diff --git a/examples/deploy-container.sh b/examples/deploy-container.sh
index 5912ba5..d48dfb4 100755
--- a/examples/deploy-container.sh
+++ b/examples/deploy-container.sh
@@ -81,6 +81,6 @@ echo "Bitcoind data dir:"
 sudo ls -al /var/lib/containers/demo-node/var/lib/bitcoind
 
 # Uncomment to start a shell session here
-# export -f c; bash -li
+# . start-bash-session.sh
 
 # Cleanup happens at exit (see above)
diff --git a/examples/deploy-nixops.sh b/examples/deploy-nixops.sh
index b204aa9..d7209e8 100755
--- a/examples/deploy-nixops.sh
+++ b/examples/deploy-nixops.sh
@@ -39,6 +39,6 @@ nixops deploy -d bitcoin-node
 nixops ssh bitcoin-node systemctl status bitcoind
 
 # Uncomment to start a shell session here
-# bash -li
+# . start-bash-session.sh
 
 # Cleanup happens at exit (see above)
diff --git a/examples/deploy-qemu-vm.sh b/examples/deploy-qemu-vm.sh
index a87547c..01ad0df 100755
--- a/examples/deploy-qemu-vm.sh
+++ b/examples/deploy-qemu-vm.sh
@@ -91,6 +91,6 @@ echo "Node info:"
 c nodeinfo
 
 # Uncomment to start a shell session here
-# export -f c; bash -li
+# . start-bash-session.sh
 
 # Cleanup happens at exit (see above)
diff --git a/examples/start-bash-session.sh b/examples/start-bash-session.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6ed16bf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/start-bash-session.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+# Start an interactive bash session in the current bash environment.
+
+# BASH_ENVIRONMENT contains definitions of read-only variables like 'BASHOPTS' that
+# cause warnings on importing. Suppress these warnings during bash startup.
+BASH_ENVIRONMENT=<(declare -p; declare -pf) \
+  bash --rcfile <(echo 'source $BASH_ENVIRONMENT 2>/dev/null')