diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 8b60920a..2a0bd058 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 # IDE
 .vscode/
+ctags
 
 # Python venvs
+/env.sh
 venv/
 .venv/
 
diff --git a/deploy/intellabs/kafl/roles/fuzzer/tasks/post_tasks.yml b/deploy/intellabs/kafl/roles/fuzzer/tasks/post_tasks.yml
index 090dbc7b..1d0c03a4 100644
--- a/deploy/intellabs/kafl/roles/fuzzer/tasks/post_tasks.yml
+++ b/deploy/intellabs/kafl/roles/fuzzer/tasks/post_tasks.yml
@@ -24,4 +24,4 @@
 - name: Create .env file
   template:
     src: env.j2
-    dest: "{{ kafl_install_root }}/.env"
\ No newline at end of file
+    dest: "{{ install_root }}/env.sh"
diff --git a/deploy/intellabs/kafl/roles/fuzzer/templates/env.j2 b/deploy/intellabs/kafl/roles/fuzzer/templates/env.j2
index aa5ebdd0..86d44a17 100644
--- a/deploy/intellabs/kafl/roles/fuzzer/templates/env.j2
+++ b/deploy/intellabs/kafl/roles/fuzzer/templates/env.j2
@@ -1,8 +1,17 @@
-export WORKSPACE="{{ kafl_install_root }}"
-export KAFL_ROOT="{{ fuzzer_root }}"
+# source this file to activate the environment,
+# or use "make env" to start a sub-shell
+
+# components managed by ansible
+export KAFL_ROOT="{{ kafl_install_root }}"
 export QEMU_ROOT="{{ qemu_root }}"
 export LIBXDC_ROOT="{{ libxdc_root }}"
 export CAPSTONE_ROOT="{{ capstone_root }}"
 export RADAMSA_ROOT="{{ radamsa_root }}"
+
+# workspace defaults
+export WORKSPACE="{{ install_root }}"
 export KAFL_CONFIG_FILE="{{ fuzzer_root }}/kafl.yaml"
-export KAFL_WORKDIR="/dev/shm/{{ ansible_user_id }}_tdfl"
+export KAFL_WORKDIR="/dev/shm/kafl_{{ ansible_user_id }}"
+
+# activate python venv
+source $KAFL_ROOT/.venv/bin/activate