diff --git a/dist/bin/common b/dist/bin/common
index db30a383fadb..cb0908c97563 100755
--- a/dist/bin/common
+++ b/dist/bin/common
@@ -161,11 +161,8 @@ JLINE_TERMINAL=$(find_lib "*jline-terminal-3*")
 JLINE_TERMINAL_JNA=$(find_lib "*jline-terminal-jna-3*")
 [[ ${conemu-} ]] || JNA=$(find_lib "*jna-5*")
 
-# debug
 
-DEBUG_STR=-agentlib:jdwp=transport=dt_socket,server=y,suspend=y,address=5005
-
-classpathArgs () {
+compilerJavaClasspathArgs () {
   # echo "dotty-compiler: $DOTTY_COMP"
   # echo "dotty-interface: $DOTTY_INTF"
   # echo "dotty-library: $DOTTY_LIB"
diff --git a/dist/bin/scala b/dist/bin/scala
index 20fe48b50752..83e7720ef43d 100755
--- a/dist/bin/scala
+++ b/dist/bin/scala
@@ -98,9 +98,6 @@ while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
       addScala "$1"
       shift
       ;;
-    -d|-debug)
-      DEBUG="${DEBUG_STR-}"
-      shift ;;
     -version)
       # defer to scalac, then exit
       shift
@@ -116,8 +113,8 @@ while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
       verbose=true
       addScala "-verbose"
       shift ;;
-    -run|-repl)
-      PROG_NAME="$ReplMain"
+    -run)
+      setExecuteMode 'run'
       shift ;;
 
     *)
@@ -157,7 +154,7 @@ done
 #[ -n "${dump_args}" ] && dumpArgs ; exit 2
 if [ -z "${execute_mode-}" ]; then
   # no script was specified, set run or repl mode
-  if [[ $options_indicator -eq 0 && "${residual_args[@]-}" == "" ]]; then
+  if [[ $options_indicator -eq 0 ]]; then
     setExecuteMode 'repl'
   else
     setExecuteMode 'run'
@@ -179,7 +176,7 @@ script)
   else
     [[ $save_compiled == true ]] && rm -f $target_jar
     PROG_NAME=$ScriptingMain
-    classpathArgs # initialize jvm_cp_args with toolchain classpath 
+    compilerJavaClasspathArgs # initialize jvm_cp_args with toolchain classpath
     scripting_string="-script $target_script ${script_args[@]}"
     # use eval instead of exec, to insure that onExit is subsequently called
 
@@ -187,7 +184,6 @@ script)
     # $scripting_string  must be last
     eval "\"$JAVACMD\"" \
        ${JAVA_OPTS:-$default_java_opts} \
-       "${DEBUG-}" \
        "${java_args[@]}" \
        "-classpath \"$jvm_cp_args\"" \
        -Dscala.usejavacp=true \
@@ -210,20 +206,20 @@ repl)
   ;;
 
 run)
-  repl_cparg="$DOTTY_LIB$PSEP$SCALA_LIB"
+  run_cparg="$DOTTY_LIB$PSEP$SCALA_LIB"
   if [ -z "$CLASS_PATH" ]; then
-    repl_cparg+="$PSEP."
+    run_cparg+="$PSEP."
   else
-    repl_cparg+="$PSEP$CLASS_PATH"
+    run_cparg+="$PSEP$CLASS_PATH"
   fi
   if [ "$class_path_count" -gt 1 ]; then
     echo "warning: multiple classpaths are found, scala only use the last one."
   fi
   if [ $with_compiler == true ]; then
-    repl_cparg+="$PSEP$DOTTY_COMP$PSEP$TASTY_CORE$PSEP$DOTTY_INTF$PSEP$SCALA_ASM$PSEP$DOTTY_STAGING$PSEP$DOTTY_TASTY_INSPECTOR"
+    run_cparg+="$PSEP$DOTTY_COMP$PSEP$TASTY_CORE$PSEP$DOTTY_INTF$PSEP$SCALA_ASM$PSEP$DOTTY_STAGING$PSEP$DOTTY_TASTY_INSPECTOR"
   fi
   # exec here would prevent onExit from being called, leaving terminal in unusable state
-  eval "\"$JAVACMD\"" "${DEBUG-}"  "-classpath \"$repl_cparg\"" "${java_args[@]}" "${residual_args[@]}"
+  eval "\"$JAVACMD\"" "-classpath \"$run_cparg\"" "${java_args[@]}" "${residual_args[@]}"
   scala_exit_status=$?
   ;;
 
diff --git a/dist/bin/scalac b/dist/bin/scalac
index 9d36cdf11f8b..fa93c41293bd 100755
--- a/dist/bin/scalac
+++ b/dist/bin/scalac
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@ while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
 case "$1" in
            --) shift; for arg; do addResidual "$arg"; done; set -- ;;
   -v|-verbose) verbose=true && addScala "-verbose" && shift ;;
-       -debug) DEBUG="$DEBUG_STR" && shift ;;
     -q|-quiet) quiet=true && shift ;;
 
     # Optimize for short-running applications, see https://github.com/lampepfl/dotty/issues/222
@@ -61,7 +60,7 @@ case "$1" in
   esac
 done
 
-classpathArgs
+compilerJavaClasspathArgs
 
 if [ "$PROG_NAME" == "$ScriptingMain" ]; then
   setScriptName="-Dscript.path=$target_script"
@@ -72,7 +71,6 @@ fi
 [ -n "$script_trace" ] && set -x
 eval "\"$JAVACMD\"" \
    ${JAVA_OPTS:-$default_java_opts} \
-   "${DEBUG-}" \
    "${java_args[@]}" \
    "-classpath \"$jvm_cp_args\"" \
    -Dscala.usejavacp=true \
diff --git a/dist/bin/scaladoc b/dist/bin/scaladoc
index d83ce5e09595..e92e21d6e49a 100755
--- a/dist/bin/scaladoc
+++ b/dist/bin/scaladoc
@@ -106,7 +106,6 @@ while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
 case "$1" in
            --) shift; for arg; do addResidual "$arg"; done; set -- ;;
   -v|-verbose) verbose=true && addScala "-verbose" && shift ;;
-       -debug) DEBUG="$DEBUG_STR" && shift ;;
     -q|-quiet) quiet=true && shift ;;
 
       -colors) colors=true && shift ;;
@@ -126,7 +125,6 @@ classpathArgs
 
 eval "\"$JAVACMD\"" \
      ${JAVA_OPTS:-$default_java_opts} \
-     "${DEBUG-}" \
      "${java_args[@]}" \
      "${jvm_cp_args-}" \
      "dotty.tools.scaladoc.Main"  \
diff --git a/project/scripts/bootstrapCmdTests b/project/scripts/bootstrapCmdTests
index 31b8368d5215..af1ffef87a33 100755
--- a/project/scripts/bootstrapCmdTests
+++ b/project/scripts/bootstrapCmdTests
@@ -67,3 +67,13 @@ clear_out "$OUT"
 
 # check options specified in files
 ./bin/scalac @project/scripts/options "$SOURCE"
+
+# test command line options
+./bin/scalac -help > "$tmp" 2>&1
+grep -qe "Usage: scalac <options> <source files>" "$tmp"
+
+./bin/scala -help > "$tmp" 2>&1
+grep -qe "Usage: scala <options> <source files>" "$tmp"
+
+./bin/scala -d hello.jar tests/run/hello.scala
+ls hello.jar