diff --git a/AUTHORS b/AUTHORS
index 2bd4c5a..2f41476 100644
--- a/AUTHORS
+++ b/AUTHORS
@@ -10,3 +10,4 @@ Jeremy Jones
 Benjamin W. Smith
 Pete Chudykowski
 Mike Perez
+Justin Barber
diff --git a/pecan/commands/shell.py b/pecan/commands/shell.py
index 49a6ef3..24aba10 100644
--- a/pecan/commands/shell.py
+++ b/pecan/commands/shell.py
@@ -51,7 +51,12 @@ class IPythonShell(object):
             from IPython.frontend.terminal.embed import (
                 InteractiveShellEmbed
             )
-            shell = InteractiveShellEmbed(banner2=banner)
+            # try and load their default profile
+            from IPython.frontend.terminal.ipapp import (
+                load_default_config
+            )
+            config = load_default_config()
+            shell = InteractiveShellEmbed(config=config, banner2=banner)
             shell(local_ns=ns)
         except ImportError:
             # Support for the IPython <= 0.10 shell API