diff --git a/sshd/run_unix.go b/sshd/run_unix.go
index be1a537..81fdf59 100644
--- a/sshd/run_unix.go
+++ b/sshd/run_unix.go
@@ -25,6 +25,14 @@ func run(ch ssh.Channel, cmd string, p *ptyReq, win <-chan [2]uint32) int {
 	if shell == "" {
 		shell = "/bin/sh"
 	}
+	// Without this the client sees only a session that ends at once. The container image Bamboo is
+	// published in contains no shell at all, so say so, and what to do about it.
+	if _, err := exec.LookPath(shell); err != nil {
+		fmt.Fprintf(ch.Stderr(), "bamboo: there is no shell to run (%v).\r\n"+
+			"The Bamboo container image has none, and a shell in a container is not a shell on the machine. "+
+			"Run Bamboo directly on the machine (for example with its systemd unit) to get one, or set SHELL to a shell that exists.\r\n", err)
+		return 127
+	}
 	var c *exec.Cmd
 	if cmd == "" {
 		c = exec.Command(shell, "-l")
diff --git a/sshd/run_unix_test.go b/sshd/run_unix_test.go
index 9ff8d4f..ec43519 100644
--- a/sshd/run_unix_test.go
+++ b/sshd/run_unix_test.go
@@ -82,3 +82,32 @@ func TestShell(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("got %q, %v", out.String(), err)
 	}
 }
+
+// A machine with no shell (the published container image is one) must say so, not just hang up.
+func TestNoShellIsExplained(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Setenv("SHELL", "/nonexistent/shell")
+	for name, usePty := range map[string]bool{"exec": false, "pty shell": true} {
+		s, done := session(t)
+		var stderr, stdout strings.Builder
+		s.Stderr, s.Stdout = &stderr, &stdout
+		var err error
+		if usePty {
+			if err = s.RequestPty("xterm", 24, 80, ssh.TerminalModes{}); err == nil {
+				err = s.Shell()
+				if err == nil {
+					err = s.Wait()
+				}
+			}
+		} else {
+			err = s.Run("true")
+		}
+		done()
+		var ee *ssh.ExitError
+		if !errors.As(err, &ee) || ee.ExitStatus() != 127 {
+			t.Errorf("%s: want exit status 127, got %v", name, err)
+		}
+		if !strings.Contains(stderr.String()+stdout.String(), "no shell to run") {
+			t.Errorf("%s: no explanation (stderr %q, stdout %q)", name, stderr.String(), stdout.String())
+		}
+	}
+}