diff --git a/bin/frappy-cli b/bin/frappy-cli
index a838067..5874326 100755
--- a/bin/frappy-cli
+++ b/bin/frappy-cli
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ from os import path
 # Add import path for inplace usage
 sys.path.insert(0, path.abspath(path.join(path.dirname(__file__), '..')))
 
-from frappy.client.interactive import Client, Console, clientenv, run
+from frappy.client.interactive import init, run, clientenv, interact
 
 
 def parseArgv(argv):
@@ -47,43 +47,9 @@ def parseArgv(argv):
     return parser.parse_args(argv)
 
 
-USAGE = """
-Usage:
-{client_assign}
-# for all SECoP modules objects are created in the main namespace
-
-<module>                     # list all parameters
-<module>.<param> = <value>   # change parameter
-<module>(<target>)           # set target and wait until not busy
-                             # 'status' and 'value' changes are shown every 1 sec
-{client_name}.mininterval = 0.2        # change minimal update interval to 0.2 s (default is 1 s)
-
-watch(T)                     # watch changes of T.status and T.value (stop with ctrl-C)
-watch(T='status target')     # watch status and target parameters
-watch(io, T=True)            # watch io and all parameters of T
-{tail}"""
-
 args = parseArgv(sys.argv[1:])
-if not args.node:
-    usage_args = {
-        'client_assign': "\ncli = Client('localhost:5000')\n",
-        'client_name': 'cli'}
-    success = True
-else:
-    usage_args = {
-        'client_assign': '',
-        'client_name': '_c0'}
-    success = False
 
-clientenv.init()
-
-for idx, node in enumerate(args.node):
-    client_name = '_c%d' % idx
-    try:
-        clientenv.namespace[client_name] = Client(node, name=client_name)
-        success = True
-    except Exception as e:
-        print(repr(e))
+success = init(args.node)
 
 run_error = ''
 file_success = False
@@ -98,5 +64,4 @@ if success:
     if args.include and file_success and args.only_execute:
         print('skipping interactive mode')
         exit()
-    print(USAGE.format(tail=run_error, **usage_args))
-    Console()
+    interact(run_error)
diff --git a/frappy/client/interactive.py b/frappy/client/interactive.py
index dcf67a1..c36a96b 100644
--- a/frappy/client/interactive.py
+++ b/frappy/client/interactive.py
@@ -19,28 +19,7 @@
 #   Markus Zolliker <markus.zolliker@psi.ch>
 #
 # *****************************************************************************
-"""simple interactive python client
-
-Usage:
-
-from frappy.client.interactive import Client
-
-client = Client('localhost:5000')  # start client.
-# this connects and creates objects for all SECoP modules in the main namespace
-
-<module>                      # list all parameters
-<module>.<param> = <value>    # change parameter
-<module>(<target>)            # set target and wait until not busy
-                              # 'status' and 'value' changes are shown every 1 sec
-client.mininterval = 0.2      # change minimal update interval to 0.2 s (default is 1 s)
-
-watch(T)                      # watch changes of T.status and T.value (stop with ctrl-C)
-watch(T='status target')      # watch status and target parameters
-watch(io, T=True)             # watch io and all parameters of T
-
-run('filename')               # execute a script
-/filename                     # execute a script
-"""
+"""simple interactive python client"""
 
 import sys
 import time
@@ -59,6 +38,24 @@ try:
 except ImportError:
     readline = None
 
+
+USAGE = """
+Usage:
+{client_assign}
+# for all SECoP modules objects are created in the main namespace
+
+<module>                     # list all parameters
+<module>.<param> = <value>   # change parameter
+<module>(<target>)           # set target and wait until not busy
+                             # 'status' and 'value' changes are shown every 1 sec
+{client_name}.mininterval = 0.2        # change minimal update interval to 0.2 s (default is 1 s)
+
+watch(T)                     # watch changes of T.status and T.value (stop with ctrl-C)
+watch(T='status target')     # watch status and target parameters
+watch(io, T=True)            # watch io and all parameters of T
+{tail}"""
+
+
 LOG_LEVELS = {'debug', 'comlog', 'info', 'warning', 'error', 'off'}
 CLR = '\r\x1b[K'  # code to move to the left and clear current line
 
@@ -126,7 +123,7 @@ class Module:
         self._running = None
         self._status = None
         props = secnode.modules[name]['properties']
-        self._title = f"# {props.get('implementation', '')} ({props.get('interface_classes', [''])[0]})"
+        self._title = f"# {props.get('implementation', '')} ({(props.get('interface_classes') or ['Module'])[0]})"
 
     def _one_line(self, pname, minwid=0):
         """return <module>.<param> = <value> truncated to one line"""
@@ -486,3 +483,25 @@ class Console(code.InteractiveConsole):
 
     def showtraceback(self):
         self.write(clientenv.short_traceback())
+
+
+def init(*nodes):
+    clientenv.init()
+    success = not nodes
+    for idx, node in enumerate(nodes):
+        client_name = '_c%d' % idx
+        try:
+            clientenv.namespace[client_name] = Client(node, name=client_name)
+            success = True
+        except Exception as e:
+            print(repr(e))
+    return success
+
+
+def interact(usage_tail=''):
+    empty = '_c0' not in clientenv.namespace
+    print(USAGE.format(
+        client_name='cli' if empty else '_c0',
+        client_assign="\ncli = Client('localhost:5000')\n" if empty else '',
+        tail=usage_tail))
+    Console()