diff --git a/pudb/debugger.py b/pudb/debugger.py
index 9e7c902e..9ca7cedc 100644
--- a/pudb/debugger.py
+++ b/pudb/debugger.py
@@ -327,6 +327,14 @@ def set_frame_index(self, index):
             return
 
         self.curframe, lineno = self.stack[index]
+        # f_locals is a write-through proxy, meaning we can update local
+        # variables in the shell and those changes will be reflected in the
+        # running program. However, every time curframe.f_locals is accessed,
+        # it gets reset to a snapshot of its original value. So we need to
+        # save a copy of it to avoid this (this is the same trick used by
+        # pdb). See https://peps.python.org/pep-0558/ and the discussion on
+        # #571 for more details.
+        self.curframe_locals = self.curframe.f_locals
 
         filename = self.curframe.f_code.co_filename
 
@@ -1706,8 +1714,8 @@ def cmdline_get_namespace():
 
             from pudb.shell import SetPropagatingDict
             return SetPropagatingDict(
-                    [curframe.f_locals, curframe.f_globals],
-                    curframe.f_locals)
+                    [self.debugger.curframe_locals, curframe.f_globals],
+                    self.debugger.curframe_locals)
 
         def cmdline_tab_complete(w, size, key):
             try:
@@ -1837,6 +1845,8 @@ def cmdline_exec(w, size, key):
                 sys.stdout = prev_sys_stdout
                 sys.stderr = prev_sys_stderr
 
+            self.update_var_view()
+
         def cmdline_history_browse(direction):
             if self.cmdline_history_position == -1:
                 self.cmdline_history_position = len(self.cmdline_history)
@@ -2060,7 +2070,7 @@ def fallback():
                         else:
                             runner = shell.custom_shell_dict["pudb_shell"]
 
-                runner(curframe.f_globals, curframe.f_locals)
+                runner(curframe.f_globals, self.debugger.curframe_locals)
 
             self.update_var_view()
 
@@ -2768,7 +2778,7 @@ def set_current_line(self, line, source_code_provider):
 
     def update_var_view(self, locals=None, globals=None, focus_index=None):
         if locals is None:
-            locals = self.debugger.curframe.f_locals
+            locals = self.debugger.curframe_locals
         if globals is None:
             globals = self.debugger.curframe.f_globals