diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 741b5b63..c8987cf3 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -118,9 +118,7 @@ nix-build shell.nix | cachix push <mycache>
 
 ### Runnable as a Nix application
 
-Devshells are runnable as Nix applications (via `nix run`).  This makes it
-possible to run commands defined in your devshell without entering a
-`nix-shell` or `nix develop` session:
+Devshells are runnable (via `nix run`).  This makes it possible to run commands defined in your devshell without entering a `nix-shell` or `nix develop` session:
 
 ```sh
 nix run '.#<myapp>' -- <devshell-command> <and-args>
@@ -132,7 +130,7 @@ This project itself exposes a Nix application; you can try it out with:
 nix run 'github:numtide/devshell' -- hello
 ```
 
-See [here](docs/flake-app.md) for how to export your devshell as a flake app.
+See [here](docs/src/flake-app.md) for more details.
 
 ## TODO
 
diff --git a/docs/src/flake-app.md b/docs/src/flake-app.md
index a506a73f..252accab 100644
--- a/docs/src/flake-app.md
+++ b/docs/src/flake-app.md
@@ -1,12 +1,16 @@
-# Using a devshell as a Nix application
+# Using a devshell as a Nix package
 
-Devshells provide the attribute `flakeApp`, which contains an attribute set
-suitable for use as an entry in the `apps` flake output structure.  Export this
-attribute under `apps.<system>.<myapp>`, and then you can run commands within
-your devshell as follows:
+Devshells can be treated as executable packages. This allows running commands inside a devshell's environment without having to enter it first via `nix-shell` or `nix develop`.
 
+Each devshell in a flake can be executed using nix run:
 ```sh
-nix run '.#<myapp>' -- <devshell-command> <and-args>
+nix run '.#devShells.<system>.<myshell>' -- <devshell-command> <and-args>
+```
+
+To simplify this command further, re-expose the devshell under `packages.<system>.<myshell>`. This allows running it like this:
+
+```sh
+nix run '.#<myshell>' -- <devshell-command> <and-args>
 ```
 
 For example, given the following `flake.nix`:
@@ -18,7 +22,7 @@ For example, given the following `flake.nix`:
 
   outputs = { self, flake-utils, devshell, nixpkgs }:
     flake-utils.lib.eachDefaultSystem (system: {
-      apps.devshell = self.outputs.devShells.${system}.default.flakeApp;
+      packages.devshell = self.outputs.devShells.${system}.default;
 
       devShells.default =
         let
diff --git a/flake.nix b/flake.nix
index eb28fe0f..0f2c22cd 100644
--- a/flake.nix
+++ b/flake.nix
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@
                 'nix-instantiate ./nixpkgs-mkshell.nix'
             '';
           };
+          # expose devshell as an executable package
+          default = devShells.default;
         };
 
         devShells.default = devshell.fromTOML ./devshell.toml;
@@ -46,8 +48,6 @@
           nixpkgs = pkgs;
         };
 
-        apps.default = devShells.default.flakeApp;
-
         checks =
           with pkgs.lib;
           pipe (import ./tests { inherit pkgs; }) [
diff --git a/modules/devshell.nix b/modules/devshell.nix
index 2b5186a2..7da291d7 100644
--- a/modules/devshell.nix
+++ b/modules/devshell.nix
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 with lib;
 let
   cfg = config.devshell;
+  sanitizedName = strings.sanitizeDerivationName cfg.name;
 
   ansi = import ../nix/ansi.nix;
 
@@ -186,14 +187,31 @@ let
   '';
 
   # Builds the DEVSHELL_DIR with all the dependencies
-  devshell_dir = pkgs.buildEnv {
-    name = "devshell-dir";
+  devshell_dir = pkgs.buildEnv rec {
+    name = "${sanitizedName}-dir";
     paths = cfg.packages;
     postBuild = ''
       substitute ${envBash} $out/env.bash --subst-var-by DEVSHELL_DIR $out
       substitute ${entrypoint} $out/entrypoint --subst-var-by DEVSHELL_DIR $out
       chmod +x $out/entrypoint
+
+      mainProgram="${meta.mainProgram}"
+      # ensure mainProgram doesn't collide
+      if [ -e "$out/bin/$mainProgram" ]; then
+        echo "Warning: Cannot create entry point for this devshell at '\$out/bin/$mainProgram' because an executable with that name already exists." >&2
+        echo "Set meta.mainProgram to something else than '$mainProgram'." >&2
+      else
+        # if $out/bin is a single symlink, transform it into a directory tree
+        # (buildEnv does that when there is only one package in the environment)
+        if [ -L "$out/bin" ]; then
+          mv "$out/bin" bin-tmp
+          mkdir "$out/bin"
+          ln -s bin-tmp/* "$out/bin/"
+        fi
+        ln -s $out/entrypoint "$out/bin/$mainProgram"
+      fi
     '';
+    meta.mainProgram = config.meta.mainProgram or sanitizedName;
   };
 
   # Returns a list of all the input derivation ... for a derivation.
@@ -421,11 +439,16 @@ in
 
     # Use a naked derivation to limit the amount of noise passed to nix-shell.
     shell = mkNakedShell {
-      name = strings.sanitizeDerivationName cfg.name;
-      inherit (cfg) meta;
+      name = sanitizedName;
+      meta =
+        # set default for meta.mainProgram here to gain compatibility with:
+        #  `lib.getExe`, `nix run`, `nix bundle`, etc.
+        {mainProgram = cfg.package.meta.mainProgram;}
+        // cfg.meta;
       profile = cfg.package;
       passthru = {
         inherit config;
+        # keep flakeApp attribute for backward compatibility
         flakeApp = mkFlakeApp "${devshell_dir}/entrypoint";
         hook = mkSetupHook "${devshell_dir}/env.bash";
         inherit (config._module.args) pkgs;
diff --git a/tests/core/devshell.nix b/tests/core/devshell.nix
index e994b2b1..47562539 100644
--- a/tests/core/devshell.nix
+++ b/tests/core/devshell.nix
@@ -80,4 +80,20 @@
       # Packages available through entrypoint in pure mode
       entrypoint_clean --pure --env-bin env --prj-root . /bin/sh -c 'type -p git'
     '';
+
+  # Use devshell as executable
+  devshell-executable-1 =
+    let
+      shell = devshell.mkShell {
+        devshell.name = "devshell-executable-1";
+        devshell.packages = [ pkgs.hello ];
+      };
+    in
+    runTest "devshell-executable-1" { } ''
+      # Devshell is executable
+      assert -x ${pkgs.lib.getExe shell}
+
+      # Packages inside the devshell are executable
+      ${pkgs.lib.getExe shell} hello
+    '';
 }