diff --git a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/repl/ParseResult.scala b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/repl/ParseResult.scala
index 2674a385a10c..dd4c5d80a9e1 100644
--- a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/repl/ParseResult.scala
+++ b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/repl/ParseResult.scala
@@ -100,6 +100,12 @@ object Reset {
   val command: String = ":reset"
 }
 
+/** `:sh <command line>` run a shell command (result is implicitly => List[String]) */
+case class Sh(expr: String) extends Command
+object Sh {
+  val command: String = ":sh"
+}
+
 /** Toggle automatic printing of results */
 case object Silent extends Command:
   val command: String = ":silent"
@@ -150,6 +156,7 @@ object ParseResult {
     TypeOf.command -> (arg => TypeOf(arg)),
     DocOf.command -> (arg => DocOf(arg)),
     Settings.command -> (arg => Settings(arg)),
+    Sh.command -> (arg => Sh(arg)),
     Silent.command -> (_ => Silent),
   )
 
diff --git a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/repl/ReplDriver.scala b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/repl/ReplDriver.scala
index b00cf3d19188..47cd6fb133ef 100644
--- a/compiler/src/dotty/tools/repl/ReplDriver.scala
+++ b/compiler/src/dotty/tools/repl/ReplDriver.scala
@@ -538,6 +538,10 @@ class ReplDriver(settings: Array[String],
       }
       state
 
+    case Sh(expr) =>
+      out.println(s"""The :sh command is deprecated. Use `import scala.sys.process._` and `"command".!` instead.""")
+      state
+
     case Settings(arg) => arg match
       case "" =>
         given ctx: Context = state.context
diff --git a/compiler/test-resources/repl/i21657 b/compiler/test-resources/repl/i21657
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..fa2eec3ac891
--- /dev/null
+++ b/compiler/test-resources/repl/i21657
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+scala>:sh
+The :sh command is deprecated. Use `import scala.sys.process._` and `"command".!` instead.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/compiler/test/dotty/tools/repl/TabcompleteTests.scala b/compiler/test/dotty/tools/repl/TabcompleteTests.scala
index 66c0fd8a9ce7..95312b51497b 100644
--- a/compiler/test/dotty/tools/repl/TabcompleteTests.scala
+++ b/compiler/test/dotty/tools/repl/TabcompleteTests.scala
@@ -218,6 +218,7 @@ class TabcompleteTests extends ReplTest {
         ":quit",
         ":reset",
         ":settings",
+        ":sh",
         ":silent",
         ":type"
       ),