diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 5c27f5ac..f0a4f5ce 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 kong-versions/nightly-ee/*
 kong-versions/nightly/*
 servroot
+.pongo
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 16cdc366..c85370bb 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -801,6 +801,9 @@ The result should be a new PR on the Pongo repo.
  * Changed nightly-ee image to the new `master` tag
    [#300](https://github.com/Kong/kong-pongo/pull/300)
 
+ * Added new alias "kx" for export, and added explanation when shelling
+   [#311](https://github.com/Kong/kong-pongo/pull/311)
+
 ---
 
 ## 1.1.0 released 14-Jun-2022
diff --git a/assets/Dockerfile b/assets/Dockerfile
index 90bee12c..2359f032 100644
--- a/assets/Dockerfile
+++ b/assets/Dockerfile
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ COPY assets/default-pongo-setup.sh   /pongo/default-pongo-setup.sh
 COPY assets/pongo_pack.lua           /pongo/pongo_pack.lua
 COPY assets/kong_migrations_start.sh /pongo/kong_migrations_start.sh
 COPY assets/kong_start_dbless.sh     /pongo/kong_start_dbless.sh
+COPY assets/kong_export.sh           /pongo/kong_export.sh
 COPY assets/parse_git_branch.sh      /pongo/parse_git_branch.sh
 COPY assets/pongo_profile.sh         /etc/profile.d/pongo_profile.sh
 
diff --git a/assets/kong_export.sh b/assets/kong_export.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..65a1bf07
--- /dev/null
+++ b/assets/kong_export.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+# export the kong configuration to "kong.yml"
+
+
+echo ''
+if [ -f /kong-plugin/kong.yml ]; then
+    if [ ! "$1" = "-y" ]; then
+        echo "The file \"kong.yml\" already exists, overwrite? (y/n, or use \"-y\") "
+        old_stty_cfg=$(stty -g)
+        stty raw -echo
+        answer=$( while ! head -c 1 | grep -i '[ny]' ;do true ;done )
+        stty "$old_stty_cfg"
+        if ! echo "$answer" | grep -iq "^y" ;then
+            exit 0
+        fi
+    fi
+fi
+
+
+echo "Exporting declarative config to \"kong.yml\"..."
+kong config db_export /kong-plugin/kong.yml
+if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
+    echo "Failed to export to \"kong.yml\""
+    exit 1
+fi
+echo "Export to \"kong.yml\" complete."
diff --git a/assets/kong_migrations_start.sh b/assets/kong_migrations_start.sh
index 9f46d47d..5d6a0c74 100755
--- a/assets/kong_migrations_start.sh
+++ b/assets/kong_migrations_start.sh
@@ -7,16 +7,16 @@ kong migrations bootstrap --force
 
 echo ''
 unset KMS_FILENAME
-if [ -f /kong-plugin/kong.yaml ]; then
-    KMS_FILENAME=kong.yaml
-elif [ -f /kong-plugin/kong.yml ]; then
+if [ -f /kong-plugin/kong.yml ]; then
     KMS_FILENAME=kong.yml
+elif [ -f /kong-plugin/kong.yaml ]; then
+    KMS_FILENAME=kong.yaml
 elif [ -f /kong-plugin/kong.json ]; then
     KMS_FILENAME=kong.json
 fi
 
 if [ "$KMS_FILENAME" = "" ]; then
-    echo 'Declarative file "kong.yaml/yml/json" not found, skipping import'
+    echo 'Declarative file "kong.yml/yaml/json" not found, skipping import'
 else
     echo "Found \"$KMS_FILENAME\", importing declarative config..."
     kong config db_import /kong-plugin/$KMS_FILENAME
diff --git a/assets/kong_start_dbless.sh b/assets/kong_start_dbless.sh
index 16c93691..958e4c71 100755
--- a/assets/kong_start_dbless.sh
+++ b/assets/kong_start_dbless.sh
@@ -3,14 +3,14 @@
 # will (re)start Kong DBless from a config file; kong.y(a)ml/json
 
 unset KDBL_FILENAME
-if [ -f /kong-plugin/kong.yaml ]; then
-    KDBL_FILENAME=kong.yaml
-elif [ -f /kong-plugin/kong.yml ]; then
+if [ -f /kong-plugin/kong.yml ]; then
     KDBL_FILENAME=kong.yml
+elif [ -f /kong-plugin/kong.yaml ]; then
+    KDBL_FILENAME=kong.yaml
 elif [ -f /kong-plugin/kong.json ]; then
     KDBL_FILENAME=kong.json
 else
-    echo 'Error: Declarative file "kong.yaml/yml/json" not found';
+    echo 'Error: Declarative file "kong.yml/yaml/json" not found';
     exit 1
 fi
 
diff --git a/assets/pongo_profile.sh b/assets/pongo_profile.sh
index f33751b9..96bdf691 100755
--- a/assets/pongo_profile.sh
+++ b/assets/pongo_profile.sh
@@ -11,5 +11,17 @@ alias ks='kong restart'
 alias kp='kong stop'
 alias kms='/pongo/kong_migrations_start.sh'
 alias kdbl='/pongo/kong_start_dbless.sh'
+alias kx='/pongo/kong_export.sh'
 
 PS1="\[\e[00m\]\[\033[1;34m\][$PS1_KONG_VERSION:\[\e[91m\]$PS1_REPO_NAME\$(/pongo/parse_git_branch.sh)\[\033[1;34m\]:\[\033[1;92m\]\w\[\033[1;34m\]]$\[\033[00m\] "
+
+echo "Welcome to the Pongo shell!"
+echo ""
+echo "Get started quickly with the following aliases/shortcuts:"
+echo "  kms  - kong migrations start; wipe/initialize the database and start Kong clean,"
+echo "         importing declarative configuration if available."
+echo "  kdbl - kong start dbless; start Kong in dbless mode, requires a declarative configuration."
+echo "  ks   - kong start; starts Kong with the existing database contents (actually a restart)."
+echo "  kp   - kong stop; stop Kong."
+echo "  kx   - export the current Kong database to a declarative configuration file."
+echo ""