diff --git a/scripts/build_image_layers.sh b/scripts/build_image_layers.sh
index d2b723d7..65b31293 100755
--- a/scripts/build_image_layers.sh
+++ b/scripts/build_image_layers.sh
@@ -40,6 +40,14 @@ if [[ -f ~/.isaac_ros_common-config ]]; then
     . ~/.isaac_ros_common-config
 fi
 
+# Override with config from project directory if exists (and is defined)
+if [[ ! -z "${PROJECT_ROOT}" ]]; then
+    print_info "Sourcing project config at: ${PROJECT_ROOT}"
+    if [[ -f "${PROJECT_ROOT}/.isaac_ros_common-config" ]]; then
+        . "${PROJECT_ROOT}/.isaac_ros_common-config"
+    fi
+fi
+
 # Prepend configured docker search dirs
 if [ ${#CONFIG_DOCKER_SEARCH_DIRS[@]} -gt 0 ]; then
     for (( i=${#CONFIG_DOCKER_SEARCH_DIRS[@]}-1 ; i>=0 ; i-- )); do
diff --git a/scripts/run_dev.sh b/scripts/run_dev.sh
index 86f08e54..2a03a627 100755
--- a/scripts/run_dev.sh
+++ b/scripts/run_dev.sh
@@ -33,6 +33,17 @@ if [[ -f ~/.isaac_ros_common-config ]]; then
     . ~/.isaac_ros_common-config
 fi
 
+# Override with config from project directory if exists (and is defined)
+if [[ ! -z "${PROJECT_ROOT}" ]]; then
+    print_info "Sourcing project config at: ${PROJECT_ROOT}"
+    if [[ -f "${PROJECT_ROOT}/.isaac_ros_common-config" ]]; then
+        . "${PROJECT_ROOT}/.isaac_ros_common-config"
+    fi
+
+    # Make the project root available to nested scripts, eg. build_image_layers.sh
+    export PROJECT_ROOT="${PROJECT_ROOT}"
+fi
+
 # Parse command-line args
 IMAGE_KEY=ros2_humble
 
@@ -44,7 +55,8 @@ fi
 ISAAC_ROS_DEV_DIR="${ISAAC_ROS_WS}"
 SKIP_IMAGE_BUILD=0
 VERBOSE=0
-VALID_ARGS=$(getopt -o hvd:i:ba: --long help,verbose,isaac_ros_dev_dir:,image_key:,skip_image_build,docker_arg: -- "$@")
+DOCKER_BASH_COMMAND="echo 'Docker-bash command is empty. Use it with -c.'"
+VALID_ARGS=$(getopt -o hvd:i:ba:c: --long help,verbose,isaac_ros_dev_dir:,image_key:,skip_image_build,docker_arg:,bash_cmd: -- "$@")
 eval set -- "$VALID_ARGS"
 while [ : ]; do
   case "$1" in
@@ -68,6 +80,10 @@ while [ : ]; do
         VERBOSE=1
         shift
         ;;
+    -c | --bash_cmd)
+        DOCKER_BASH_COMMAND="$2"
+        shift 2
+        ;;
     -h | --help)
         usage
         exit 0
@@ -202,7 +218,7 @@ print_info "Launching Isaac ROS Dev container with image key ${BASE_IMAGE_KEY}:
 # Build image to launch
 if [[ $SKIP_IMAGE_BUILD -ne 1 ]]; then
     print_info "Building $BASE_IMAGE_KEY base as image: $BASE_NAME"
-   $ROOT/build_image_layers.sh --image_key "$BASE_IMAGE_KEY" --image_name "$BASE_NAME"
+   $ROOT/build_image_layers.sh --image_key "$BASE_IMAGE_KEY" --image_name "$BASE_NAME" -d "--progress=plain" # -d "--no-cache"
 
     # Check result
     if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
@@ -277,6 +293,7 @@ fi
 
 # Run container from image
 print_info "Running $CONTAINER_NAME"
+print_info "User-Bash command: $DOCKER_BASH_COMMAND"
 if [[ $VERBOSE -eq 1 ]]; then
     set -x
 fi
@@ -292,4 +309,4 @@ docker run -it --rm \
     --entrypoint /usr/local/bin/scripts/workspace-entrypoint.sh \
     --workdir /workspaces/isaac_ros-dev \
     $BASE_NAME \
-    /bin/bash
+    /bin/bash -c "${DOCKER_BASH_COMMAND}; exec bash"