diff --git a/test/cli_shim/demo.sh b/test/cli_shim/demo.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..f0a003c0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/cli_shim/demo.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,434 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+# rebase this out prior to PR:
+# ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# don't forget to do an asciicast w/ asciinema, make sure to speed it up 3x;
+# provide a short version, just the demos; and long version, full build and
+# demos
+
+reset_shim_demo() {
+    local EMBARK_DOCKER_IMAGE="${EMBARK_DOCKER_IMAGE:-statusim/embark}"
+    local EMBARK_DOCKER_TAG="${EMBARK_DOCKER_TAG:-latest}"
+    local EMBARK_DOCKERFILE="${EMBARK_DOCKERFILE}"
+    local shim_demo_tag
+    if [[ (! -z "$EMBARK_DOCKERFILE") \
+              && "$EMBARK_DOCKER_TAG" = "latest" ]]; then
+        shim_demo_tag="shim-demo"
+    else
+        shim_demo_tag="${EMBARK_DOCKER_TAG}-shim-demo"
+    fi
+    local step
+    if [[ -z "$1" ]]; then
+        step="step-0"
+    else
+        step="$1"
+    fi
+    docker rmi "${EMBARK_DOCKER_IMAGE}:${shim_demo_tag}-${step}" &> /dev/null
+}
+export -f reset_shim_demo
+
+run_shim_demo () {
+    local EMBARK_BRANCH="${EMBARK_BRANCH:-features/cli-shim}"
+    # ^ once the PR is ready to merge this should be bumped to :-develop
+    local EMBARK_DOCKER_IMAGE="${EMBARK_DOCKER_IMAGE:-statusim/embark}"
+    local EMBARK_DOCKER_RUN
+    local EMBARK_DOCKER_RUN_INTERACTIVE
+    local EMBARK_DOCKER_RUN_OPTS_REPLACE
+    local EMBARK_DOCKER_RUN_RM
+    local EMBARK_DOCKER_TAG="${EMBARK_DOCKER_TAG:-latest}"
+    local EMBARK_DOCKERFILE="${EMBARK_DOCKERFILE}"
+    # ^ can override with a local path:
+    #   /path/to/embark-docker/Dockerfile
+    # or a url such as:
+    #   https://github.com/embark-framework/embark-docker.git#master
+    # if EMBARK_DOCKERFILE is not empty, it will trigger `docker build` instead
+    # of `docker pull` in step-0 below
+    local url_regex='^(https?|ftp|file)://[-A-Za-z0-9\+&@#/%?=~_|!:,.;]*[-A-Za-z0-9\+&@#/%=~_|]'
+    if [[ ! "$EMBARK_DOCKERFILE" =~ $url_regex ]]; then
+        EMBARK_DOCKERFILE="${EMBARK_DOCKERFILE%/*}"
+    fi
+    local EMBARK_SHIM_DEMO_DEV=${EMBARK_SHIM_DEMO_DEV:-false}
+    local EMBARK_VERSION="${EMBARK_VERSION:latest}"
+    # ^ only kicks in for `docker build`, not `docker pull`
+    local REAL="${REAL:-https://gist.githubusercontent.com/michaelsbradleyjr/87b5a99ad551e04cbad9c0c1d3af412b/raw/bfec2e589a91302b30f1d7cac8c2df71e5ebabe0/real.sh}"
+    local RUNNER="${RUNNER:-https://raw.githubusercontent.com/embark-framework/embark-docker/master/run.sh}"
+
+    local shim_demo_tag
+    if [[ (! -z "$EMBARK_DOCKERFILE") \
+              && "$EMBARK_DOCKER_TAG" = "latest" ]]; then
+        shim_demo_tag="shim-demo"
+    else
+        shim_demo_tag="${EMBARK_DOCKER_TAG}-shim-demo"
+    fi
+    local __shim_demo_tag="$shim_demo_tag"
+    local was_reset=false
+    local work_dir="$PWD"
+    if [[ "$REAL" =~ $url_regex ]]; then
+        source <(curl "$REAL" 2> /dev/null)
+    else
+        source "$REAL"
+    fi
+    local script_dir="$(real_dir "$BASH_SOURCE")"
+    local embark_dir="$(real_dir "$script_dir/../..")"
+    local cid_file="$script_dir/.cid"
+    if [[ "$RUNNER" =~ $url_regex ]]; then
+        source <(curl "$RUNNER" 2> /dev/null)
+    else
+        source "$RUNNER"
+    fi
+
+    check_image () {
+        local tag
+        if [[ -z "$1" ]]; then
+            tag="${__shim_demo_tag}-step-0"
+        else
+            tag="${__shim_demo_tag}-$1"
+        fi
+        local iid="$(docker images -q ${EMBARK_DOCKER_IMAGE}:${tag} 2> /dev/null)"
+        if [[ "$iid" = "" ]]; then
+            return 1
+        fi
+    }
+
+    cleanup () {
+        local retval=$?
+        unset check_image
+        unset cleanup
+        rm -f "$cid_file"
+        cd "$work_dir"
+        return $retval
+    }
+
+    # -- step 0 ----------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    echo '-----------------------------------'
+    echo 'setup - STEP 0'
+    echo '-----------------------------------'
+
+    shim_demo_tag="${__shim_demo_tag}-step-0"
+    if ! check_image; then
+        was_reset=true
+        if [[ ! -z "$EMBARK_DOCKERFILE" ]]; then
+            # could expand the --build-arg list (and list of locals at top of
+            # function) w/ all the build args supported by embark-docker's
+            # Dockerfile; should probably be the responsibility of a
+            # build_embark.sh script/function in embark-docker repo that parses
+            # and dedupes all ARG variables in embark-docker's Dockerfile
+            docker build \
+                   --build-arg EMBARK_VERSION="$EMBARK_VERSION" \
+                   -t "${EMBARK_DOCKER_IMAGE}:${EMBARK_DOCKER_TAG}" \
+                   "$EMBARK_DOCKERFILE" \
+                   || cleanup || return
+        else
+            docker pull "${EMBARK_DOCKER_IMAGE}:${EMBARK_DOCKER_TAG}" \
+                || cleanup || return
+        fi
+        docker tag \
+               "${EMBARK_DOCKER_IMAGE}:${EMBARK_DOCKER_TAG}" \
+               "${EMBARK_DOCKER_IMAGE}:${shim_demo_tag}" \
+            || cleanup || return
+    else
+        echo "cached..."
+    fi
+
+    # -- step 1 ----------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    echo '-----------------------------------'
+    echo 'setup - STEP 1'
+    echo '-----------------------------------'
+
+    if (! check_image step-1) || [[ $was_reset = true ]]; then
+        was_reset=true
+        rm -f "$cid_file"
+        EMBARK_DOCKER_TAG="$shim_demo_tag" \
+                         run_embark \
+                         --cidfile "$cid_file" \
+                         -d \
+                         -- bash -c 'trap "exit 0" SIGINT \
+                                         && while true; do sleep 1; done' \
+            || cleanup || return
+        docker exec \
+               -it \
+               $(cat "$cid_file") \
+               bash -c 'apt-get update && apt-get install -y rsync' \
+            || cleanup || return
+        shim_demo_tag="${__shim_demo_tag}-step-1"
+        docker commit \
+               --pause \
+               $(cat "$cid_file") \
+               "${EMBARK_DOCKER_IMAGE}:${shim_demo_tag}" \
+            || cleanup || return
+        docker stop $(cat "$cid_file") \
+            || cleanup || return
+        rm -f "$cid_file"
+    else
+        shim_demo_tag="${__shim_demo_tag}-step-1"
+        echo "cached..."
+    fi
+
+    # -- step 2 ----------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    echo '-----------------------------------'
+    echo 'setup - STEP 2'
+    echo '-----------------------------------'
+
+    local td_dapp="${HOME}/temp/$(basename $(mktemp -d))"
+    mkdir -p "$td_dapp"
+
+    if (! check_image step-2) || [[ $was_reset = true ]]; then
+        was_reset=true
+        rm -f "$cid_file"
+        # do not alter indentation, tabs in lines below
+        local step_2=$(cat <<- 'SCRIPT'
+	#!/bin/bash
+	simple_nodeenv 8.11.2 pre-8.11.3
+	simple_nodeenv 4.0.0 4.0.0
+	simple_nodeenv 8.12.0 lts
+	npm install -g npm@latest
+	npm install -g json
+	nac default
+	SCRIPT
+        )
+        # do not alter indentation, tabs in lines above
+        cd "$td_dapp"
+        EMBARK_DOCKER_RUN_RM=false
+        EMBARK_DOCKER_RUN=<(echo "$step_2") \
+                         EMBARK_DOCKER_TAG="$shim_demo_tag" \
+                         run_embark \
+                         --cidfile "$cid_file" \
+                         -- \
+            || cleanup || return
+        EMBARK_DOCKER_RUN_RM=true
+        shim_demo_tag="${__shim_demo_tag}-step-2"
+        docker commit $(cat "$cid_file") "${EMBARK_DOCKER_IMAGE}:${shim_demo_tag}" \
+            || cleanup || return
+        docker rm $(cat "$cid_file") \
+            || cleanup || return
+        rm -f "$cid_file"
+        cd "$work_dir"
+    else
+        shim_demo_tag="${__shim_demo_tag}-step-2"
+        echo "cached..."
+    fi
+
+    # -- step 3 ----------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    echo '-----------------------------------'
+    echo 'setup - STEP 3'
+    echo '-----------------------------------'
+
+    if (! check_image step-3) || [[ $was_reset = true ]]; then
+        was_reset=true
+        rm -f "$cid_file"
+        # do not alter indentation, tabs in lines below
+        local step_3=$(cat <<- 'SCRIPT'
+	#!/bin/bash
+	dev=$1
+	embark_branch="$2"
+	if [[ "$dev" = false ]]; then
+	    mkdir -p ~/repos/embark
+	    git clone https://github.com/embark-framework/embark.git \
+	              ~/repos/embark
+	    pushd "$PWD" &> /dev/null
+	    cd ~/repos/embark \
+	        && git checkout "$embark_branch" \
+	        && popd &> /dev/null
+	fi
+	mkdir -p ~/working/embark
+	rsync -a \
+	      --exclude=.git \
+	      --exclude=node_modules \
+	      --exclude=test/cli_shim/.cid \
+	      ~/repos/embark \
+	      ~/working/
+	pushd "$PWD" &> /dev/null
+	cd ~/working/embark
+	git config --global user.email "foo@bar"
+	git config --global user.name "Foo Bar"
+	git init
+	git add -A
+	git commit -m 'synced!'
+	nac lts
+	npm install
+	npm link
+	popd &> /dev/null
+	nac default
+	SCRIPT
+        )
+        # do not alter indentation, tabs in lines above
+        cd "$td_dapp"
+        local -a run_opts_step_3=(
+            "--cidfile"
+            "$cid_file"
+        )
+        if [[ $EMBARK_SHIM_DEMO_DEV = true ]]; then
+            run_opts_step_3=(
+                "${run_opts_step_3[@]}"
+                "-v"
+                "${embark_dir}:/home/embark/repos/embark"
+            )
+        fi
+        EMBARK_DOCKER_RUN_RM=false
+        EMBARK_DOCKER_RUN=<(echo "$step_3") \
+                         EMBARK_DOCKER_TAG="$shim_demo_tag" \
+                         run_embark \
+                         "${run_opts_step_3[@]}" \
+                         -- \
+                         $EMBARK_SHIM_DEMO_DEV \
+                         "$EMBARK_BRANCH" \
+            || cleanup || return
+        EMBARK_DOCKER_RUN_RM=true
+        shim_demo_tag="${__shim_demo_tag}-step-3"
+        docker commit $(cat "$cid_file") "${EMBARK_DOCKER_IMAGE}:${shim_demo_tag}" \
+            || cleanup || return
+        docker rm $(cat "$cid_file") \
+            || cleanup || return
+        rm -f "$cid_file"
+        cd "$work_dir"
+    else
+        shim_demo_tag="${__shim_demo_tag}-step-3"
+        echo "cached..."
+    fi
+
+    # -- step 4 ----------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    echo '-----------------------------------'
+    echo 'setup - STEP 4'
+    echo '-----------------------------------'
+
+    if (! check_image step-4) || [[ $was_reset = true ]]; then
+        was_reset=true
+        rm -f "$cid_file"
+        # do not alter indentation, tabs in lines below
+        local step_4=$(cat <<- 'SCRIPT'
+	#!/bin/bash
+	dev=$1
+	if [[ "$dev" = true ]]; then
+	    rsync -a \
+	          --exclude=.git \
+	          --exclude=node_modules \
+	          --exclude=test/cli_shim/.cid \
+	          ~/repos/embark \
+	          ~/working/
+	fi
+	pushd "$PWD" &> /dev/null
+	cd ~/working/embark
+	git add -A
+	git commit -m 'synced!'
+	cd ~
+	nac default
+	embark demo
+	cd embark_demo
+	git init
+	git add -A
+	git commit -m 'committed!'
+	popd &> /dev/null
+	SCRIPT
+        )
+        # do not alter indentation, tabs in lines above
+        cd "$td_dapp"
+        local -a run_opts_step_4=(
+            "--cidfile"
+            "$cid_file"
+        )
+        if [[ $EMBARK_SHIM_DEMO_DEV = true ]]; then
+            run_opts_step_4=(
+                "${run_opts_step_4[@]}"
+                "-v"
+                "${embark_dir}:/home/embark/repos/embark"
+            )
+        fi
+        EMBARK_DOCKER_RUN_RM=false
+        EMBARK_DOCKER_RUN=<(echo "$step_4") \
+                         EMBARK_DOCKER_TAG="$shim_demo_tag" \
+                         run_embark \
+                         "${run_opts_step_4[@]}" \
+                         -- \
+                         $EMBARK_SHIM_DEMO_DEV \
+            || cleanup || return
+        EMBARK_DOCKER_RUN_RM=true
+        shim_demo_tag="${__shim_demo_tag}-step-4"
+        docker commit $(cat "$cid_file") "${EMBARK_DOCKER_IMAGE}:${shim_demo_tag}" \
+            || cleanup || return
+        docker rm $(cat "$cid_file") \
+            || cleanup || return
+        rm -f "$cid_file"
+        cd "$work_dir"
+    else
+        shim_demo_tag="${__shim_demo_tag}-step-4"
+        echo "cached..."
+    fi
+
+    # -- DEMO ------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    echo '-----------------------------------'
+    echo 'DEMO'  🎉
+    echo '-----------------------------------'
+
+    # do not alter indentation, tabs in lines below
+    local demo=$(cat <<- SCRIPT
+	#!/bin/bash
+	dev=\$1
+	if [[ "\$dev" = true ]]; then
+	    rsync -a \
+	          --exclude=.git \
+	          --exclude=node_modules \
+	          --exclude=test/cli_shim/.cid \
+	          ~/repos/embark \
+	          ~/working/
+	fi
+	pushd "$PWD" &> /dev/null
+	cd ~/working/embark
+	git add -A
+	git commit -m 'synced!'
+	popd &> /dev/null
+	txtbld=\$(tput bold)
+	txtrst=\$(tput sgr0)
+	bldcyn=\${txtbld}\$(tput setaf 6)
+	say () {
+	    local msg="\$1"
+	    msg="\$([[ "\$msg" =~ \
+	              [[:space:]]*([^[:space:]]|[^[:space:]].*[^[:space:]])[[:space:]]* ]]; \
+	              echo -n "\${BASH_REMATCH[1]}")"
+	    echo
+	    echo
+	    echo "\${bldcyn}\${msg}\${txtrst}"
+	}
+	export -f say
+	export PROMPT_COMMAND="echo; echo"
+	# demos
+	$(< "$script_dir/demos/runtime-pre-8.11.3.sh")
+	$(< "$script_dir/demos/runtime-4.0.0.sh")
+	$(< "$script_dir/demos/invoked_missing_json.sh")
+	$(< "$script_dir/demos/invoked_bad_json.sh")
+	$(< "$script_dir/demos/invoked_no_version.sh")
+	$(< "$script_dir/demos/invoked_no_node_engine.sh")
+	$(< "$script_dir/demos/invoked_bad_node_engine.sh")
+	$(< "$script_dir/demos/invoked_missing_dep.sh")
+	trap "exit 0" SIGINT && while true; do sleep 1; done
+	SCRIPT
+    )
+    # do not alter indentation, tabs in lines above
+    cd "$td_dapp"
+    local -a run_opts_demo=()
+    if [[ $EMBARK_SHIM_DEMO_DEV = true ]]; then
+        run_opts_demo=(
+            "${run_opts_demo[@]}"
+            "-v"
+            "${embark_dir}:/home/embark/repos/embark"
+        )
+    fi
+    EMBARK_DOCKER_RUN=<(echo "$demo") \
+                     EMBARK_DOCKER_TAG="$shim_demo_tag" \
+                     run_embark \
+                     "${run_opts_demo[@]}" \
+                     -- \
+                     $EMBARK_SHIM_DEMO_DEV \
+        || cleanup || return
+    cd "$work_dir"
+}
+export -f run_shim_demo
+
+if [[ "$0" = "$BASH_SOURCE" ]]; then
+    run_shim_demo
+fi
diff --git a/test/cli_shim/demos/invoked_bad_json.sh b/test/cli_shim/demos/invoked_bad_json.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..aee0c357
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/cli_shim/demos/invoked_bad_json.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+say "$(cat << 'MSG'
+
+If invoked embark's package.json cannot be parsed then report error and exit
+
+MSG
+)"
+
+cd ~/working/embark
+echo '}' >> package.json
+cd ~/embark_demo
+nac lts
+
+bash -i << 'DEMO'
+embark version
+DEMO
+
+nac default
+cd ~/working/embark
+git stash &> /dev/null
+cd ~
diff --git a/test/cli_shim/demos/invoked_bad_node_engine.sh b/test/cli_shim/demos/invoked_bad_node_engine.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bcf806e5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/cli_shim/demos/invoked_bad_node_engine.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+say "$(cat << 'MSG'
+
+If invoked embark's package.json does not specify a valid node engine and
+node < default minimum version, include a message about the fallback in the
+"Unsupported runtime" error messages
+
+MSG
+)"
+
+cd ~/working/embark
+nac lts
+json -I -f package.json -e 'this.engines.node=">-8.11.3"' &> /dev/null
+
+cd ~/embark_demo
+nac pre-8.11.3
+
+bash -i << 'DEMO'
+node ~/working/embark/bin/embark version
+DEMO
+
+say "$(cat << 'MSG'
+
+No message about the fallback to testing with the default minimum version is
+displayed if the node version is supported
+
+MSG
+)"
+
+nac lts
+
+bash -i << 'DEMO'
+node ~/working/embark/bin/embark version
+DEMO
+
+nac default
+cd ~/working/embark
+git stash &> /dev/null
+cd ~
diff --git a/test/cli_shim/demos/invoked_missing_dep.sh b/test/cli_shim/demos/invoked_missing_dep.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0e5e44ee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/cli_shim/demos/invoked_missing_dep.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,102 @@
+say "$(cat << 'MSG'
+
+If invoked embark is missing a dependency then report error and exit
+
+MSG
+)"
+
+cd ~/working/embark/node_modules
+mv opn opn-RENAMED
+
+cd ~
+nac lts
+
+bash -i << 'DEMO'
+embark version
+DEMO
+
+nac default
+cd ~/working/embark/node_modules
+mv opn-RENAMED opn
+cd ~
+
+say "$(cat << 'MSG'
+
+If invoked embark is missing a dev dependency then report error and exit
+
+MSG
+)"
+
+cd ~/working/embark/node_modules
+mv sinon sinon-RENAMED
+
+cd ~
+nac lts
+
+bash -i << 'DEMO'
+embark version
+DEMO
+
+nac default
+cd ~/working/embark/node_modules
+mv sinon-RENAMED sinon
+cd ~
+
+say "$(cat << 'MSG'
+
+If invoked embark is within a node_modules tree then dependencies are not checked
+
+MSG
+)"
+
+cd ~/working/embark/node_modules
+mv opn opn-RENAMED
+cd ~/working
+mkdir node_modules
+mv embark node_modules/
+
+cd ~
+nac lts
+
+bash -i << 'DEMO'
+node ~/working/node_modules/embark/bin/embark version
+DEMO
+
+nac default
+cd ~/working/node_modules
+mv embark ../
+cd ../
+rmdir node_modules
+cd ~/working/embark/node_modules
+mv opn-RENAMED opn
+cd ~
+
+say "$(cat << 'MSG'
+
+If invoked embark is within a node_modules tree then dev dependencies are not
+checked
+
+MSG
+)"
+
+cd ~/working/embark/node_modules
+mv sinon sinon-RENAMED
+cd ~/working
+mkdir node_modules
+mv embark node_modules/
+
+cd ~
+nac lts
+
+bash -i << 'DEMO'
+node ~/working/node_modules/embark/bin/embark version
+DEMO
+
+nac default
+cd ~/working/node_modules
+mv embark ../
+cd ../
+rmdir node_modules
+cd ~/working/embark/node_modules
+mv sinon-RENAMED sinon
+cd ~
diff --git a/test/cli_shim/demos/invoked_missing_json.sh b/test/cli_shim/demos/invoked_missing_json.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c28b445d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/cli_shim/demos/invoked_missing_json.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+say "$(cat << 'MSG'
+
+If invoked embark's package.json is missing then report error and exit
+
+MSG
+)"
+
+cd ~/working/embark
+rm package.json
+cd ~/embark_demo
+nac lts
+
+bash -i << 'DEMO'
+embark version
+DEMO
+
+nac default
+cd ~/working/embark
+git stash &> /dev/null
+cd ~
diff --git a/test/cli_shim/demos/invoked_no_node_engine.sh b/test/cli_shim/demos/invoked_no_node_engine.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..35821f05
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/cli_shim/demos/invoked_no_node_engine.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+say "$(cat << 'MSG'
+
+If invoked embark's package.json does not specify a node engine and
+node < default minimum version, include a message about the fallback in the
+"Unsupported runtime" error messages
+
+MSG
+)"
+
+cd ~/working/embark
+nac lts
+json -I -f package.json -e 'delete this.engines.node' &> /dev/null
+
+cd ~/embark_demo
+nac pre-8.11.3
+
+bash -i << 'DEMO'
+node ~/working/embark/bin/embark version
+DEMO
+
+say "$(cat << 'MSG'
+
+No message about the fallback to testing with the default minimum version is
+displayed if the node version is supported
+
+MSG
+)"
+
+nac lts
+
+bash -i << 'DEMO'
+node ~/working/embark/bin/embark version
+DEMO
+
+nac default
+cd ~/working/embark
+git stash &> /dev/null
+cd ~
diff --git a/test/cli_shim/demos/invoked_no_version.sh b/test/cli_shim/demos/invoked_no_version.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..24300c5c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/cli_shim/demos/invoked_no_version.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+say "$(cat << 'MSG'
+
+If invoked embark's package.json does not specify a version then report warning
+and continue
+
+MSG
+)"
+
+cd ~/working/embark
+nac lts
+json -I -f package.json -e 'delete this.version' &> /dev/null
+cd ~/embark_demo
+
+bash -i << 'DEMO'
+embark version
+DEMO
+
+nac default
+cd ~/working/embark
+git stash &> /dev/null
+cd ~
diff --git a/test/cli_shim/demos/runtime-4.0.0.sh b/test/cli_shim/demos/runtime-4.0.0.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a55a3353
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/cli_shim/demos/runtime-4.0.0.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+say "$(cat << 'MSG'
+
+Intended "Unsupported runtime" error messages are displayed for node >= 4.0.0
+
+MSG
+)"
+
+cd ~/embark_demo
+nac 4.0.0
+
+bash -i << 'DEMO'
+node ~/working/embark/bin/embark version
+DEMO
+
+nac default
+cd ~
diff --git a/test/cli_shim/demos/runtime-pre-8.11.3.sh b/test/cli_shim/demos/runtime-pre-8.11.3.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f8786bfd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/cli_shim/demos/runtime-pre-8.11.3.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+say "$(cat << 'MSG'
+
+If a node < version specified in invoked embark's `{engines:{node:[semver]}}`
+is used to run embark then report error and exit
+
+MSG
+)"
+
+cd ~/embark_demo
+nac pre-8.11.3
+
+bash -i << 'DEMO'
+node ~/working/embark/bin/embark version
+DEMO
+
+nac default
+cd ~