diff --git a/pyspark b/pyspark
index ab7f4f50c01bd7f34b49a05e8bde24fa756e573d..d662e90287edfb3c45e95cf8f3544ed76ddc82ac 100755
--- a/pyspark
+++ b/pyspark
@@ -36,4 +36,9 @@ if [[ "$SPARK_LAUNCH_WITH_SCALA" != "0" ]] ; then
     export SPARK_LAUNCH_WITH_SCALA=1
 fi
 
-exec "$PYSPARK_PYTHON" "$@"
+if [[ "$IPYTHON" = "1" ]] ; then
+    export PYSPARK_PYTHON="ipython"
+    exec "$PYSPARK_PYTHON" -i -c "%run $PYTHONSTARTUP"
+else
+    exec "$PYSPARK_PYTHON" "$@"
+fi