,7 @@ static int _terminal_open_tab(Terminal * terminal)
 	snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "%u", gtk_socket_get_id(
 				GTK_SOCKET(p->socket)));
 	argv[3] = buf;
+	argv[6] = terminal->shell;
 	if(g_spawn_async(NULL, argv, NULL, flags, NULL, NULL, &p->pid, &error)
 			== FALSE)
 	{
diff --git a/src/terminal.h b/src/terminal.h
index 8656db0..1d7da6c 100644
--- a/src/terminal.h
+++ b/src/terminal.h
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ typedef struct _Terminal Terminal;
 
 /* functions */
 /* essential */
-Terminal * terminal_new(void);
+Terminal * terminal_new(char const * shell);
 void terminal_delete(Terminal * terminal);
 
 #endif /* !TERMINAL_TERMINAL_H */