diff --git a/doc/aa-post-stage0.pod b/doc/aa-post-stage0.pod
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f39e743
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/aa-post-stage0.pod
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+=head1 NAME
+
+aa-post-stage0 - Helper for aa-start's return code post stage 0
+
+=head1 SYNOPSIS
+
+B<aa-post-stage0>
+
+=head1 DESCRIPTION
+
+B<aa-post-stage0>(1) is an B<execline> script meant to be used as handler for
+B<aa-start>(1) return code in stage 0. In other words, it should be set as
+I<REPODIR/.anopa/post-stage0>
+
+It checks B<aa-start>(1) return code (given as argument) for bit 1 or 16, and if
+at least one is set executes into an interactive shell (I<sh -i>).
+
+Bit 1 being set means B<aa-start>(1) failed with a fatal error; Bit 16 means at
+least one service marked essential failed.
diff --git a/doc/aa-post-stage2.pod b/doc/aa-post-stage2.pod
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..aee3f70
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/aa-post-stage2.pod
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+=head1 NAME
+
+aa-post-stage2 - Helper for aa-start's return code post stage 2
+
+=head1 SYNOPSIS
+
+B<aa-post-stage2>
+
+=head1 DESCRIPTION
+
+B<aa-post-stage2>(1) is an B<execline> script meant to be used as handler for
+B<aa-start>(1) return code in stage 2. In other words, it should be set as
+I<REPODIR/.anopa/post-stage2>
+
+It checks B<aa-start>(1) return code (given as argument) for bit 1 or 16, and if
+at least one is set executes into an interactive shell (I<sh -i>).
+
+Bit 1 being set means B<aa-start>(1) failed with a fatal error; Bit 16 means at
+least one service marked essential failed.
+
+If neither are set, it echoes "System ready." (even though some (non essential)
+services might have failed).
+
+If the return code was 0, i.e. nothing failed, it switches to tty2 (where one
+would expect a getty with login prompt to be available).
diff --git a/doc/aa-poststage0.pod b/doc/aa-poststage0.pod
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f39e743
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/aa-poststage0.pod
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+=head1 NAME
+
+aa-post-stage0 - Helper for aa-start's return code post stage 0
+
+=head1 SYNOPSIS
+
+B<aa-post-stage0>
+
+=head1 DESCRIPTION
+
+B<aa-post-stage0>(1) is an B<execline> script meant to be used as handler for
+B<aa-start>(1) return code in stage 0. In other words, it should be set as
+I<REPODIR/.anopa/post-stage0>
+
+It checks B<aa-start>(1) return code (given as argument) for bit 1 or 16, and if
+at least one is set executes into an interactive shell (I<sh -i>).
+
+Bit 1 being set means B<aa-start>(1) failed with a fatal error; Bit 16 means at
+least one service marked essential failed.
diff --git a/doc/aa-poststage2.pod b/doc/aa-poststage2.pod
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..aee3f70
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/aa-poststage2.pod
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+=head1 NAME
+
+aa-post-stage2 - Helper for aa-start's return code post stage 2
+
+=head1 SYNOPSIS
+
+B<aa-post-stage2>
+
+=head1 DESCRIPTION
+
+B<aa-post-stage2>(1) is an B<execline> script meant to be used as handler for
+B<aa-start>(1) return code in stage 2. In other words, it should be set as
+I<REPODIR/.anopa/post-stage2>
+
+It checks B<aa-start>(1) return code (given as argument) for bit 1 or 16, and if
+at least one is set executes into an interactive shell (I<sh -i>).
+
+Bit 1 being set means B<aa-start>(1) failed with a fatal error; Bit 16 means at
+least one service marked essential failed.
+
+If neither are set, it echoes "System ready." (even though some (non essential)
+services might have failed).
+
+If the return code was 0, i.e. nothing failed, it switches to tty2 (where one
+would expect a getty with login prompt to be available).
diff --git a/package/modes b/package/modes
index 7ce4d7f..0ab7b4a 100644
--- a/package/modes
+++ b/package/modes
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ aa-incmdline            0755
 aa-kill                 0755
 aa-mount                0755
 aa-pivot                0755
+aa-post-stage0          0755
+aa-post-stage2          0755
 aa-reboot               0755
 aa-reset                0755
 aa-service              0755
diff --git a/package/targets.mak b/package/targets.mak
index c015f88..fa284f3 100644
--- a/package/targets.mak
+++ b/package/targets.mak
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ BIN_SCRIPTS_TARGET := \
 aa-shutdown
 
 LIBEXEC_SCRIPTS_TARGET := \
+aa-post-stage0 \
+aa-post-stage2 \
 aa-stage0 \
 aa-stage1 \
 aa-stage2 \
@@ -45,6 +47,8 @@ aa-incmdline.1 \
 aa-kill.1 \
 aa-mount.1 \
 aa-pivot.1 \
+aa-post-stage0.1 \
+aa-post-stage2.1 \
 aa-reboot.1 \
 aa-reset.1 \
 aa-service.1 \
diff --git a/src/scripts/aa-post-stage0 b/src/scripts/aa-post-stage0
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bf57a2d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/scripts/aa-post-stage0
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+#!/bin/execlineb -s1
+#
+# anopa - Copyright (C) 2015-2017 Olivier Brunel
+#
+# aa-post-stage0
+# Copyright (C) 2018 Olivier Brunel <jjk@jjacky.com>
+#
+# This file is part of anopa.
+#
+# anopa is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
+# terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software
+# Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later
+# version.
+#
+# anopa is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY
+# WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS
+# FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
+# See the GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with
+# anopa. If not, see http://www.gnu.org/licenses/
+#
+
+# Executes into the rest of the script if the return code ($1) contains either:
+# - bit 1 set, i.e. fatal error
+# - bit 16 set, i.e. at least one essential service failed
+if { aa-bw $1 17 }
+foreground { aa-echo -O3 -Be "Mouting root file system failed" }
+foreground { aa-echo -O3 -t "Trying to open a shell; " +g exit +w " to continue" }
+emptyenv -c sh -i
diff --git a/src/scripts/aa-post-stage2 b/src/scripts/aa-post-stage2
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e23cacc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/scripts/aa-post-stage2
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+#!@BINDIR@/execlineb -s1
+#
+# anopa - Copyright (C) 2015-2017 Olivier Brunel
+#
+# aa-post-stage2
+# Copyright (C) 2018 Olivier Brunel <jjk@jjacky.com>
+#
+# This file is part of anopa.
+#
+# anopa is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
+# terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software
+# Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later
+# version.
+#
+# anopa is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY
+# WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS
+# FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
+# See the GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with
+# anopa. If not, see http://www.gnu.org/licenses/
+#
+
+# Open a shell if the return code ($1) contains either:
+# - bit 1 set, i.e. fatal error
+# - bit 16 set, i.e. at least one essential service failed
+ifelse { aa-bw $1 17 }
+{
+    foreground { aa-echo -O3 -Be "System initialization failed" }
+    foreground { aa-echo -O3 -t "Trying to open a shell; " +g exit +w " to continue" }
+    emptyenv -c sh -i
+}
+# Else we announce success, even if some services might have failed.
+foreground { aa-echo -O3 -B "System ready." }
+# But in case everything was good, switch to tty2
+if { aa-bw -e $1 0 } chvt 2
diff --git a/src/scripts/aa-poststage0 b/src/scripts/aa-poststage0
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bf57a2d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/scripts/aa-poststage0
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+#!/bin/execlineb -s1
+#
+# anopa - Copyright (C) 2015-2017 Olivier Brunel
+#
+# aa-post-stage0
+# Copyright (C) 2018 Olivier Brunel <jjk@jjacky.com>
+#
+# This file is part of anopa.
+#
+# anopa is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
+# terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software
+# Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later
+# version.
+#
+# anopa is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY
+# WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS
+# FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
+# See the GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with
+# anopa. If not, see http://www.gnu.org/licenses/
+#
+
+# Executes into the rest of the script if the return code ($1) contains either:
+# - bit 1 set, i.e. fatal error
+# - bit 16 set, i.e. at least one essential service failed
+if { aa-bw $1 17 }
+foreground { aa-echo -O3 -Be "Mouting root file system failed" }
+foreground { aa-echo -O3 -t "Trying to open a shell; " +g exit +w " to continue" }
+emptyenv -c sh -i
diff --git a/src/scripts/aa-poststage2 b/src/scripts/aa-poststage2
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e23cacc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/scripts/aa-poststage2
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+#!@BINDIR@/execlineb -s1
+#
+# anopa - Copyright (C) 2015-2017 Olivier Brunel
+#
+# aa-post-stage2
+# Copyright (C) 2018 Olivier Brunel <jjk@jjacky.com>
+#
+# This file is part of anopa.
+#
+# anopa is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
+# terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software
+# Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later
+# version.
+#
+# anopa is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY
+# WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS
+# FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
+# See the GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with
+# anopa. If not, see http://www.gnu.org/licenses/
+#
+
+# Open a shell if the return code ($1) contains either:
+# - bit 1 set, i.e. fatal error
+# - bit 16 set, i.e. at least one essential service failed
+ifelse { aa-bw $1 17 }
+{
+    foreground { aa-echo -O3 -Be "System initialization failed" }
+    foreground { aa-echo -O3 -t "Trying to open a shell; " +g exit +w " to continue" }
+    emptyenv -c sh -i
+}
+# Else we announce success, even if some services might have failed.
+foreground { aa-echo -O3 -B "System ready." }
+# But in case everything was good, switch to tty2
+if { aa-bw -e $1 0 } chvt 2