diff --git a/IPython/core/shellapp.py b/IPython/core/shellapp.py
index ff3b5e6..407bb48 100644
--- a/IPython/core/shellapp.py
+++ b/IPython/core/shellapp.py
@@ -197,6 +197,10 @@ class InteractiveShellApp(Configurable):
         """
     )
     shell = Instance('IPython.core.interactiveshell.InteractiveShellABC')
+    
+    def __init__(self, user_ns=None, **kwargs):
+        self.user_ns = user_ns
+        super(InteractiveShellApp, self).__init__(**kwargs)
 
     def init_path(self):
         """Add current working directory, '', to sys.path"""
diff --git a/IPython/terminal/ipapp.py b/IPython/terminal/ipapp.py
index cf0d96e..02ba278 100755
--- a/IPython/terminal/ipapp.py
+++ b/IPython/terminal/ipapp.py
@@ -334,7 +334,7 @@ class TerminalIPythonApp(BaseIPythonApplication, InteractiveShellApp):
         # so the banner shows *before* all extension loading stuff.
         self.shell = TerminalInteractiveShell.instance(parent=self,
                         display_banner=False, profile_dir=self.profile_dir,
-                        ipython_dir=self.ipython_dir)
+                        ipython_dir=self.ipython_dir, user_ns=self.user_ns)
         self.shell.configurables.append(self)
 
     def init_banner(self):