diff --git a/tools/dev/bash_profile b/tools/dev/bash_profile
index 91a31f9..3034375 100644
--- a/tools/dev/bash_profile
+++ b/tools/dev/bash_profile
@@ -106,7 +106,57 @@
 # ON.Lab shared test cell warden address
 export CELL_WARDEN="10.254.1.19"
 
-alias cell='onos-cell'
+# Applies the settings in the specified cell file or lists current cell definition
+# if no cell file is given.
+function cell {
+    cell=$1
+    case "$cell" in
+    "borrow")
+        aux="/tmp/cell-$$"
+        curl -sS -X POST "http://$CELL_WARDEN:4321/?duration=${2:-0}&user=${3:-$(id -un)}" \
+            -d "$(cat ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub)" > $aux
+        . $aux
+        rm -f $aux
+        export ONOS_INSTANCES=$(env | grep 'OC[0-9]*=' | sort | cut -d= -f2)
+        setPrimaryInstance 1 >/dev/null
+        onos-verify-cell
+        ;;
+    "return")
+        curl -sS -X DELETE "http://$CELL_WARDEN:4321/?user=${2:-$(id -un)}"
+        unset ONOS_CELL ONOS_NIC ONOS_IP ONOS_APPS ONOS_BOOT_FEATURES
+        unset OCI OCN OCT ONOS_INSTANCES ONOS_FEATURES
+        unset $(env | sed -n 's:\(^OC[0-9]\{1,\}\)=.*:\1 :g p')
+        ;;
+
+    "status")
+        curl -sS "http://$CELL_WARDEN:4321/" | sort
+        ;;
+
+    "")
+        env | egrep "ONOS_CELL"
+        env | egrep "OCI"
+        env | egrep "OC[0-9]+" | sort
+        env | egrep "OC[NT]"
+        env | egrep "ONOS_" | egrep -v 'ONOS_ROOT|ONOS_CELL|ONOS_INSTANCES' | sort
+        ;;
+
+    *)
+        [ ! -f $ONOS_ROOT/tools/test/cells/$1 ] && \
+            echo "No such cell: $1" >&2 && return 1
+        unset ONOS_CELL ONOS_NIC ONOS_IP ONOS_APPS ONOS_BOOT_FEATURES
+        unset OCI OCN OCT ONOS_INSTANCES ONOS_FEATURES
+        unset $(env | sed -n 's:\(^OC[0-9]\{1,\}\)=.*:\1 :g p')
+        export ONOS_USER=${ONOS_USER:-sdn}
+        export ONOS_GROUP=${ONOS_GROUP:-sdn}
+        export ONOS_WEB_USER=onos
+        export ONOS_WEB_PASS=rocks
+        export ONOS_CELL=$1
+        . $ONOS_ROOT/tools/test/cells/$1
+        export ONOS_INSTANCES=$(env | grep 'OC[0-9]*=' | sort | cut -d= -f2)
+        setPrimaryInstance 1 >/dev/null
+        cell
+    esac
+}
 
 [ -n "$ONOS_CELL" -a "$ONOS_CELL" != "borrow" ] && cell $ONOS_CELL > /dev/null