diff --git a/lisp/shell.el b/lisp/shell.el
index e6b315ee5c0..07038832437 100644
--- a/lisp/shell.el
+++ b/lisp/shell.el
@@ -702,7 +702,7 @@ shell-mode
   (add-hook 'comint-indirect-setup-hook
             #'shell-indirect-setup-hook 'append t)
   (setq comint-indirect-setup-function
-        (let ((shell shell--start-prog))
+        (let ((shell (and (stringp shell--start-prog) shell--start-prog)))
           (lambda ()
             (require 'sh-script)
             (cl-letf
@@ -720,7 +720,8 @@ shell-mode
   ;; edit this directory.  But it is useful in the buffer list and menus.
   (setq list-buffers-directory (expand-file-name default-directory))
   ;; shell-dependent assignments.
-  (when (ring-empty-p comint-input-ring)
+  (when (and (ring-empty-p comint-input-ring)
+             (not (eq shell--start-prog 'none)))
     (let ((remote (file-remote-p default-directory))
           (shell (or shell--start-prog ""))
           (hsize (getenv "HISTSIZE"))
diff --git a/lisp/simple.el b/lisp/simple.el
index ae8a824cb54..9074f564ca1 100644
--- a/lisp/simple.el
+++ b/lisp/simple.el
@@ -4621,6 +4621,7 @@ shell-command
 			  (and filename (file-relative-name filename))))
     current-prefix-arg
     shell-command-default-error-buffer))
+  (defvar shell--start-prog)
   ;; Look for a handler in case default-directory is a remote file name.
   (let ((handler
 	 (find-file-name-handler (directory-file-name default-directory)
@@ -4721,6 +4722,7 @@ shell-command
 		  (setq proc
 			(start-process-shell-command "Shell" buffer command)))
 		(setq mode-line-process '(":%s"))
+                (setq shell--start-prog 'none)
                 (shell-mode)
                 (setq-local revert-buffer-function
                             (lambda (&rest _)