diff --git a/examples/photos_repl.py b/examples/photos_repl.py
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..322de755
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/photos_repl.py
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3 -i
+
+# open an interactive REPL with photosdb and photos defined
+# as osxphotos.PhotosDB() and PhotosDB.photos respectively
+# useful for debugging or exploring the Photos database
+
+import sys
+
+# click needed since this uses a couple of functions from CLI (__main__.py)
+import click
+
+import osxphotos
+from osxphotos.__main__ import get_photos_db, _list_libraries
+
+
+def main():
+    db = None
+
+    if len(sys.argv) > 1:
+        db = sys.argv[1]
+    else:
+        db = get_photos_db()
+
+    if db:
+        return osxphotos.PhotosDB(dbfile=db)
+    else:
+        _list_libraries()
+        sys.exit()
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    print(f"Version: {osxphotos._version.__version__}")
+    photosdb = main()
+    photos = photosdb.photos(images=True, movies=True)