diff --git a/pkg/cmdrunner/cmdrunner.go b/pkg/cmdrunner/cmdrunner.go
index a7cc9b7cd..a56bca090 100644
--- a/pkg/cmdrunner/cmdrunner.go
+++ b/pkg/cmdrunner/cmdrunner.go
@@ -1197,8 +1197,8 @@ func crShowCommand(ctx context.Context, pk *scpacket.FeCommandPacketType, ids re
 		baseDisplayName := msh.GetDisplayName()
 		displayName := rptr.GetDisplayName(baseDisplayName)
 		cwdStr := "-"
-		if ri.FeState.Cwd != "" {
-			cwdStr = ri.FeState.Cwd
+		if ri.FeState["cwd"] != "" {
+			cwdStr = ri.FeState["cwd"]
 		}
 		buf.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("%-30s %-50s\n", displayName, cwdStr))
 	}
@@ -1217,8 +1217,8 @@ func crShowCommand(ctx context.Context, pk *scpacket.FeCommandPacketType, ids re
 			continue
 		}
 		cwdStr := "-"
-		if feState.Cwd != "" {
-			cwdStr = feState.Cwd
+		if feState["cwd"] != "" {
+			cwdStr = feState["cwd"]
 		}
 		buf.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("%-30s %-50s (default)\n", msh.GetDisplayName(), cwdStr))
 	}
@@ -1303,7 +1303,7 @@ func makeStaticCmd(ctx context.Context, metaCmd string, ids resolvedIds, cmdStr
 		cmd.StatePtr = *ids.Remote.StatePtr
 	}
 	if ids.Remote.FeState != nil {
-		cmd.FeState = *ids.Remote.FeState
+		cmd.FeState = ids.Remote.FeState
 	}
 	err := sstore.CreateCmdPtyFile(ctx, cmd.ScreenId, cmd.CmdId, cmd.TermOpts.MaxPtySize)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -1455,7 +1455,7 @@ func doCompGen(ctx context.Context, pk *scpacket.FeCommandPacketType, prefix str
 	cgPacket.ReqId = uuid.New().String()
 	cgPacket.CompType = compType
 	cgPacket.Prefix = prefix
-	cgPacket.Cwd = ids.Remote.FeState.Cwd
+	cgPacket.Cwd = ids.Remote.FeState["cwd"]
 	resp, err := ids.Remote.MShell.PacketRpc(ctx, cgPacket)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, false, err
@@ -1495,7 +1495,7 @@ func CompGenCommand(ctx context.Context, pk *scpacket.FeCommandPacketType) (ssto
 		rptr := ids.Remote.RemotePtr
 		compCtx.RemotePtr = &rptr
 		if ids.Remote.FeState != nil {
-			compCtx.Cwd = ids.Remote.FeState.Cwd
+			compCtx.Cwd = ids.Remote.FeState["cwd"]
 		}
 	}
 	compCtx.ForDisplay = showComps
@@ -1949,7 +1949,7 @@ func RemoteResetCommand(ctx context.Context, pk *scpacket.FeCommandPacketType) (
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid initpk received from remote (no remote state)")
 	}
 	feState := sstore.FeStateFromShellState(initPk.State)
-	remoteInst, err := sstore.UpdateRemoteState(ctx, ids.SessionId, ids.ScreenId, ids.Remote.RemotePtr, *feState, initPk.State, nil)
+	remoteInst, err := sstore.UpdateRemoteState(ctx, ids.SessionId, ids.ScreenId, ids.Remote.RemotePtr, feState, initPk.State, nil)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -2657,8 +2657,8 @@ func LineShowCommand(ctx context.Context, pk *scpacket.FeCommandPacketType) (sst
 		buf.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("  %-15s %s\n", "cmdid", cmd.CmdId))
 		buf.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("  %-15s %s\n", "remote", cmd.Remote.MakeFullRemoteRef()))
 		buf.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("  %-15s %s\n", "status", cmd.Status))
-		if cmd.FeState.Cwd != "" {
-			buf.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("  %-15s %s\n", "cwd", cmd.FeState.Cwd))
+		if cmd.FeState["cwd"] != "" {
+			buf.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("  %-15s %s\n", "cwd", cmd.FeState["cwd"]))
 		}
 		buf.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("  %-15s %s\n", "termopts", formatTermOpts(cmd.TermOpts)))
 		if cmd.TermOpts != cmd.OrigTermOpts {
diff --git a/pkg/cmdrunner/resolver.go b/pkg/cmdrunner/resolver.go
index cce62160b..ea83da113 100644
--- a/pkg/cmdrunner/resolver.go
+++ b/pkg/cmdrunner/resolver.go
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ type ResolvedRemote struct {
 	RState      remote.RemoteRuntimeState
 	RemoteCopy  *sstore.RemoteType
 	StatePtr    *sstore.ShellStatePtr
-	FeState     *sstore.FeStateType
+	FeState     map[string]string
 }
 
 type ResolveItem = sstore.ResolveItem
@@ -481,7 +481,7 @@ func resolveRemoteFromPtr(ctx context.Context, rptr *sstore.RemotePtrType, sessi
 				rtn.FeState = msh.GetDefaultFeState()
 			} else {
 				rtn.StatePtr = &sstore.ShellStatePtr{BaseHash: ri.StateBaseHash, DiffHashArr: ri.StateDiffHashArr}
-				rtn.FeState = &ri.FeState
+				rtn.FeState = ri.FeState
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/cmdrunner/shparse.go b/pkg/cmdrunner/shparse.go
index fcd9c293c..4e6868af6 100644
--- a/pkg/cmdrunner/shparse.go
+++ b/pkg/cmdrunner/shparse.go
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ type BareMetaCmdDecl struct {
 
 var BareMetaCmds = []BareMetaCmdDecl{
 	BareMetaCmdDecl{"cr", "cr"},
+	BareMetaCmdDecl{"connect", "cr"},
 	BareMetaCmdDecl{"clear", "clear"},
 	BareMetaCmdDecl{"reset", "reset"},
 }
@@ -155,6 +156,8 @@ func setBracketArgs(argMap map[string]string, bracketStr string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+var literalRtnStateCommands = []string{".", "source", "unset", "cd", "alias", "unalias", "deactivate"}
+
 // detects: export, declare, ., source, X=1, unset
 func IsReturnStateCommand(cmdStr string) bool {
 	cmdReader := strings.NewReader(cmdStr)
@@ -171,7 +174,7 @@ func IsReturnStateCommand(cmdStr string) bool {
 			if len(callExpr.Args) > 0 && len(callExpr.Args[0].Parts) > 0 {
 				lit, ok := callExpr.Args[0].Parts[0].(*syntax.Lit)
 				if ok {
-					if lit.Value == "." || lit.Value == "source" || lit.Value == "unset" || lit.Value == "cd" || lit.Value == "alias" || lit.Value == "unalias" {
+					if utilfn.ContainsStr(literalRtnStateCommands, lit.Value) {
 						return true
 					}
 				}
diff --git a/pkg/remote/remote.go b/pkg/remote/remote.go
index 007ab4bb5..699f4e85b 100644
--- a/pkg/remote/remote.go
+++ b/pkg/remote/remote.go
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ type RemoteRuntimeState struct {
 	RemoteAlias         string                 `json:"remotealias,omitempty"`
 	RemoteCanonicalName string                 `json:"remotecanonicalname"`
 	RemoteVars          map[string]string      `json:"remotevars"`
-	DefaultFeState      *sstore.FeStateType    `json:"defaultfestate"`
+	DefaultFeState      map[string]string      `json:"defaultfestate"`
 	Status              string                 `json:"status"`
 	ConnectTimeout      int                    `json:"connecttimeout,omitempty"`
 	ErrorStr            string                 `json:"errorstr,omitempty"`
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ func (msh *MShellProc) GetDefaultStatePtr() *sstore.ShellStatePtr {
 	return &sstore.ShellStatePtr{BaseHash: msh.CurrentState}
 }
 
-func (msh *MShellProc) GetDefaultFeState() *sstore.FeStateType {
+func (msh *MShellProc) GetDefaultFeState() map[string]string {
 	state := msh.GetDefaultState()
 	return sstore.FeStateFromShellState(state)
 }
@@ -1484,7 +1484,7 @@ func RunCommand(ctx context.Context, sessionId string, screenId string, remotePt
 		CmdStr:    runPacket.Command,
 		RawCmdStr: runPacket.Command,
 		Remote:    remotePtr,
-		FeState:   *sstore.FeStateFromShellState(currentState),
+		FeState:   sstore.FeStateFromShellState(currentState),
 		StatePtr:  *statePtr,
 		TermOpts:  makeTermOpts(runPacket),
 		Status:    status,
@@ -1652,7 +1652,7 @@ func (msh *MShellProc) handleCmdDonePacket(donePk *packet.CmdDonePacketType) {
 	var statePtr *sstore.ShellStatePtr
 	if donePk.FinalState != nil && rct != nil {
 		feState := sstore.FeStateFromShellState(donePk.FinalState)
-		remoteInst, err := sstore.UpdateRemoteState(context.Background(), rct.SessionId, rct.ScreenId, rct.RemotePtr, *feState, donePk.FinalState, nil)
+		remoteInst, err := sstore.UpdateRemoteState(context.Background(), rct.SessionId, rct.ScreenId, rct.RemotePtr, feState, donePk.FinalState, nil)
 		if err != nil {
 			msh.WriteToPtyBuffer("*error trying to update remotestate: %v\n", err)
 			// fall-through (nothing to do)
@@ -1667,7 +1667,7 @@ func (msh *MShellProc) handleCmdDonePacket(donePk *packet.CmdDonePacketType) {
 			msh.WriteToPtyBuffer("*error trying to update remotestate: %v\n", err)
 			// fall-through (nothing to do)
 		} else {
-			remoteInst, err := sstore.UpdateRemoteState(context.Background(), rct.SessionId, rct.ScreenId, rct.RemotePtr, *feState, nil, donePk.FinalStateDiff)
+			remoteInst, err := sstore.UpdateRemoteState(context.Background(), rct.SessionId, rct.ScreenId, rct.RemotePtr, feState, nil, donePk.FinalStateDiff)
 			if err != nil {
 				msh.WriteToPtyBuffer("*error trying to update remotestate: %v\n", err)
 				// fall-through (nothing to do)
@@ -1995,7 +1995,7 @@ func (msh *MShellProc) getFullState(stateDiff *packet.ShellStateDiff) (*packet.S
 }
 
 // internal func, first tries the StateMap, otherwise will fallback on sstore.GetFullState
-func (msh *MShellProc) getFeStateFromDiff(stateDiff *packet.ShellStateDiff) (*sstore.FeStateType, error) {
+func (msh *MShellProc) getFeStateFromDiff(stateDiff *packet.ShellStateDiff) (map[string]string, error) {
 	baseState := msh.GetStateByHash(stateDiff.BaseHash)
 	if baseState != nil && len(stateDiff.DiffHashArr) == 0 {
 		newState, err := shexec.ApplyShellStateDiff(*baseState, *stateDiff)
diff --git a/pkg/sstore/dbops.go b/pkg/sstore/dbops.go
index 0748a310a..03b0e3b61 100644
--- a/pkg/sstore/dbops.go
+++ b/pkg/sstore/dbops.go
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ type SingleConnDBGetter struct {
 	SingleConnLock *sync.Mutex
 }
 
+type FeStateType map[string]string
+
 type TxWrap = txwrap.TxWrap
 
 var dbWrap *SingleConnDBGetter
diff --git a/pkg/sstore/sstore.go b/pkg/sstore/sstore.go
index e3105f26d..d18ac79ee 100644
--- a/pkg/sstore/sstore.go
+++ b/pkg/sstore/sstore.go
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/sawka/txwrap"
 	"github.com/scripthaus-dev/mshell/pkg/base"
 	"github.com/scripthaus-dev/mshell/pkg/packet"
+	"github.com/scripthaus-dev/mshell/pkg/shexec"
 	"github.com/scripthaus-dev/sh2-server/pkg/dbutil"
 	"github.com/scripthaus-dev/sh2-server/pkg/scbase"
 
@@ -563,15 +564,15 @@ func (ssptr *ShellStatePtr) IsEmpty() bool {
 }
 
 type RemoteInstance struct {
-	RIId             string      `json:"riid"`
-	Name             string      `json:"name"`
-	SessionId        string      `json:"sessionid"`
-	ScreenId         string      `json:"screenid"`
-	RemoteOwnerId    string      `json:"remoteownerid"`
-	RemoteId         string      `json:"remoteid"`
-	FeState          FeStateType `json:"festate"`
-	StateBaseHash    string      `json:"-"`
-	StateDiffHashArr []string    `json:"-"`
+	RIId             string            `json:"riid"`
+	Name             string            `json:"name"`
+	SessionId        string            `json:"sessionid"`
+	ScreenId         string            `json:"screenid"`
+	RemoteOwnerId    string            `json:"remoteownerid"`
+	RemoteId         string            `json:"remoteid"`
+	FeState          map[string]string `json:"festate"`
+	StateBaseHash    string            `json:"-"`
+	StateDiffHashArr []string          `json:"-"`
 
 	// only for updates
 	Remove bool `json:"remove,omitempty"`
@@ -611,16 +612,22 @@ func (sd *StateDiff) ToMap() map[string]interface{} {
 	return rtn
 }
 
-type FeStateType struct {
-	Cwd string `json:"cwd"`
-	// maybe later we can add some vars
-}
-
-func FeStateFromShellState(state *packet.ShellState) *FeStateType {
+func FeStateFromShellState(state *packet.ShellState) map[string]string {
 	if state == nil {
 		return nil
 	}
-	return &FeStateType{Cwd: state.Cwd}
+	rtn := make(map[string]string)
+	rtn["cwd"] = state.Cwd
+	envMap := shexec.EnvMapFromState(state)
+	if envMap["VIRTUAL_ENV"] != "" {
+		rtn["VIRTUAL_ENV"] = envMap["VIRTUAL_ENV"]
+	}
+	for key, val := range envMap {
+		if strings.HasPrefix(key, "PROMPTVAR_") {
+			rtn[key] = val
+		}
+	}
+	return rtn
 }
 
 func (ri *RemoteInstance) FromMap(m map[string]interface{}) bool {
@@ -874,7 +881,7 @@ type CmdType struct {
 	Remote       RemotePtrType              `json:"remote"`
 	CmdStr       string                     `json:"cmdstr"`
 	RawCmdStr    string                     `json:"rawcmdstr"`
-	FeState      FeStateType                `json:"festate"`
+	FeState      map[string]string          `json:"festate"`
 	StatePtr     ShellStatePtr              `json:"state"`
 	TermOpts     TermOpts                   `json:"termopts"`
 	OrigTermOpts TermOpts                   `json:"origtermopts"`