diff --git a/package/base-files/Makefile b/package/base-files/Makefile
index 4f4e93361f..107d53e74f 100644
--- a/package/base-files/Makefile
+++ b/package/base-files/Makefile
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ define Package/base-files/conffiles
 /etc/services
 /etc/shadow
 /etc/shells
+/etc/shinit
 /etc/sysctl.conf
 /etc/sysupgrade.conf
 $(call $(TARGET)/conffiles)
diff --git a/package/base-files/files/etc/profile b/package/base-files/files/etc/profile
index 9a3ac069a2..0beff1608f 100644
--- a/package/base-files/files/etc/profile
+++ b/package/base-files/files/etc/profile
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-#!/bin/sh
 [ -e /tmp/.failsafe ] && export FAILSAFE=1
 
 [ -f /etc/banner ] && cat /etc/banner
@@ -13,6 +12,7 @@ export PATH="%PATH%"
 export HOME=$(grep -e "^${USER:-root}:" /etc/passwd | cut -d ":" -f 6)
 export HOME=${HOME:-/root}
 export PS1='\u@\h:\w\$ '
+export ENV=/etc/shinit
 
 case "$TERM" in
 	xterm*|rxvt*)
@@ -20,16 +20,6 @@ case "$TERM" in
 		;;
 esac
 
-[ -x /bin/more ] || alias more=less
-[ -x /usr/bin/vim ] && alias vi=vim || alias vim=vi
-
-alias ll='ls -alF --color=auto'
-
-[ -z "$KSH_VERSION" -o \! -s /etc/mkshrc ] || . /etc/mkshrc
-
-[ -x /usr/bin/arp -o -x /sbin/arp ] || arp() { cat /proc/net/arp; }
-[ -x /usr/bin/ldd ] || ldd() { LD_TRACE_LOADED_OBJECTS=1 $*; }
-
 [ -n "$FAILSAFE" ] || {
 	for FILE in /etc/profile.d/*.sh; do
 		[ -e "$FILE" ] && . "$FILE"
@@ -48,12 +38,3 @@ in order to prevent unauthorized SSH logins.
 --------------------------------------------------
 EOF
 fi
-
-service() {
-	[ -f "/etc/init.d/$1" ] || {
-		echo "service "'"'"$1"'"'" not found, the following services are available:"
-		ls "/etc/init.d"
-		return 1
-	}
-	/etc/init.d/$@
-}
diff --git a/package/base-files/files/etc/shinit b/package/base-files/files/etc/shinit
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6b715c1ef9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/package/base-files/files/etc/shinit
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+[ -x /bin/more ] || alias more=less
+[ -x /usr/bin/vim ] && alias vi=vim || alias vim=vi
+
+alias ll='ls -alF --color=auto'
+
+[ -z "$KSH_VERSION" -o \! -s /etc/mkshrc ] || . /etc/mkshrc
+
+[ -x /usr/bin/arp -o -x /sbin/arp ] || arp() { cat /proc/net/arp; }
+[ -x /usr/bin/ldd ] || ldd() { LD_TRACE_LOADED_OBJECTS=1 $*; }
+
+service() {
+	[ -f "/etc/init.d/$1" ] || {
+		echo "service "'"'"$1"'"'" not found, the following services are available:"
+		ls "/etc/init.d"
+		return 1
+	}
+	/etc/init.d/$@
+}
+
+[ -n "$KSH_VERSION" -o \! -s "$HOME/.shinit" ] || . "$HOME/.shinit"
+[ -z "$KSH_VERSION" -o \! -s "$HOME/.mkshrc" ] || . "$HOME/.mkshrc"
diff --git a/package/base-files/files/lib/upgrade/keep.d/base-files-essential b/package/base-files/files/lib/upgrade/keep.d/base-files-essential
index 978d4b58bc..7a7a253466 100644
--- a/package/base-files/files/lib/upgrade/keep.d/base-files-essential
+++ b/package/base-files/files/lib/upgrade/keep.d/base-files-essential
@@ -6,5 +6,6 @@
 /etc/profile
 /etc/shadow
 /etc/shells
+/etc/shinit
 /etc/sysctl.conf
 /etc/rc.local