diff --git a/src/plugins/terminal/terminalsettings.cpp b/src/plugins/terminal/terminalsettings.cpp
index 1a3625098da..1f548a65fae 100644
--- a/src/plugins/terminal/terminalsettings.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/terminal/terminalsettings.cpp
@@ -35,11 +35,15 @@ static int defaultFontSize()
 
 static QString defaultShell()
 {
-    if (Utils::HostOsInfo::isMacHost())
-        return "/bin/zsh";
-    if (Utils::HostOsInfo::isAnyUnixHost())
-        return "/bin/bash";
-    return qtcEnvironmentVariable("COMSPEC");
+    if (HostOsInfo::isWindowsHost())
+        return qtcEnvironmentVariable("COMSPEC");
+
+    QString defaultShell = qtcEnvironmentVariable("SHELL");
+    if (FilePath::fromUserInput(defaultShell).isExecutableFile())
+        return defaultShell;
+
+    Utils::FilePath shPath = Utils::Environment::systemEnvironment().searchInPath("sh");
+    return shPath.nativePath();
 }
 
 TerminalSettings &TerminalSettings::instance()
@@ -97,6 +101,14 @@ TerminalSettings::TerminalSettings()
     shell.setToolTip(Tr::tr("The shell executable to be started as terminal"));
     shell.setDefaultValue(defaultShell());
 
+    shellArguments.setSettingsKey("ShellArguments");
+    shellArguments.setLabelText(Tr::tr("Shell arguments:"));
+    shellArguments.setDisplayStyle(StringAspect::LineEditDisplay);
+    shellArguments.setHistoryCompleter("Terminal.Shell.History");
+    shellArguments.setToolTip(Tr::tr("The arguments to be passed to the shell"));
+    if (!HostOsInfo::isWindowsHost())
+        shellArguments.setDefaultValue(QString("-l"));
+
     sendEscapeToTerminal.setSettingsKey("SendEscapeToTerminal");
     sendEscapeToTerminal.setLabelText(Tr::tr("Send escape key to terminal"));
     sendEscapeToTerminal.setToolTip(
@@ -117,6 +129,7 @@ TerminalSettings::TerminalSettings()
     registerAspect(&enableTerminal);
     registerAspect(&sendEscapeToTerminal);
     registerAspect(&audibleBell);
+    registerAspect(&shellArguments);
 
     setupColor(this,
                foregroundColor,
diff --git a/src/plugins/terminal/terminalsettings.h b/src/plugins/terminal/terminalsettings.h
index 45b85c5910f..137f3abe3aa 100644
--- a/src/plugins/terminal/terminalsettings.h
+++ b/src/plugins/terminal/terminalsettings.h
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ public:
     Utils::StringAspect font;
     Utils::IntegerAspect fontSize;
     Utils::StringAspect shell;
+    Utils::StringAspect shellArguments;
 
     Utils::ColorAspect foregroundColor;
     Utils::ColorAspect backgroundColor;
diff --git a/src/plugins/terminal/terminalsettingspage.cpp b/src/plugins/terminal/terminalsettingspage.cpp
index f0bfa883d7a..b6ef57f2d00 100644
--- a/src/plugins/terminal/terminalsettingspage.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/terminal/terminalsettingspage.cpp
@@ -423,8 +423,9 @@ QWidget *TerminalSettingsPage::widget()
                 }
             },
         },
-        Row {
+        Column {
             settings.shell,
+            settings.shellArguments,
         },
         st,
     }.attachTo(widget);
diff --git a/src/plugins/terminal/terminalwidget.cpp b/src/plugins/terminal/terminalwidget.cpp
index 06fcfe57791..a7b3590a599 100644
--- a/src/plugins/terminal/terminalwidget.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/terminal/terminalwidget.cpp
@@ -141,7 +141,9 @@ void TerminalWidget::setupPty()
     Environment env = m_openParameters.environment.value_or(Environment::systemEnvironment());
 
     CommandLine shellCommand = m_openParameters.shellCommand.value_or(
-        CommandLine{TerminalSettings::instance().shell.filePath(), {}});
+        CommandLine{TerminalSettings::instance().shell.filePath(),
+                    TerminalSettings::instance().shellArguments.value(),
+                    CommandLine::Raw});
 
     // For git bash on Windows
     env.prependOrSetPath(shellCommand.executable().parentDir());