diff --git a/orcli b/orcli
index 12566a1..ae6095a 100755
--- a/orcli
+++ b/orcli
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
-# This script was generated by bashly 0.8.7 (https://bashly.dannyb.co)
+# This script was generated by bashly 0.8.9 (https://bashly.dannyb.co)
 # Modifying it manually is not recommended
 
 # :wrapper.bash3_bouncer
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ orcli_usage() {
   # :command.usage_commands
   printf "Commands:\n"
   echo "  completions   Generate bash completions"
-  echo "  batch         run tmp OpenRefine workspace and execute shell script"
+  echo "  batch         run tmp OpenRefine workspace and execute shell script(s)"
   echo "  import        import commands"
   echo "  list          list projects on OpenRefine server"
   echo "  info          show project metadata"
@@ -121,11 +121,11 @@ orcli_completions_usage() {
 # :command.usage
 orcli_batch_usage() {
   if [[ -n $long_usage ]]; then
-    printf "orcli batch - run tmp OpenRefine workspace and execute shell script\n"
+    printf "orcli batch - run tmp OpenRefine workspace and execute shell script(s)\n"
     echo
 
   else
-    printf "orcli batch - run tmp OpenRefine workspace and execute shell script\n"
+    printf "orcli batch - run tmp OpenRefine workspace and execute shell script(s)\n"
     echo
 
   fi
@@ -157,6 +157,11 @@ orcli_batch_usage() {
     printf "    Default: 3333\n"
     echo
 
+    # :flag.usage
+    echo "  --debug"
+    printf "    do not exit on error and keep shell open\n"
+    echo
+
     # :command.usage_args
     printf "Arguments:\n"
 
@@ -579,6 +584,24 @@ function init_import() {
     fi
 }
 
+# src/lib/interactive.sh
+# shellcheck shell=bash
+function interactive() {
+    cat <<'EOF'
+if ! command -v orcli &>/dev/null; then
+    alias orcli="$orcli"
+fi
+PS1="(orcli) [\u@\h \W]\$ "
+source <(orcli completions)
+echo '================================================================'
+echo 'Interactive Bash shell with OpenRefine running in the background'
+echo 'Use the "orcli" command and tab completion to control OpenRefine'
+echo 'Type "history -a FILE" to write out your session history'
+echo 'Type "exit" or CTRL-D to destroy temporary OpenRefine workspace'
+echo '================================================================'
+EOF
+}
+
 # src/lib/logging.sh
 # print messages to STDERR
 # shellcheck shell=bash
@@ -680,7 +703,7 @@ send_completions() {
   echo $'      ;;'
   echo $''
   echo $'    \'batch\'*)'
-  echo $'      while read -r; do COMPREPLY+=( "$REPLY" ); done < <( compgen -W "$(_orcli_completions_filter "--help --memory --port -h")" -- "$cur" )'
+  echo $'      while read -r; do COMPREPLY+=( "$REPLY" ); done < <( compgen -W "$(_orcli_completions_filter "--debug --help --memory --port -h")" -- "$cur" )'
   echo $'      ;;'
   echo $''
   echo $'    \'list\'*)'
@@ -706,20 +729,17 @@ send_completions() {
 # :command.function
 orcli_completions_command() {
   # src/completions_command.sh
-  # shellcheck shell=bash disable=SC2154
+  # Users can now enable bash completion for this script by running:
+  #
+  #   $ eval "$(orcli completions)"
+  #
   send_completions
 }
 
 # :command.function
 orcli_batch_command() {
   # src/batch_command.sh
-  # shellcheck shell=bash disable=SC2154
-
-  # check if stdin is present if selected
-  if [[ ${args[file]} == '-' ]] || [[ ${args[file]} == '"-"' ]] && [ -t 0 ]; then
-      orcli_batch_usage
-      exit 1
-  fi
+  # shellcheck shell=bash disable=SC2154 source=/dev/null
 
   # catch args, convert the space delimited string to an array
   files=()
@@ -729,12 +749,12 @@ orcli_batch_command() {
   OPENREFINE_URL="http://localhost:${args[--port]}"
 
   # locate orcli and OpenRefine
-  if command -v orcli &>/dev/null; then
-      orcli="orcli"
-  elif [[ -x "orcli" ]]; then
-      orcli="./orcli"
-  else
-      error "orcli is not executable!" "Try: chmod + ./orcli"
+  if ! command -v orcli &>/dev/null; then
+      if [[ -x "$0" ]]; then
+          orcli="$0"
+      else
+          error "orcli is not executable!" "Try: chmod + $0"
+      fi
   fi
   if [[ -x "refine" ]]; then
       openrefine="./refine"
@@ -765,9 +785,32 @@ orcli_batch_command() {
       log "started OpenRefine" "port: ${args[--port]}" "memory: ${args[--memory]}" "tmpdir: ${tmpdir}" "pid: ${openrefine_pid}"
   fi
 
-  # execute shell script
+  # execute script(s) in subshell
   export orcli tmpdir OPENREFINE_URL openrefine_pid
-  bash -e <(awk 1 "${files[@]}")
+  # case 1: interactive mode if stdin is selected but not present
+  if [[ ${args[file]} == '-' || ${args[file]} == '"-"' ]]; then
+      if ! read -u 0 -t 0; then
+          bash --rcfile <(
+              cat ~/.bashrc
+              interactive
+          ) -i < /dev/tty
+          exit
+      fi
+  fi
+  # case 2: execute scripts and keep shell running
+  if [[ ${args[--debug]} ]]; then
+      bash --rcfile <(
+          cat ~/.bashrc
+          for i in "${!files[@]}"; do log "execute script ${files[$i]}"; awk 1 "${files[$i]}"; done
+          interactive
+      ) -i < /dev/tty
+      exit
+  fi
+  # case 3: execute scripts
+  for i in "${!files[@]}"; do
+      log "execute script ${files[$i]}"
+      bash -e <(awk 1 "${files[$i]}")
+  done
 
 }
 
@@ -780,9 +823,11 @@ orcli_import_csv_command() {
   init_import
 
   # check if stdin is present if selected
-  if [[ ${args[file]} == '-' ]] || [[ ${args[file]} == '"-"' ]] && [ -t 0 ]; then
-      orcli_import_csv_usage
-      exit 1
+  if [[ ${args[file]} == '-' ]] || [[ ${args[file]} == '"-"' ]]; then
+      if ! read -u 0 -t 0; then
+          orcli_import_csv_usage
+          exit 1
+      fi
   fi
 
   # assemble specific post data (some options require json format)
@@ -1082,6 +1127,14 @@ orcli_batch_parse_requirements() {
       fi
       ;;
 
+    # :flag.case
+    --debug )
+
+      # :flag.case_no_arg
+      args[--debug]=1
+      shift
+      ;;
+
     -?* )
       printf "invalid option: %s\n" "$key" >&2
       exit 1
diff --git a/src/bashly.yml b/src/bashly.yml
index 7858cf0..8f30e15 100644
--- a/src/bashly.yml
+++ b/src/bashly.yml
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ commands:
       Usage: eval "\$(orcli completions)"
 
   - name: batch
-    help: run tmp OpenRefine workspace and execute shell script
+    help: run tmp OpenRefine workspace and execute shell script(s)
     args:
       - name: file
         help: Path to one or more files. When FILE is -, read standard input.
@@ -52,6 +52,8 @@ commands:
         help: PORT on which OpenRefine should listen
         arg: port
         default: "3333"
+      - long: --debug
+        help: do not exit on error and keep shell open
     examples:
       - |-
         orcli batch << EOF
diff --git a/src/batch_command.sh b/src/batch_command.sh
index 0398a0e..7be5651 100644
--- a/src/batch_command.sh
+++ b/src/batch_command.sh
@@ -1,10 +1,4 @@
-# shellcheck shell=bash disable=SC2154
-
-# check if stdin is present if selected
-if [[ ${args[file]} == '-' ]] || [[ ${args[file]} == '"-"' ]] && [ -t 0 ]; then
-    orcli_batch_usage
-    exit 1
-fi
+# shellcheck shell=bash disable=SC2154 source=/dev/null
 
 # catch args, convert the space delimited string to an array
 files=()
@@ -14,12 +8,12 @@ eval "files=(${args[file]})"
 OPENREFINE_URL="http://localhost:${args[--port]}"
 
 # locate orcli and OpenRefine
-if command -v orcli &>/dev/null; then
-    orcli="orcli"
-elif [[ -x "orcli" ]]; then
-    orcli="./orcli"
-else
-    error "orcli is not executable!" "Try: chmod + ./orcli"
+if ! command -v orcli &>/dev/null; then
+    if [[ -x "$0" ]]; then
+        orcli="$0"
+    else
+        error "orcli is not executable!" "Try: chmod + $0"
+    fi
 fi
 if [[ -x "refine" ]]; then
     openrefine="./refine"
@@ -50,6 +44,29 @@ else
     log "started OpenRefine" "port: ${args[--port]}" "memory: ${args[--memory]}" "tmpdir: ${tmpdir}" "pid: ${openrefine_pid}"
 fi
 
-# execute shell script
+# execute script(s) in subshell
 export orcli tmpdir OPENREFINE_URL openrefine_pid
-bash -e <(awk 1 "${files[@]}")
+# case 1: interactive mode if stdin is selected but not present
+if [[ ${args[file]} == '-' || ${args[file]} == '"-"' ]]; then
+    if ! read -u 0 -t 0; then
+        bash --rcfile <(
+            cat ~/.bashrc
+            interactive
+        ) -i < /dev/tty
+        exit
+    fi
+fi
+# case 2: execute scripts and keep shell running
+if [[ ${args[--debug]} ]]; then
+    bash --rcfile <(
+        cat ~/.bashrc
+        for i in "${!files[@]}"; do log "execute script ${files[$i]}"; awk 1 "${files[$i]}"; done
+        interactive
+    ) -i < /dev/tty
+    exit
+fi
+# case 3: execute scripts
+for i in "${!files[@]}"; do
+    log "execute script ${files[$i]}"
+    bash -e <(awk 1 "${files[$i]}")
+done
diff --git a/src/import_csv_command.sh b/src/import_csv_command.sh
index 53fbc4a..a2bf97f 100644
--- a/src/import_csv_command.sh
+++ b/src/import_csv_command.sh
@@ -4,9 +4,11 @@
 init_import
 
 # check if stdin is present if selected
-if [[ ${args[file]} == '-' ]] || [[ ${args[file]} == '"-"' ]] && [ -t 0 ]; then
-    orcli_import_csv_usage
-    exit 1
+if [[ ${args[file]} == '-' ]] || [[ ${args[file]} == '"-"' ]]; then
+    if ! read -u 0 -t 0; then
+        orcli_import_csv_usage
+        exit 1
+    fi
 fi
 
 # assemble specific post data (some options require json format)
diff --git a/src/lib/interactive.sh b/src/lib/interactive.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9ae432e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/interactive.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+# shellcheck shell=bash
+function interactive() {
+    cat <<'EOF'
+if ! command -v orcli &>/dev/null; then
+    alias orcli="$orcli"
+fi
+PS1="(orcli) [\u@\h \W]\$ "
+source <(orcli completions)
+echo '================================================================'
+echo 'Interactive Bash shell with OpenRefine running in the background'
+echo 'Use the "orcli" command and tab completion to control OpenRefine'
+echo 'Type "history -a FILE" to write out your session history'
+echo 'Type "exit" or CTRL-D to destroy temporary OpenRefine workspace'
+echo '================================================================'
+EOF
+}
diff --git a/src/lib/send_completions.sh b/src/lib/send_completions.sh
index a379d57..eb72a5a 100644
--- a/src/lib/send_completions.sh
+++ b/src/lib/send_completions.sh
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ send_completions() {
   echo $'      ;;'
   echo $''
   echo $'    \'batch\'*)'
-  echo $'      while read -r; do COMPREPLY+=( "$REPLY" ); done < <( compgen -W "$(_orcli_completions_filter "--help --memory --port -h")" -- "$cur" )'
+  echo $'      while read -r; do COMPREPLY+=( "$REPLY" ); done < <( compgen -W "$(_orcli_completions_filter "--debug --help --memory --port -h")" -- "$cur" )'
   echo $'      ;;'
   echo $''
   echo $'    \'list\'*)'