diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b789d94..87872b6 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ mysql:clone <name> <new-name>  Create container <new-name> then copy data from <
 mysql:connect <name>           Connect via mysql to a mysql service
 mysql:create <name>            Create a mysql service with environment variables
 mysql:destroy <name>           Delete the service and stop its container if there are no links left
+mysql:enter <name> [command]   Enter a running couchdb service or run a command
 mysql:export <name> > <file>   Export a dump of the mysql service database
 mysql:expose <name> [port]     Expose a mysql service on custom port if provided (random port otherwise)
 mysql:import <name> < <file>   Import a dump into the mysql service database
@@ -71,6 +72,14 @@ dokku mysql:info lolipop --service-root
 dokku mysql:info lolipop --status
 dokku mysql:info lolipop --version
 
+# a bash prompt can be opened against a running service
+# filesystem changes will not be saved to disk
+dokku mysql:enter lolipop
+
+# you may also run a command directly against the service
+# filesystem changes will not be saved to disk
+dokku mysql:enter lolipop ls -lah /
+
 # a mysql service can be linked to a
 # container this will use native docker
 # links via the docker-options plugin
diff --git a/common-functions b/common-functions
index 69e3d25..08a653f 100755
--- a/common-functions
+++ b/common-functions
@@ -102,6 +102,21 @@ service_alternative_alias() {
   echo "$ALIAS"
 }
 
+service_enter() {
+  declare desc="enters running app container of specified proc type"
+  declare SERVICE="$1" && shift 1
+  local SERVICE_ROOT="$PLUGIN_DATA_ROOT/$SERVICE"
+  local ID="$(cat "$SERVICE_ROOT/ID")"
+
+  docker inspect "$ID" &> /dev/null || dokku_log_fail "Container does not exist"
+  is_container_status "$ID" "Running" || dokku_log_fail "Container is not running"
+
+  local EXEC_CMD=""
+  has_tty && local DOKKU_RUN_OPTS+=" -i -t"
+  # shellcheck disable=SC2086
+  docker exec $DOKKU_RUN_OPTS $ID $EXEC_CMD "${@:-/bin/bash}"
+}
+
 service_exposed_ports() {
   declare desc="Lists exposed ports for a service"
   declare SERVICE="$1"
diff --git a/subcommands/enter b/subcommands/enter
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..d59a44f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/subcommands/enter
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+source "$(dirname "$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)")/config"
+set -eo pipefail; [[ $DOKKU_TRACE ]] && set -x
+source "$PLUGIN_BASE_PATH/common/functions"
+source "$(dirname "$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)")/functions"
+
+enter-cmd() {
+  declare desc="enter a running $PLUGIN_SERVICE service or run a command"
+  local cmd="$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:enter" argv=("$@"); [[ ${argv[0]} == "$cmd" ]] && shift 1
+  declare SERVICE="$1" && shift 1
+
+  dokku_log_info1_quiet "Filesystem changes may not persist after container restarts"
+  service_enter "$SERVICE" "$@"
+}
+
+enter-cmd "$@"