diff --git a/pkg/blockcontroller/blockcontroller.go b/pkg/blockcontroller/blockcontroller.go
index 4f34e746b..7d03133f3 100644
--- a/pkg/blockcontroller/blockcontroller.go
+++ b/pkg/blockcontroller/blockcontroller.go
@@ -388,9 +388,23 @@ func (bc *BlockController) setupAndStartShellProcess(logCtx context.Context, rc
 			swapToken.Env[wshutil.WaveJwtTokenVarName] = jwtStr
 			cmdOpts.Env[wshutil.WaveJwtTokenVarName] = jwtStr
 		}
-		shellProc, err = shellexec.StartWslShellProc(ctx, rc.TermSize, cmdStr, cmdOpts, wslConn)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
+		if !wslConn.WshEnabled.Load() {
+			shellProc, err = shellexec.StartWslShellProcNoWsh(ctx, rc.TermSize, cmdStr, cmdOpts, wslConn)
+			if err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+		} else {
+			shellProc, err = shellexec.StartWslShellProc(ctx, rc.TermSize, cmdStr, cmdOpts, wslConn)
+			if err != nil {
+				wslConn.SetWshError(err)
+				wslConn.WshEnabled.Store(false)
+				log.Printf("error starting wsl shell proc with wsh: %v", err)
+				log.Print("attempting install without wsh")
+				shellProc, err = shellexec.StartWslShellProcNoWsh(ctx, rc.TermSize, cmdStr, cmdOpts, wslConn)
+				if err != nil {
+					return nil, err
+				}
+			}
 		}
 	} else if remoteName != "" {
 		credentialCtx, cancelFunc := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 60*time.Second)
diff --git a/pkg/shellexec/shellexec.go b/pkg/shellexec/shellexec.go
index 81ce89a36..394f2fbe7 100644
--- a/pkg/shellexec/shellexec.go
+++ b/pkg/shellexec/shellexec.go
@@ -150,6 +150,27 @@ func (pp *PipePty) WriteString(s string) (n int, err error) {
 	return pp.Write([]byte(s))
 }
 
+func StartWslShellProcNoWsh(ctx context.Context, termSize waveobj.TermSize, cmdStr string, cmdOpts CommandOptsType, conn *wslconn.WslConn) (*ShellProc, error) {
+	client := conn.GetClient()
+	conn.Infof(ctx, "WSL-NEWSESSION (StartWslShellProcNoWsh)")
+
+	ecmd := exec.Command("wsl.exe", "~", "-d", client.Name())
+
+	if termSize.Rows == 0 || termSize.Cols == 0 {
+		termSize.Rows = shellutil.DefaultTermRows
+		termSize.Cols = shellutil.DefaultTermCols
+	}
+	if termSize.Rows <= 0 || termSize.Cols <= 0 {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid term size: %v", termSize)
+	}
+	cmdPty, err := pty.StartWithSize(ecmd, &pty.Winsize{Rows: uint16(termSize.Rows), Cols: uint16(termSize.Cols)})
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	cmdWrap := MakeCmdWrap(ecmd, cmdPty)
+	return &ShellProc{Cmd: cmdWrap, ConnName: conn.GetName(), CloseOnce: &sync.Once{}, DoneCh: make(chan any)}, nil
+}
+
 func StartWslShellProc(ctx context.Context, termSize waveobj.TermSize, cmdStr string, cmdOpts CommandOptsType, conn *wslconn.WslConn) (*ShellProc, error) {
 	client := conn.GetClient()
 	conn.Infof(ctx, "WSL-NEWSESSION (StartWslShellProc)")
diff --git a/pkg/wshrpc/wshserver/wshserver.go b/pkg/wshrpc/wshserver/wshserver.go
index e421bec61..75a155d70 100644
--- a/pkg/wshrpc/wshserver/wshserver.go
+++ b/pkg/wshrpc/wshserver/wshserver.go
@@ -783,6 +783,16 @@ func (ws *WshServer) WslDefaultDistroCommand(ctx context.Context) (string, error
  * Dismisses the WshFail Command in runtime memory on the backend
  */
 func (ws *WshServer) DismissWshFailCommand(ctx context.Context, connName string) error {
+	if strings.HasPrefix(connName, "wsl://") {
+		distroName := strings.TrimPrefix(connName, "wsl://")
+		conn := wslconn.GetWslConn(ctx, distroName, false)
+		if conn == nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("connection not found: %s", connName)
+		}
+		conn.ClearWshError()
+		conn.FireConnChangeEvent()
+		return nil
+	}
 	opts, err := remote.ParseOpts(connName)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
diff --git a/pkg/wslconn/wslconn.go b/pkg/wslconn/wslconn.go
index 1f561c826..42ec61118 100644
--- a/pkg/wslconn/wslconn.go
+++ b/pkg/wslconn/wslconn.go
@@ -101,11 +101,14 @@ func (conn *WslConn) DeriveConnStatus() wshrpc.ConnStatus {
 	return wshrpc.ConnStatus{
 		Status:        conn.Status,
 		Connected:     conn.Status == Status_Connected,
-		WshEnabled:    true, // always use wsh for wsl connections (temporary)
+		WshEnabled:    conn.WshEnabled.Load(),
 		Connection:    conn.GetName(),
 		HasConnected:  (conn.LastConnectTime > 0),
 		ActiveConnNum: conn.ActiveConnNum,
 		Error:         conn.Error,
+		WshError:      conn.WshError,
+		NoWshReason:   conn.NoWshReason,
+		WshVersion:    conn.WshVersion,
 	}
 }
 
@@ -702,6 +705,9 @@ func (conn *WslConn) waitForDisconnect() {
 	log.Printf("wait for disconnect in %+#v", conn)
 	defer conn.FireConnChangeEvent()
 	defer conn.HasWaiter.Store(false)
+	if conn.ConnController == nil {
+		return
+	}
 	err := conn.ConnController.Wait()
 	conn.WithLock(func() {
 		// disconnects happen for a variety of reasons (like network, etc. and are typically transient)