diff --git a/src/apps/terminal/Shell.cpp b/src/apps/terminal/Shell.cpp
index 73ca06828f..db6b3c2cee 100644
--- a/src/apps/terminal/Shell.cpp
+++ b/src/apps/terminal/Shell.cpp
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <fcntl.h>
 #include <new>
+#include <pwd.h>
 #include <signal.h>
 #include <string.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
@@ -58,6 +59,7 @@
 #define CSWTCH 0
 #endif
 
+const char *kDefaultShell = "/bin/sh";
 
 /*
  * Set environment variable.
@@ -335,10 +337,20 @@ initialize_termios(struct termios &tio)
 status_t
 Shell::_Spawn(int row, int col, const char *encoding, int argc, const char **argv)
 {
-	const char *kDefaultShellCommand[] = { "/bin/bash", "--login", NULL };
-
 	if (argv == NULL || argc == 0) {
-		argv = kDefaultShellCommand;
+		const char *defaultArgs[2];
+		defaultArgs[0] = kDefaultShell;
+		defaultArgs[1] = "-l";
+
+		struct passwd passwdStruct;
+		struct passwd *passwdResult;
+		char stringBuffer[256];
+		if (!getpwuid_r(getuid(), &passwdStruct, stringBuffer,
+				sizeof(stringBuffer), &passwdResult)) {
+			defaultArgs[0] = passwdStruct.pw_shell;
+		}
+
+		argv = defaultArgs;
 		argc = 2;
 	}
 
@@ -538,8 +550,8 @@ Shell::_Spawn(int row, int col, const char *encoding, int argc, const char **arg
 
 		int returnValue = system(alertCommand.String());
 		if (returnValue == 0) {
-			execl(kDefaultShellCommand[0], kDefaultShellCommand[0],
-				kDefaultShellCommand[1], NULL);
+			execl(kDefaultShell, kDefaultShell,
+				"-l", NULL);
 		}
 
 		exit(1);
diff --git a/src/apps/terminal/TermApp.cpp b/src/apps/terminal/TermApp.cpp
index b7f391e26d..a4fded3c01 100644
--- a/src/apps/terminal/TermApp.cpp
+++ b/src/apps/terminal/TermApp.cpp
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@
 #include "TermApp.h"
 
 #include <errno.h>
-#include <pwd.h>
 #include <signal.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
@@ -39,7 +38,6 @@
 static bool sUsageRequested = false;
 //static bool sGeometryRequested = false;
 
-const char *kDefaultShell = "/bin/bash";
 const ulong MSG_ACTIVATE_TERM = 'msat';
 const ulong MSG_TERM_WINDOW_INFO = 'mtwi';
 
@@ -63,19 +61,8 @@ TermApp::TermApp()
 	fTermWindow(NULL),
 	fArgs(NULL)
 {
-	const char *defaultArgs[2];
-	defaultArgs[0] = kDefaultShell;
-	defaultArgs[1] = "--login";
 
-	struct passwd passwdStruct;
-	struct passwd *passwdResult;
-	char stringBuffer[256];
-	if (!getpwuid_r(getuid(), &passwdStruct, stringBuffer,
-			sizeof(stringBuffer), &passwdResult)) {
-		defaultArgs[0] = passwdStruct.pw_shell;
-	}
-
-	fArgs = new Arguments(2, defaultArgs);
+	fArgs = new Arguments(0, NULL);
 
 	fWindowTitle = B_TRANSLATE("Terminal");
 	_RegisterTerminal();