diff --git a/lib/coderunner/runCode.js b/lib/coderunner/runCode.js
index 9560eec1f..7d0104107 100644
--- a/lib/coderunner/runCode.js
+++ b/lib/coderunner/runCode.js
@@ -23,8 +23,13 @@ function registerVar(varName, code) {
   __mainContext[varName] = code;
 }
 
+function getContext() {
+  return __mainContext;
+}
+
 module.exports = {
   doEval: doEval,
   registerVar: registerVar,
-  initContext: initContext
+  initContext: initContext,
+  getContext: getContext
 };
diff --git a/lib/dashboard/repl.js b/lib/dashboard/repl.js
index f416bc941..1dd5181f6 100644
--- a/lib/dashboard/repl.js
+++ b/lib/dashboard/repl.js
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 const repl = require("repl");
+const RunCode = require('../coderunner/runCode');
 
 class REPL {
   constructor(options) {
@@ -6,16 +7,21 @@ class REPL {
   }
 
   start(done) {
-    let replServer = repl.start({
+    this.replServer = repl.start({
       prompt: "Embark (" + this.env + ") > "
     });
+    this.initializeContext(this.replServer.context);
 
-    replServer.on('exit', () => {
+    this.replServer.on("exit", () => {
       process.exit();
     });
 
     done();
   }
+
+  initializeContext(context) {
+    context.embark = RunCode.getContext();
+  }
 }
 
 module.exports = REPL;
diff --git a/lib/index.js b/lib/index.js
index 4746e66a6..f470bf9bc 100644
--- a/lib/index.js
+++ b/lib/index.js
@@ -152,7 +152,14 @@ class Embark {
           });
         }
         engine.startService("fileWatcher");
-        callback();
+
+        if (!options.useDashboard) {
+          const REPL = require('./dashboard/repl.js');
+          let repl = new REPL({env: engine.env});
+          repl.start(function () {
+            callback();
+          });
+        }
       }
     ], function (err, _result) {
       if (err) {