diff --git a/boards/native/board_init.c b/boards/native/board_init.c
index 0bb579c7aa35..5f04fe72ad27 100644
--- a/boards/native/board_init.c
+++ b/boards/native/board_init.c
@@ -48,36 +48,27 @@ MTD_XFA_ADD(mtd0_dev.base, 0);
 
 /* littlefs support */
 #if defined(MODULE_LITTLEFS)
-VFS_AUTO_MOUNT(littlefs, VFS_MTD(mtd0_dev), VFS_DEFAULT_NVM(0), 0);
+VFS_AUTO_MOUNT(littlefs, VFS_MTD(mtd0_dev), CONFIG_NATIVE_MOUNTPOINT, 0);
 
 /* littlefs2 support */
 #elif defined(MODULE_LITTLEFS2)
-VFS_AUTO_MOUNT(littlefs2, VFS_MTD(mtd0_dev), VFS_DEFAULT_NVM(0), 0);
+VFS_AUTO_MOUNT(littlefs2, VFS_MTD(mtd0_dev), CONFIG_NATIVE_MOUNTPOINT, 0);
 
 /* spiffs support */
 #elif defined(MODULE_SPIFFS)
-VFS_AUTO_MOUNT(spiffs, VFS_MTD(mtd0_dev), VFS_DEFAULT_NVM(0), 0);
+VFS_AUTO_MOUNT(spiffs, VFS_MTD(mtd0_dev), CONFIG_NATIVE_MOUNTPOINT, 0);
 
 /* FAT support */
 #elif defined(MODULE_FATFS_VFS)
-VFS_AUTO_MOUNT(fatfs, VFS_MTD(mtd0_dev), VFS_DEFAULT_NVM(0), 0);
+VFS_AUTO_MOUNT(fatfs, VFS_MTD(mtd0_dev), CONFIG_NATIVE_MOUNTPOINT, 0);
 
 /* ext2/3/4 support */
 #elif defined(MODULE_LWEXT4)
-VFS_AUTO_MOUNT(lwext4, VFS_MTD(mtd0_dev), VFS_DEFAULT_NVM(0), 0);
+VFS_AUTO_MOUNT(lwext4, VFS_MTD(mtd0_dev), CONFIG_NATIVE_MOUNTPOINT, 0);
 
 /* host fs pass-through */
 #elif defined(MODULE_FS_NATIVE)
-VFS_AUTO_MOUNT(native, { .hostpath = FS_NATIVE_DIR }, VFS_DEFAULT_NVM(0), 0);
+VFS_AUTO_MOUNT(native, { .hostpath = FS_NATIVE_DIR }, CONFIG_NATIVE_MOUNTPOINT, 0);
 
 #endif
 #endif /* MODULE_VFS_DEFAULT */
-
-/**
- * Nothing to initialize at the moment.
- * Turns the red LED on and the green LED off.
- */
-void board_init(void)
-{
-    puts("RIOT native board initialized.");
-}
diff --git a/boards/native/include/board.h b/boards/native/include/board.h
index 426d18c9f099..3d51e190edf4 100644
--- a/boards/native/include/board.h
+++ b/boards/native/include/board.h
@@ -99,6 +99,13 @@ void _native_LED_RED_TOGGLE(void);
 #endif
 /** @} */
 
+/**
+ * @brief   The mountpoint at which the native fs gets mounted
+ */
+#ifndef CONFIG_NATIVE_MOUNTPOINT
+#define CONFIG_NATIVE_MOUNTPOINT    VFS_DEFAULT_NVM(0)
+#endif
+
 #if defined(MODULE_SPIFFS) || DOXYGEN
 /**
  * @name    SPIFFS default configuration
diff --git a/core/lib/init.c b/core/lib/init.c
index e6e4c026a964..a65cfbf6c920 100644
--- a/core/lib/init.c
+++ b/core/lib/init.c
@@ -43,8 +43,6 @@
     RIOT_VERSION ")"
 #endif
 
-extern int main(void);
-
 static char main_stack[THREAD_STACKSIZE_MAIN];
 static char idle_stack[THREAD_STACKSIZE_IDLE];
 
@@ -60,7 +58,15 @@ static void *main_trampoline(void *arg)
         LOG_INFO(CONFIG_BOOT_MSG_STRING "\n");
     }
 
+#ifdef CPU_NATIVE
+    extern int _native_argc_main;
+    extern char **_native_argv_main;
+    extern int main(int argc, char **argv);
+    int res = main(_native_argc_main, _native_argv_main);
+#else
+    extern int main(void);
     int res = main();
+#endif
 
     if (IS_USED(MODULE_TEST_UTILS_MAIN_EXIT_CB)) {
         void test_utils_main_exit_cb(int res);
diff --git a/cpu/native/irq_cpu.c b/cpu/native/irq_cpu.c
index c5e404115ae4..845fd4d84e18 100644
--- a/cpu/native/irq_cpu.c
+++ b/cpu/native/irq_cpu.c
@@ -555,6 +555,6 @@ void native_interrupt_init(void)
         err(EXIT_FAILURE, "native_interrupt_init: sigaction");
     }
 
-    puts("RIOT native interrupts/signals initialized.");
+    DEBUG_PUTS("RIOT native interrupts/signals initialized.");
 }
 /** @} */
diff --git a/cpu/native/periph/pm.c b/cpu/native/periph/pm.c
index a1215163effd..0ce3155415c8 100644
--- a/cpu/native/periph/pm.c
+++ b/cpu/native/periph/pm.c
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ void pm_set(unsigned mode)
 
 void pm_off(void)
 {
-    puts("\nnative: exiting");
+    DEBUG_PUTS("\nnative: exiting");
 #ifdef MODULE_PERIPH_SPIDEV_LINUX
     spidev_linux_teardown();
 #endif
diff --git a/cpu/native/startup.c b/cpu/native/startup.c
index 5ee0515ff40e..0fd4843f477f 100644
--- a/cpu/native/startup.c
+++ b/cpu/native/startup.c
@@ -466,6 +466,10 @@ static void _reset_handler(void)
     pm_reboot();
 }
 
+/* allow to pass arguments to the application */
+int _native_argc_main;
+char **_native_argv_main;
+
 __attribute__((constructor)) static void startup(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
 {
     _native_init_syscalls();
@@ -718,8 +722,12 @@ __attribute__((constructor)) static void startup(int argc, char **argv, char **e
         netdev_tap_params[taps].tap_name = &argv[optind + i];
         netdev_tap_params[taps].wired = true;
     }
+    optind += taps;
 #endif
 
+    _native_argc_main = argc - optind;
+    _native_argv_main = &argv[optind];
+
 #ifdef MODULE_PERIPH_EEPROM
     eeprom_native_read();
 #endif
@@ -729,7 +737,7 @@ __attribute__((constructor)) static void startup(int argc, char **argv, char **e
 
     register_interrupt(SIGUSR1, _reset_handler);
 
-    puts("RIOT native hardware initialization complete.\n");
+    DEBUG_PUTS("RIOT native hardware initialization complete.\n");
     irq_enable();
     kernel_init();
 }
diff --git a/examples/riot_as_cli_tool/Makefile b/examples/riot_as_cli_tool/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..fde0ec166b2e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/riot_as_cli_tool/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+# name of your application
+APPLICATION = riot_as_cli_tool
+
+# If no BOARD is found in the environment, use this default:
+BOARD ?= native
+
+# This has to be the absolute path to the RIOT base directory:
+RIOTBASE ?= $(CURDIR)/../..
+
+# Include packages that pull up and auto-init the link layer.
+USEMODULE += netdev_default
+USEMODULE += auto_init_gnrc_netif
+# Specify the mandatory networking modules for IPv6
+USEMODULE += gnrc_ipv6_default
+# Additional networking modules that can be dropped if not needed
+USEMODULE += gnrc_icmpv6_echo
+
+USEMODULE += auto_init_sock_dns    # add fall-back DNS server
+USEMODULE += sock_dns              # include DNS client
+USEMODULE += gnrc_ipv6_nib_dns     # include RDNSS option handling
+
+USEMODULE += nanocoap_sock
+USEMODULE += nanocoap_vfs
+
+USEMODULE += vfs_default
+
+USEMODULE += shell
+USEMODULE += shell_cmds_default
+
+# export the whole fs to RIOT
+CFLAGS += -DFS_NATIVE_DIR=\"/\"
+# mount it as '/' in RIOT to match the host
+CFLAGS += -DCONFIG_NATIVE_MOUNTPOINT=\"/\"
+# use the current working directory as download destination
+CFLAGS += -DCONFIG_NCGET_DEFAULT_DATA_DIR=\"/proc/self/cwd/\"
+
+# terminate RIOT with main()
+CFLAGS += -DCONFIG_CORE_EXIT_WITH_MAIN=1
+# don't be verbose
+CFLAGS += -DCONFIG_SKIP_BOOT_MSG=1
+
+RIOT_TERMINAL = native
+BOARD_WHITELIST = native native64
+
+DEVELHELP ?= 1
+
+include $(RIOTBASE)/Makefile.include
diff --git a/examples/riot_as_cli_tool/README.md b/examples/riot_as_cli_tool/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..9f9dcfef3afe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/riot_as_cli_tool/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+RIOT as a CLI tool
+==================
+
+This example demonstrates running RIOT as a one-shot CLI tool.
+This can be used to easiely integrate RIOT into a CI pipeline for integration tests
+with software that is supposed to interact with RIOT.
+
+This example demonstrates running the nanoCoAP CLI commands from the host system.
+
+For this the whole host file system is exported to RIOT, we also need to create a
+virtual network interface by running
+
+    sudo dist/tools/tapsetup/tapsetup -u eth0
+
+where `eth0` is the network interface used for the internet uplink.
+If no internet connectivity is needed, this can be left out.
+
+RIOT commands can be invoked e.g. via
+
+    bin/native/nanocoap_tool.elf tap0 ping riot-os.org
+
+or via the provided wrapper scripts
+
+    ./ping.sh riot-os.org
diff --git a/examples/riot_as_cli_tool/main.c b/examples/riot_as_cli_tool/main.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..e88039f6b0cf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/riot_as_cli_tool/main.c
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2024 ML!PA Consulting GmbH
+ *
+ * This file is subject to the terms and conditions of the GNU Lesser
+ * General Public License v2.1. See the file LICENSE in the top level
+ * directory for more details.
+ */
+
+/**
+ * @ingroup     examples
+ * @{
+ *
+ * @file
+ * @brief       Example application to access RIOT shell commands from Linux
+ *
+ * @author      Benjamin Valentin <benjamin.valentin@ml-pa.com>
+ *
+ * @}
+ */
+
+#include <errno.h>
+#include "shell.h"
+#include "ztimer.h"
+
+int main(int argc, char **argv)
+{
+    if (argc < 1) {
+        printf("usage: <command> [args]\n");
+        return 0;
+    }
+
+    /* argv[0] will be the first 'user' argument to native */
+    shell_command_handler_t handler = shell_find_handler(NULL, argv[0]);
+    if (handler == NULL) {
+        return -EINVAL;
+    }
+
+    /* wait some time for the network to be ready */
+    ztimer_sleep(ZTIMER_MSEC, 1000);
+
+    msg_t msg_queue[8];
+    msg_init_queue(msg_queue, ARRAY_SIZE(msg_queue));
+
+    return handler(argc, argv);
+}
diff --git a/examples/riot_as_cli_tool/ncget.sh b/examples/riot_as_cli_tool/ncget.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000000..10a09316a7d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/riot_as_cli_tool/ncget.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+bin/native/nanocoap_tool.elf tap0 ncget -- $*
diff --git a/examples/riot_as_cli_tool/ncput.sh b/examples/riot_as_cli_tool/ncput.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000000..4242d87208f6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/riot_as_cli_tool/ncput.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+bin/native/nanocoap_tool.elf tap0 ncput -- $*
diff --git a/examples/riot_as_cli_tool/ping.sh b/examples/riot_as_cli_tool/ping.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000000..8fd0dacdd96f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/riot_as_cli_tool/ping.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+bin/native/nanocoap_tool.elf tap0 ping -- $*
diff --git a/sys/include/shell.h b/sys/include/shell.h
index d8f3bfc53b8d..ac2cb693af6b 100644
--- a/sys/include/shell.h
+++ b/sys/include/shell.h
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ extern "C" {
  *   passing stdin (`isrpipe_t stdin_isrpipe`) does not support backpressure
  *   and overflows silently. As a consequence, commands through such terminals
  *   appear to be truncated at @ref STDIO_RX_BUFSIZE bytes (defaulting to 64)
- *   unless the command is sent in parts (on many terminals, by presing Ctrl-D
+ *   unless the command is sent in parts (on many terminals, by pressing Ctrl-D
  *   half way through the command).
  *
  *   For example, this affects systems with direct USB stdio (@ref
@@ -225,6 +225,17 @@ static inline void shell_run(const shell_command_t *commands,
     shell_run_forever(commands, line_buf, len);
 }
 
+/**
+ * @brief           Searches for a handler function associated with a command
+ *
+ * @param[in]       command_list    ptr to array of command structs
+ * @param[in]       command         the command name to search for
+ *
+ * @returns         handler function associated with @p command
+ *                  NULL if the command could not be found
+ */
+shell_command_handler_t shell_find_handler(const shell_command_t *command_list,
+                                           const char *command);
 /**
  * @brief           Parse and run a line of text as a shell command with
  *                  arguments.
diff --git a/sys/shell/cmds/nanocoap_vfs.c b/sys/shell/cmds/nanocoap_vfs.c
index 592b7b2bd7be..6d1afe75a068 100644
--- a/sys/shell/cmds/nanocoap_vfs.c
+++ b/sys/shell/cmds/nanocoap_vfs.c
@@ -169,19 +169,34 @@ static int _nanocoap_put_handler(int argc, char **argv)
     file = argv[1];
     url = argv[2];
 
+    /* append filename to remote URL */
     if (_is_dir(url)) {
         const char *basename = strrchr(file, '/');
         if (basename == NULL) {
-            return -EINVAL;
+            basename = file;
+        } else {
+            ++basename;
         }
+
         if (snprintf(buffer, sizeof(buffer), "%s%s",
-                     url, basename + 1) >= (int)sizeof(buffer)) {
+                     url, basename) >= (int)sizeof(buffer)) {
             puts("Constructed URI too long");
             return -ENOBUFS;
         }
         url = buffer;
     }
 
+    /* file path is relative to CONFIG_NCGET_DEFAULT_DATA_DIR */
+    if (file[0] != '/') {
+        if ((unsigned)snprintf(work_buf, sizeof(work_buf), "%s%s",
+                     CONFIG_NCGET_DEFAULT_DATA_DIR, file) >= sizeof(work_buf)) {
+            puts("Constructed URI too long");
+            return -ENOBUFS;
+        }
+        file = work_buf;
+    }
+
+    /* read from 'stdin' / 3rd argument */
     if (strcmp(file, "-") == 0) {
         if (argc < 4) {
             printf("Usage: %s - <url> <data>\n", argv[0]);
diff --git a/sys/shell/shell.c b/sys/shell/shell.c
index 90dcaceb4888..7f0759e360df 100644
--- a/sys/shell/shell.c
+++ b/sys/shell/shell.c
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ static enum parse_state escape_toggle(enum parse_state s)
 }
 
 static shell_command_handler_t search_commands(const shell_command_t *entry,
-                                               char *command)
+                                               const char *command)
 {
     for (; entry->name != NULL; entry++) {
         if (strcmp(entry->name, command) == 0) {
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ static shell_command_handler_t search_commands(const shell_command_t *entry,
     return NULL;
 }
 
-static shell_command_handler_t search_commands_xfa(char *command)
+static shell_command_handler_t search_commands_xfa(const char *command)
 {
     unsigned n = XFA_LEN(shell_command_t*, shell_commands_xfa);
 
@@ -113,11 +113,13 @@ static shell_command_handler_t search_commands_xfa(char *command)
     return NULL;
 }
 
-static shell_command_handler_t find_handler(
-        const shell_command_t *command_list, char *command)
+shell_command_handler_t shell_find_handler(const shell_command_t *command_list,
+                                           const char *command)
 {
     shell_command_handler_t handler = NULL;
 
+    assert(command);
+
     if (command_list != NULL) {
         handler = search_commands(command_list, command);
     }
@@ -326,7 +328,7 @@ int shell_handle_input_line(const shell_command_t *command_list, char *line)
     argv[argc] = NULL;
 
     /* then we call the appropriate handler */
-    shell_command_handler_t handler = find_handler(command_list, argv[0]);
+    shell_command_handler_t handler = shell_find_handler(command_list, argv[0]);
     if (handler != NULL) {
         if (IS_USED(MODULE_SHELL_HOOKS)) {
             shell_pre_command_hook(argc, argv);