diff --git a/setup.cfg b/setup.cfg
index 29a53b6092a..ff1da6bb420 100644
--- a/setup.cfg
+++ b/setup.cfg
@@ -117,6 +117,7 @@ console_scripts =
     dirac-configuration-shell = DIRAC.ConfigurationSystem.scripts.dirac_configuration_shell:main [admin]
     # Core
     dirac-agent = DIRAC.Core.scripts.dirac_agent:main [server,pilot]
+    dirac-apptainer-exec = DIRAC.Core.scripts.dirac_apptainer_exec:main [server,pilot]
     dirac-configure = DIRAC.Core.scripts.dirac_configure:main
     dirac-executor = DIRAC.Core.scripts.dirac_executor:main [server]
     dirac-info = DIRAC.Core.scripts.dirac_info:main
diff --git a/src/DIRAC/Core/scripts/dirac_apptainer_exec.py b/src/DIRAC/Core/scripts/dirac_apptainer_exec.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e7b197e60a0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/DIRAC/Core/scripts/dirac_apptainer_exec.py
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+""" Starts a DIRAC command inside an apptainer container.
+"""
+
+import os
+import shutil
+import sys
+
+import DIRAC
+from DIRAC import S_ERROR, gLogger
+from DIRAC.Core.Base.Script import Script
+from DIRAC.Core.Utilities.Os import findImage
+from DIRAC.Core.Utilities.Subprocess import systemCall
+
+CONTAINER_WRAPPER = """#!/bin/bash
+
+echo "Starting inner container wrapper scripts (no install) at `date`."
+export DIRAC=%(dirac_env_var)s
+export DIRACOS=%(diracos_env_var)s
+# In any case we need to find a bashrc, and a cfg
+source %(rc_script)s
+%(command)s
+echo "Finishing inner container wrapper scripts at `date`."
+"""
+
+CONTAINER_DEFROOT = "/cvmfs/cernvm-prod.cern.ch/cvm4"
+
+
+def getEnv():
+    """Gets the environment for use within the container.
+    We blank almost everything to prevent contamination from the host system.
+    """
+
+    payloadEnv = {k: v for k, v in os.environ.items()}
+    payloadEnv["TMP"] = "/tmp"
+    payloadEnv["TMPDIR"] = "/tmp"
+    payloadEnv["X509_USER_PROXY"] = os.path.join("tmp", "proxy")
+    payloadEnv["DIRACSYSCONFIG"] = os.path.join("tmp", "dirac.cfg")
+
+    return payloadEnv
+
+
+@Script()
+def main():
+    Script.registerArgument(" command: Command to execute inside the container")
+    command = Script.getPositionalArgs(group=True)
+
+    wrapSubs = {
+        "dirac_env_var": os.environ.get("DIRAC", os.getcwd()),
+        "diracos_env_var": os.environ.get("DIRACOS", os.getcwd()),
+    }
+    wrapSubs["rc_script"] = os.path.join(os.path.realpath(sys.base_prefix), "diracosrc")
+    wrapSubs["command"] = command
+    shutil.copyfile("dirac.cfg", os.path.join("tmp", "dirac.cfg"))
+
+    wrapLoc = os.path.join("tmp", "dirac_container.sh")
+    rawfd = os.open(wrapLoc, os.O_WRONLY | os.O_CREAT, 0o700)
+    fd = os.fdopen(rawfd, "w")
+    fd.write(CONTAINER_WRAPPER % wrapSubs)
+    fd.close()
+
+    innerCmd = os.path.join("tmp", "dirac_container.sh")
+    cmd = ["apptainer", "exec"]
+    cmd.extend(["--contain"])  # use minimal /dev and empty other directories (e.g. /tmp and $HOME)
+    cmd.extend(["--ipc"])  # run container in a new IPC namespace
+    cmd.extend(["--workdir", "/tmp"])  # working directory to be used for /tmp, /var/tmp and $HOME
+    cmd.extend(["--home", "/tmp"])  # Avoid using small tmpfs for default $HOME and use scratch /tmp instead
+    cmd.extend(["--bind", "{0}:{0}:ro".format(os.path.join(os.path.realpath(sys.base_prefix)))])
+
+    rootImage = findImage() or CONTAINER_DEFROOT
+
+    if os.path.isdir(rootImage) or os.path.isfile(rootImage):
+        cmd.extend([rootImage, innerCmd])
+    else:
+        # if we are here is because there's no image, or it is not accessible (e.g. not on CVMFS)
+        gLogger.error("Apptainer image to exec not found: ", rootImage)
+        return S_ERROR("Failed to find Apptainer image to exec")
+
+    gLogger.debug(f"Execute Apptainer command: {cmd}")
+    result = systemCall(0, cmd, env=getEnv())
+    if not result["OK"]:
+        DIRAC.exit(1)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()