diff --git a/cmd/wsh/cmd/wshcmd-term.go b/cmd/wsh/cmd/wshcmd-term.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c3b83d2b5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/wsh/cmd/wshcmd-term.go
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+// Copyright 2024, Command Line Inc.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+
+package cmd
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+	"github.com/wavetermdev/thenextwave/pkg/wavebase"
+	"github.com/wavetermdev/thenextwave/pkg/wshrpc"
+	"github.com/wavetermdev/thenextwave/pkg/wshrpc/wshclient"
+	"github.com/wavetermdev/thenextwave/pkg/wstore"
+)
+
+var termCmd = &cobra.Command{
+	Use:   "term",
+	Short: "open a terminal in directory",
+	Args:  cobra.RangeArgs(0, 1),
+	Run:   termRun,
+}
+
+func init() {
+	rootCmd.AddCommand(termCmd)
+}
+
+func termRun(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
+	var cwd string
+	if len(args) > 0 {
+		cwd = args[0]
+		cwd = wavebase.ExpandHomeDir(cwd)
+	} else {
+		var err error
+		cwd, err = os.Getwd()
+		if err != nil {
+			WriteStderr("[error] getting current directory: %v\n", err)
+			return
+		}
+	}
+	var err error
+	cwd, err = filepath.Abs(cwd)
+	if err != nil {
+		WriteStderr("[error] getting absolute path: %v\n", err)
+		return
+	}
+	createBlockData := wshrpc.CommandCreateBlockData{
+		BlockDef: &wstore.BlockDef{
+			Meta: map[string]interface{}{
+				wstore.MetaKey_View:       "term",
+				wstore.MetaKey_CmdCwd:     cwd,
+				wstore.MetaKey_Controller: "shell",
+			},
+		},
+	}
+	oref, err := wshclient.CreateBlockCommand(RpcClient, createBlockData, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		WriteStderr("[error] creating new terminal block: %v\n", err)
+		return
+	}
+	WriteStdout("terminal block created: %s\n", oref)
+}
diff --git a/pkg/blockcontroller/blockcontroller.go b/pkg/blockcontroller/blockcontroller.go
index a940931b9..36693bdfe 100644
--- a/pkg/blockcontroller/blockcontroller.go
+++ b/pkg/blockcontroller/blockcontroller.go
@@ -414,6 +414,17 @@ func getBoolFromMeta(meta map[string]any, key string, def bool) bool {
 	return def
 }
 
+func getTermSize(bdata *wstore.Block) shellexec.TermSize {
+	if bdata.RuntimeOpts != nil {
+		return bdata.RuntimeOpts.TermSize
+	} else {
+		return shellexec.TermSize{
+			Rows: 25,
+			Cols: 80,
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func (bc *BlockController) run(bdata *wstore.Block, blockMeta map[string]any) {
 	defer func() {
 		bc.UpdateControllerAndSendUpdate(func() bool {
@@ -445,7 +456,7 @@ func (bc *BlockController) run(bdata *wstore.Block, blockMeta map[string]any) {
 	runOnStart := getBoolFromMeta(blockMeta, wstore.MetaKey_CmdRunOnStart, true)
 	if runOnStart {
 		go func() {
-			err := bc.DoRunShellCommand(&RunShellOpts{TermSize: bdata.RuntimeOpts.TermSize}, bdata.Meta)
+			err := bc.DoRunShellCommand(&RunShellOpts{TermSize: getTermSize(bdata)}, bdata.Meta)
 			if err != nil {
 				log.Printf("error running shell: %v\n", err)
 			}
@@ -469,7 +480,7 @@ func (bc *BlockController) RestartController() error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("error getting block: %w", err)
 	}
-	err = bc.DoRunShellCommand(&RunShellOpts{TermSize: bdata.RuntimeOpts.TermSize}, bdata.Meta)
+	err = bc.DoRunShellCommand(&RunShellOpts{TermSize: getTermSize(bdata)}, bdata.Meta)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Printf("error running shell command: %v\n", err)
 	}