diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index d699f71504..8dd67d1e75 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -9,6 +9,17 @@ all: binary
 
 _:=$(shell ./scripts/warn-outside-container $(MAKECMDGOALS))
 
+.PHONY: dev
+dev: ## start a build container in interactive mode for in-container development
+	@if [ -n "${DISABLE_WARN_OUTSIDE_CONTAINER}" ]; then \
+		echo "you are already in the dev container"; \
+	else \
+		$(MAKE) -f docker.Makefile dev; \
+	fi
+
+.PHONY: shell
+shell: dev ## alias for dev
+
 .PHONY: clean
 clean: ## remove build artifacts
 	rm -rf ./build/* man/man[1-9] docs/yaml
@@ -34,7 +45,7 @@ shellcheck: ## run shellcheck validation
 	find scripts/ contrib/completion/bash -type f | grep -v scripts/winresources | grep -v '.*.ps1' | xargs shellcheck
 
 .PHONY: fmt
-fmt:
+fmt: ## run gofmt
 	go list -f {{.Dir}} ./... | xargs gofmt -w -s -d
 
 .PHONY: binary
diff --git a/docker.Makefile b/docker.Makefile
index 83df195156..562ef3757c 100644
--- a/docker.Makefile
+++ b/docker.Makefile
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ DOCKER_RUN_NAME_OPTION := $(if $(DOCKER_CLI_CONTAINER_NAME),--name $(DOCKER_CLI_
 DOCKER_RUN := docker run --rm $(ENVVARS) $(DOCKER_CLI_MOUNTS) $(DOCKER_RUN_NAME_OPTION)
 
 .PHONY: binary
-binary:
+binary: ## build executable
 	PACKAGER_NAME=$(PACKAGER_NAME) docker buildx bake binary
 
 build: binary ## alias for binary
diff --git a/dockerfiles/Dockerfile.dev b/dockerfiles/Dockerfile.dev
index 7bd74b8522..f284edab02 100644
--- a/dockerfiles/Dockerfile.dev
+++ b/dockerfiles/Dockerfile.dev
@@ -29,8 +29,12 @@ RUN  apk add --no-cache \
     ca-certificates \
     coreutils \
     curl \
-    git
+    git \
+    jq \
+    nano
 
+RUN echo -e "\nYou are now in a development container. Run '\e\033[1mmake help\e\033[0m' to learn about\navailable make targets.\n" > /etc/motd \
+ && echo -e "cat /etc/motd\nPS1=\"\e[0;32m\u@docker-cli-dev\\$ \e[0m\"" >> /root/.bashrc
 CMD bash
 ENV DISABLE_WARN_OUTSIDE_CONTAINER=1
 ENV PATH=$PATH:/go/src/github.com/docker/cli/build
diff --git a/scripts/warn-outside-container b/scripts/warn-outside-container
index ecbecc0ea2..b4ba8db235 100755
--- a/scripts/warn-outside-container
+++ b/scripts/warn-outside-container
@@ -3,16 +3,25 @@ set -eu
 
 target="${1:-}"
 
-if [ "$target" != "help" ] && [ -z "${DISABLE_WARN_OUTSIDE_CONTAINER:-}" ]; then
-    (
-        echo
-        echo
-        echo "WARNING: you are not in a container."
-        echo "Use \"make -f docker.Makefile $target\" or set"
-        echo "DISABLE_WARN_OUTSIDE_CONTAINER=1 to disable this warning."
-        echo
-        echo "Press Ctrl+C now to abort."
-        echo
-    ) >&2
-    sleep 10
+if [ -z "${DISABLE_WARN_OUTSIDE_CONTAINER:-}" ]; then
+		case $target in
+			clean|dev|help|shell)
+				# no warning needed for these targets
+				;;
+			*)
+				(
+						echo
+						echo "\033[1mWARNING\033[0m: you are not in a container."
+						echo
+						echo 'Use "\033[1mmake dev\033[0m" to start an interactive development container,'
+						echo "use \"\033[1mmake -f docker.Makefile $target\033[0m\" to execute this target"
+						echo "in a container, or set \033[1mDISABLE_WARN_OUTSIDE_CONTAINER=1\033[0m to"
+						echo "disable this warning."
+						echo
+						echo "Press \033[1mCtrl+C\033[0m now to abort, or wait for the script to continue.."
+						echo
+				) >&2
+				sleep 5
+				;;
+		esac
 fi