diff --git a/spyder_kernels/customize/spyderpdb.py b/spyder_kernels/customize/spyderpdb.py
index a522afa5..e052f894 100755
--- a/spyder_kernels/customize/spyderpdb.py
+++ b/spyder_kernels/customize/spyderpdb.py
@@ -758,6 +758,11 @@ def precmd(self, line):
         if line[0] == '!':
             line = line[1:]
         else:
+            if line.startswith('_pdbcmd'):
+                # Internal pdb command, do not add '!'
+                command, arg, line = self.parseline(line)
+                if hasattr(self, command):
+                    return line
             line = '!' + line
         return line