diff --git a/cake/console/cake.php b/cake/console/cake.php
index 04d53987f..498fc0916 100644
--- a/cake/console/cake.php
+++ b/cake/console/cake.php
@@ -273,6 +273,7 @@ class ShellDispatcher {
 
 						if($command == 'help') {
 							if(method_exists($shell, 'help')) {
+								$shell->startup();
 								$shell->help();
 								exit();
 							} else {
@@ -285,6 +286,7 @@ class ShellDispatcher {
 							$this->shiftArgs();
 							$shell->{$task}->initialize();
 							$shell->{$task}->loadTasks();
+							$shell->{$task}->startup();
 							$shell->{$task}->execute();
 							return;
 						}
@@ -311,10 +313,14 @@ class ShellDispatcher {
 						}
 
 						if($missingCommand && method_exists($shell, 'main')) {
+							$this->args = am(array($command), $this->args);
+							$shell->startup();
 							$shell->main();
 						} else if($missingCommand && method_exists($shell, 'help')) {
+							$shell->startup();
 							$shell->help();
 						} else if(!$privateMethod && method_exists($shell, $command)) {
+							$shell->startup();
 							$shell->{$command}();
 						} else {
 							$this->stderr("Unknown {$this->shellName} command '$command'.\nFor usage, try 'cake {$this->shell} help'.\n\n");
diff --git a/cake/console/libs/acl.php b/cake/console/libs/acl.php
index 155734547..c0a2f31fd 100644
--- a/cake/console/libs/acl.php
+++ b/cake/console/libs/acl.php
@@ -57,10 +57,10 @@ class AclShell extends Shell {
  */
 	var $tasks = array('DbConfig');
 /**
- * override intialize of the Shell
+ * override startup of the Shell
  *
  */
-	function initialize () {
+	function startup() {
 		$this->dataSource = 'default';
 
 		if (isset($this->params['datasource'])) {
@@ -81,8 +81,10 @@ class AclShell extends Shell {
 		}
 
 		if($this->command && !in_array($this->command, array('help'))) {
-			if(!file_exists(CONFIGS.'database.php')) {
-				$this->DbConfig->execute();
+			if(!config('database')) {
+				$this->out("Your database configuration was not found. Take a moment to create one.\n");
+				$this->args = null;
+				return $this->DbConfig->execute();
 			}
 			require_once (CONFIGS.'database.php');
 
diff --git a/cake/console/libs/api.php b/cake/console/libs/api.php
index fcfecaa05..ae1bbc2b4 100644
--- a/cake/console/libs/api.php
+++ b/cake/console/libs/api.php
@@ -65,11 +65,10 @@ class ApiShell extends Shell {
 		if (empty($this->args)) {
 			return $this->help();
 		}
-		
 		if (count($this->args) == 1 && in_array($this->args[0], array_keys($this->paths))) {
 			$this->args[1] = $this->args[0];
-		}	
-		
+		}
+
 		if (count($this->args) > 1) {
 			$path = $this->args[0];
 			$class = $this->args[1];
@@ -103,7 +102,7 @@ class ApiShell extends Shell {
 			Inflector::underscore($class),
 			substr(Inflector::underscore($class), 0, strpos(Inflector::underscore($class), '_'))
 		);
-		
+
 		foreach($candidates as $candidate) {
 			$File =& new File($path . $candidate . '.php');
 
diff --git a/cake/console/libs/bake.php b/cake/console/libs/bake.php
index 120f35325..6cfad567c 100644
--- a/cake/console/libs/bake.php
+++ b/cake/console/libs/bake.php
@@ -38,8 +38,6 @@ class BakeShell extends Shell {
 
 	var $tasks = array('Project', 'DbConfig', 'Model', 'Controller', 'View');
 
-	function initialize() {}
-
 	function main() {
 
 		if(!is_dir(CONFIGS)) {
@@ -48,7 +46,8 @@ class BakeShell extends Shell {
 
 		if(!config('database')) {
 			$this->out("Your database configuration was not found. Take a moment to create one.\n");
-			$this->DbConfig->execute();
+			$this->args = null;
+			return $this->DbConfig->execute();
 		}
 		$this->out('Interactive Bake Shell');
 		$this->hr();
diff --git a/cake/console/libs/shell.php b/cake/console/libs/shell.php
index 7f5909b6f..436eab214 100644
--- a/cake/console/libs/shell.php
+++ b/cake/console/libs/shell.php
@@ -130,17 +130,27 @@ class Shell extends Object {
 		}
 		if(!PHP5 && isset($this->args[0]) && low($this->command) == low(Inflector::variable($this->args[0]))) {
 			$dispatch->shiftArgs();
-		}
+		}				
 		$this->Dispatch =& $dispatch;
 	}
 /**
  * Initializes the Shell
- * can be overriden in subclasses
+ * acts as constructor for subclasses
+ * allows configuration of tasks prior to shell execution
  *
  * @return void
  */
 	function initialize() {
 		$this->_loadModels();
+	}
+/**
+ * Starts up the the Shell
+ * allows for checking and configuring prior to command or main execution
+ * can be overriden in subclasses
+ *
+ * @return void
+ */
+	function startup() {
 		$this->_welcome();
 	}
 /**
diff --git a/cake/console/libs/tasks/project.php b/cake/console/libs/tasks/project.php
index cddbe3ce3..1d0a6d56e 100644
--- a/cake/console/libs/tasks/project.php
+++ b/cake/console/libs/tasks/project.php
@@ -29,6 +29,12 @@
 if(!class_exists('File')) {
 	uses('file');
 }
+/**
+ * Task class for creating new project apps and plugins
+ *
+ * @package		cake
+ * @subpackage	cake.cake.console.libs.tasks
+ */
 class ProjectTask extends Shell {
 
 /**