diff --git a/spring-boot-cli/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/cli/command/CommandCompleter.java b/spring-boot-cli/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/cli/command/CommandCompleter.java
index 5d0e837fc2..be1512b998 100644
--- a/spring-boot-cli/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/cli/command/CommandCompleter.java
+++ b/spring-boot-cli/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/cli/command/CommandCompleter.java
@@ -32,102 +32,109 @@ import org.springframework.boot.cli.Command;
 import org.springframework.boot.cli.Log;
 import org.springframework.boot.cli.OptionHelp;
 import org.springframework.boot.cli.SpringCli;
-import org.springframework.util.StringUtils;
 
 /**
+ * JLine {@link Completer} for Spring Boot {@link Command}s.
+ * 
  * @author Jon Brisbin
+ * @author Phillip Webb
  */
 public class CommandCompleter extends StringsCompleter {
 
 	private final Map<String, Completer> optionCompleters = new HashMap<String, Completer>();
+
 	private List<Command> commands = new ArrayList<Command>();
-	private ConsoleReader console;
-	private String lastBuffer;
 
-	public CommandCompleter(ConsoleReader console, SpringCli cli) {
-		this.console = console;
+	private ConsoleReader console;
 
+	public CommandCompleter(ConsoleReader consoleReader, SpringCli cli) {
+		this.console = consoleReader;
 		this.commands.addAll(cli.getCommands());
 		List<String> names = new ArrayList<String>();
-		for (Command c : this.commands) {
-			names.add(c.getName());
-			List<String> opts = new ArrayList<String>();
-			for (OptionHelp optHelp : c.getOptionsHelp()) {
-				opts.addAll(optHelp.getOptions());
+		for (Command command : this.commands) {
+			names.add(command.getName());
+			List<String> options = new ArrayList<String>();
+			for (OptionHelp optionHelp : command.getOptionsHelp()) {
+				options.addAll(optionHelp.getOptions());
 			}
-			this.optionCompleters.put(c.getName(), new ArgumentCompleter(
-					new StringsCompleter(c.getName()), new StringsCompleter(opts),
-					new NullCompleter()));
+			StringsCompleter commandCompleter = new StringsCompleter(command.getName());
+			StringsCompleter optionsCompleter = new StringsCompleter(options);
+			this.optionCompleters.put(command.getName(), new ArgumentCompleter(
+					commandCompleter, optionsCompleter, new NullCompleter()));
 		}
 		getStrings().addAll(names);
-
 	}
 
 	@Override
 	public int complete(String buffer, int cursor, List<CharSequence> candidates) {
-		int i = super.complete(buffer, cursor, candidates);
-		if (buffer.indexOf(' ') < 1) {
-			return i;
-		}
-		String name = buffer.substring(0, buffer.indexOf(' '));
-		if ("".equals(name.trim())) {
-			return i;
-		}
-		for (Command c : this.commands) {
-			if (!c.getName().equals(name)) {
-				continue;
-			}
-			if (buffer.equals(this.lastBuffer)) {
-				this.lastBuffer = buffer;
-				try {
-					this.console.println();
-					this.console.println("Usage:");
-					this.console.println(c.getName() + " " + c.getUsageHelp());
-					List<List<String>> rows = new ArrayList<List<String>>();
-					int maxSize = 0;
-					for (OptionHelp optHelp : c.getOptionsHelp()) {
-						List<String> cols = new ArrayList<String>();
-						for (String s : optHelp.getOptions()) {
-							cols.add(s);
-						}
-						String opts = StringUtils
-								.collectionToDelimitedString(cols, " | ");
-						if (opts.length() > maxSize) {
-							maxSize = opts.length();
-						}
-						cols.clear();
-						cols.add(opts);
-						cols.add(optHelp.getUsageHelp());
-						rows.add(cols);
+		int completionIndex = super.complete(buffer, cursor, candidates);
+		int spaceIndex = buffer.indexOf(' ');
+		String commandName = (spaceIndex == -1) ? "" : buffer.substring(0, spaceIndex);
+		if (!"".equals(commandName.trim())) {
+			for (Command command : this.commands) {
+				if (command.getName().equals(commandName)) {
+					if (cursor == buffer.length() && buffer.endsWith(" ")) {
+						printUsage(command);
+						break;
 					}
-
-					StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder("\t");
-					for (List<String> row : rows) {
-						String col1 = row.get(0);
-						String col2 = row.get(1);
-						for (int j = 0; j < (maxSize - col1.length()); j++) {
-							sb.append(" ");
-						}
-						sb.append(col1).append(": ").append(col2);
-						this.console.println(sb.toString());
-						sb = new StringBuilder("\t");
+					Completer completer = this.optionCompleters.get(command.getName());
+					if (completer != null) {
+						completionIndex = completer.complete(buffer, cursor, candidates);
+						break;
 					}
-
-					this.console.drawLine();
 				}
-				catch (IOException e) {
-					Log.error(e.getMessage() + " (" + e.getClass().getName() + ")");
-				}
-			}
-			Completer completer = this.optionCompleters.get(c.getName());
-			if (null != completer) {
-				i = completer.complete(buffer, cursor, candidates);
-				break;
 			}
 		}
+		return completionIndex;
+	}
+
+	private void printUsage(Command command) {
+		try {
+			int maxOptionsLength = 0;
+			List<OptionHelpLine> optionHelpLines = new ArrayList<OptionHelpLine>();
+			for (OptionHelp optionHelp : command.getOptionsHelp()) {
+				OptionHelpLine optionHelpLine = new OptionHelpLine(optionHelp);
+				optionHelpLines.add(optionHelpLine);
+				maxOptionsLength = Math.max(maxOptionsLength, optionHelpLine.getOptions()
+						.length());
+			}
 
-		this.lastBuffer = buffer;
-		return i;
+			this.console.println();
+			this.console.println("Usage:");
+			this.console.println(command.getName() + " " + command.getUsageHelp());
+			for (OptionHelpLine optionHelpLine : optionHelpLines) {
+				this.console.println(String.format("\t%" + maxOptionsLength + "s: %s",
+						optionHelpLine.getOptions(), optionHelpLine.getUsage()));
+			}
+			this.console.drawLine();
+		}
+		catch (IOException e) {
+			Log.error(e.getMessage() + " (" + e.getClass().getName() + ")");
+		}
 	}
 
+	private static class OptionHelpLine {
+
+		private final String options;
+
+		private final String usage;
+
+		public OptionHelpLine(OptionHelp optionHelp) {
+			StringBuffer options = new StringBuffer();
+			for (String option : optionHelp.getOptions()) {
+				options.append(options.length() == 0 ? "" : ", ");
+				options.append(option);
+			}
+			this.options = options.toString();
+			this.usage = optionHelp.getUsageHelp();
+		}
+
+		public String getOptions() {
+			return this.options;
+		}
+
+		public String getUsage() {
+			return this.usage;
+		}
+	}
 }
diff --git a/spring-boot-cli/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/cli/command/PromptCommand.java b/spring-boot-cli/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/cli/command/PromptCommand.java
index 52210eeea3..f1b95867f8 100644
--- a/spring-boot-cli/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/cli/command/PromptCommand.java
+++ b/spring-boot-cli/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/cli/command/PromptCommand.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2012-2013 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2012-2014 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -16,8 +16,11 @@
 
 package org.springframework.boot.cli.command;
 
+import org.springframework.boot.cli.Command;
 
 /**
+ * {@link Command} to change the {@link ShellCommand shell} prompt.
+ * 
  * @author Dave Syer
  */
 public class PromptCommand extends AbstractCommand {
diff --git a/spring-boot-cli/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/cli/command/ShellCommand.java b/spring-boot-cli/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/cli/command/ShellCommand.java
index 5e9e8a85e0..f567b74a35 100644
--- a/spring-boot-cli/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/cli/command/ShellCommand.java
+++ b/spring-boot-cli/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/cli/command/ShellCommand.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2012-2013 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2012-2014 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import java.io.IOException;
 import java.io.InputStream;
 import java.io.OutputStream;
 import java.io.PrintStream;
+import java.lang.reflect.Method;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Stack;
@@ -38,9 +39,13 @@ import org.springframework.util.StringUtils;
  * 
  * @author Jon Brisbin
  * @author Dave Syer
+ * @author Phillip Webb
  */
 public class ShellCommand extends AbstractCommand {
 
+	private static final Method PROCESS_BUILDER_INHERIT_IO_METHOD = ReflectionUtils
+			.findMethod(ProcessBuilder.class, "inheritIO");
+
 	private String defaultPrompt = "$ ";
 
 	private SpringCli springCli;
@@ -50,157 +55,60 @@ public class ShellCommand extends AbstractCommand {
 	private Stack<String> prompts = new Stack<String>();
 
 	public ShellCommand(SpringCli springCli) {
-		super("shell", "Start a nested shell (REPL).");
+		super("shell", "Start a nested shell");
 		this.springCli = springCli;
 	}
 
 	@Override
 	public void run(String... args) throws Exception {
-
 		enhance(this.springCli);
 
-		final ConsoleReader console = new ConsoleReader();
-		console.addCompleter(new CommandCompleter(console, this.springCli));
-		console.setHistoryEnabled(true);
-		console.setCompletionHandler(new CandidateListCompletionHandler());
-
-		final InputStream sysin = System.in;
-		final PrintStream sysout = System.out;
-		final PrintStream syserr = System.err;
+		InputStream sysin = System.in;
+		PrintStream systemOut = System.out;
+		PrintStream systemErr = System.err;
 
+		ConsoleReader consoleReader = createConsoleReader();
 		printBanner();
 
-		System.setIn(console.getInput());
-		PrintStream out = new PrintStream(new OutputStream() {
-			@Override
-			public void write(int b) throws IOException {
-				console.getOutput().write(b);
-			}
-		});
+		PrintStream out = new PrintStream(new ConsoleReaderOutputStream(consoleReader));
+		System.setIn(consoleReader.getInput());
 		System.setOut(out);
 		System.setErr(out);
 
-		String line;
-		StringBuffer data = new StringBuffer();
-
 		try {
-
-			while (null != (line = console.readLine(this.prompt))) {
-				if ("quit".equals(line.trim())) {
-					break;
-				}
-				else if ("clear".equals(line.trim())) {
-					console.clearScreen();
-					continue;
-				}
-				List<String> parts = new ArrayList<String>();
-
-				if (line.contains("<<")) {
-					int startMultiline = line.indexOf("<<");
-					data.append(line.substring(startMultiline + 2));
-					String contLine;
-					while (null != (contLine = console.readLine("... "))) {
-						if ("".equals(contLine.trim())) {
-							break;
-						}
-						data.append(contLine);
-					}
-					line = line.substring(0, startMultiline);
-				}
-
-				String lineToParse = line.trim();
-				if (lineToParse.startsWith("!")) {
-					lineToParse = lineToParse.substring(1).trim();
-				}
-				String[] segments = StringUtils.delimitedListToStringArray(lineToParse,
-						" ");
-				StringBuffer sb = new StringBuffer();
-				boolean swallowWhitespace = false;
-				for (String s : segments) {
-					if ("".equals(s)) {
-						continue;
-					}
-					if (s.startsWith("\"")) {
-						swallowWhitespace = true;
-						sb.append(s.substring(1));
-					}
-					else if (s.endsWith("\"")) {
-						swallowWhitespace = false;
-						sb.append(" ").append(s.substring(0, s.length() - 1));
-						parts.add(sb.toString());
-						sb = new StringBuffer();
-					}
-					else {
-						if (!swallowWhitespace) {
-							parts.add(s);
-						}
-						else {
-							sb.append(" ").append(s);
-						}
-					}
-				}
-				if (sb.length() > 0) {
-					parts.add(sb.toString());
-				}
-				if (data.length() > 0) {
-					parts.add(data.toString());
-					data = new StringBuffer();
-				}
-
-				if (parts.size() > 0) {
-					if (line.trim().startsWith("!")) {
-						try {
-							ProcessBuilder pb = new ProcessBuilder(parts);
-							if (isJava7()) {
-								inheritIO(pb);
-							}
-							pb.environment().putAll(System.getenv());
-							Process process = pb.start();
-							if (!isJava7()) {
-								ProcessGroovyMethods.consumeProcessOutput(process,
-										(OutputStream) sysout, (OutputStream) syserr);
-							}
-							process.waitFor();
-						}
-						catch (Exception e) {
-							e.printStackTrace();
-						}
-					}
-					else {
-						if (!getName().equals(parts.get(0))) {
-							this.springCli.runAndHandleErrors(parts
-									.toArray(new String[parts.size()]));
-						}
-					}
-				}
-			}
-
+			runReadLoop(consoleReader, systemOut, systemErr);
 		}
 		finally {
-
 			System.setIn(sysin);
-			System.setOut(sysout);
-			System.setErr(syserr);
-
-			console.shutdown();
-
+			System.setOut(systemOut);
+			System.setErr(systemErr);
+			consoleReader.shutdown();
 		}
 	}
 
 	protected void enhance(SpringCli cli) {
-		String name = cli.getDisplayName().trim();
-		this.defaultPrompt = name + "> ";
+		this.defaultPrompt = cli.getDisplayName().trim() + "> ";
 		this.prompt = this.defaultPrompt;
 		cli.setDisplayName("");
+
 		RunCommand run = (RunCommand) cli.find("run");
 		if (run != null) {
 			StopCommand stop = new StopCommand(run);
 			cli.register(stop);
 		}
+
 		PromptCommand prompt = new PromptCommand(this);
 		cli.register(prompt);
 	}
 
+	private ConsoleReader createConsoleReader() throws IOException {
+		ConsoleReader reader = new ConsoleReader();
+		reader.addCompleter(new CommandCompleter(reader, this.springCli));
+		reader.setHistoryEnabled(true);
+		reader.setCompletionHandler(new CandidateListCompletionHandler());
+		return reader;
+	}
+
 	protected void printBanner() {
 		String version = ShellCommand.class.getPackage().getImplementationVersion();
 		version = (version == null ? "" : " (v" + version + ")");
@@ -209,6 +117,129 @@ public class ShellCommand extends AbstractCommand {
 				+ "RETURN for help, and 'quit' to exit.");
 	}
 
+	private void runReadLoop(final ConsoleReader consoleReader,
+			final PrintStream systemOut, final PrintStream systemErr) throws IOException {
+		StringBuffer data = new StringBuffer();
+		while (true) {
+			String line = consoleReader.readLine(this.prompt);
+
+			if (line == null || "quit".equals(line.trim()) || "exit".equals(line.trim())) {
+				return;
+			}
+
+			if ("clear".equals(line.trim())) {
+				consoleReader.clearScreen();
+				continue;
+			}
+
+			if (line.contains("<<")) {
+				int startMultiline = line.indexOf("<<");
+				data.append(line.substring(startMultiline + 2));
+				line = line.substring(0, startMultiline);
+				readMultiLineData(consoleReader, data);
+			}
+
+			line = line.trim();
+			boolean isLaunchProcessCommand = line.startsWith("!");
+			if (isLaunchProcessCommand) {
+				line = line.substring(1);
+			}
+
+			List<String> args = parseArgs(line);
+			if (data.length() > 0) {
+				args.add(data.toString());
+				data.setLength(0);
+			}
+			if (args.size() > 0) {
+				if (isLaunchProcessCommand) {
+					launchProcess(args, systemOut, systemErr);
+				}
+				else {
+					runCommand(args);
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	private void readMultiLineData(final ConsoleReader consoleReader, StringBuffer data)
+			throws IOException {
+		while (true) {
+			String line = consoleReader.readLine("... ");
+			if (line == null || "".equals(line.trim())) {
+				return;
+			}
+			data.append(line);
+		}
+	}
+
+	private List<String> parseArgs(String line) {
+		List<String> parts = new ArrayList<String>();
+		String[] segments = StringUtils.delimitedListToStringArray(line, " ");
+		StringBuffer part = new StringBuffer();
+		boolean swallowWhitespace = false;
+		for (String segment : segments) {
+			if ("".equals(segment)) {
+				continue;
+			}
+			if (segment.startsWith("\"")) {
+				swallowWhitespace = true;
+				part.append(segment.substring(1));
+			}
+			else if (segment.endsWith("\"")) {
+				swallowWhitespace = false;
+				part.append(" ").append(segment.substring(0, segment.length() - 1));
+				parts.add(part.toString());
+				part = new StringBuffer();
+			}
+			else {
+				if (!swallowWhitespace) {
+					parts.add(segment);
+				}
+				else {
+					part.append(" ").append(segment);
+				}
+			}
+		}
+		if (part.length() > 0) {
+			parts.add(part.toString());
+		}
+		return parts;
+	}
+
+	private void launchProcess(List<String> parts, final PrintStream sysout,
+			final PrintStream syserr) {
+		try {
+			ProcessBuilder processBuilder = new ProcessBuilder(parts);
+			if (isJava7()) {
+				inheritIO(processBuilder);
+			}
+			processBuilder.environment().putAll(System.getenv());
+			Process process = processBuilder.start();
+			if (!isJava7()) {
+				ProcessGroovyMethods.consumeProcessOutput(process, (OutputStream) sysout,
+						(OutputStream) syserr);
+			}
+			process.waitFor();
+		}
+		catch (Exception ex) {
+			ex.printStackTrace();
+		}
+	}
+
+	private boolean isJava7() {
+		return PROCESS_BUILDER_INHERIT_IO_METHOD != null;
+	}
+
+	private void inheritIO(ProcessBuilder processBuilder) {
+		ReflectionUtils.invokeMethod(PROCESS_BUILDER_INHERIT_IO_METHOD, processBuilder);
+	}
+
+	private void runCommand(List<String> args) {
+		if (!getName().equals(args.get(0))) {
+			this.springCli.runAndHandleErrors(args.toArray(new String[args.size()]));
+		}
+	}
+
 	public void pushPrompt(String prompt) {
 		this.prompts.push(this.prompt);
 		this.prompt = prompt;
@@ -224,16 +255,18 @@ public class ShellCommand extends AbstractCommand {
 		return this.prompt;
 	}
 
-	private void inheritIO(ProcessBuilder pb) {
-		ReflectionUtils.invokeMethod(
-				ReflectionUtils.findMethod(ProcessBuilder.class, "inheritIO"), pb);
-	}
+	private static class ConsoleReaderOutputStream extends OutputStream {
 
-	private boolean isJava7() {
-		if (ReflectionUtils.findMethod(ProcessBuilder.class, "inheritIO") != null) {
-			return true;
+		private ConsoleReader consoleReader;
+
+		public ConsoleReaderOutputStream(ConsoleReader consoleReader) {
+			this.consoleReader = consoleReader;
+		}
+
+		@Override
+		public void write(int b) throws IOException {
+			this.consoleReader.getOutput().write(b);
 		}
-		return false;
-	}
 
+	}
 }
diff --git a/spring-boot-cli/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/cli/command/StopCommand.java b/spring-boot-cli/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/cli/command/StopCommand.java
index 80e7d668be..c2cf308ade 100644
--- a/spring-boot-cli/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/cli/command/StopCommand.java
+++ b/spring-boot-cli/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/cli/command/StopCommand.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2012-2013 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2012-2014 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -16,8 +16,11 @@
 
 package org.springframework.boot.cli.command;
 
+import org.springframework.boot.cli.Command;
 
 /**
+ * {@link Command} to stop an application started from the {@link ShellCommand shell}.
+ * 
  * @author Jon Brisbin
  */
 public class StopCommand extends AbstractCommand {
@@ -25,8 +28,8 @@ public class StopCommand extends AbstractCommand {
 	private final RunCommand runCmd;
 
 	public StopCommand(RunCommand runCmd) {
-		super("stop",
-				"Stop the currently-running application started with the 'run' command.");
+		super("stop", "Stop the currently-running application started with "
+				+ "the 'run' command.");
 		this.runCmd = runCmd;
 	}