diff --git a/basis/command-line/command-line.factor b/basis/command-line/command-line.factor
index eb0231c4c8..0b55798b2d 100644
--- a/basis/command-line/command-line.factor
+++ b/basis/command-line/command-line.factor
@@ -92,16 +92,18 @@ from within Factor for more information.
 
 : command-line-startup ( -- )
     (command-line) parse-command-line
-    load-vocab-roots
-    run-user-init
-
     "help" get "-help" get or "h" get or [ cli-usage ] [
-        "e" get script get or [
-            "e" get [ eval( -- ) ] when*
-            script get [ run-script ] when*
-        ] [
-            "run" get run
-        ] if
+        "e" get script get or "quiet" [
+            load-vocab-roots
+            run-user-init
+
+            "e" get script get or [
+                "e" get [ eval( -- ) ] when*
+                script get [ run-script ] when*
+            ] [
+                "run" get run
+            ] if
+        ] with-variable
     ] if
 
     output-stream get [ stream-flush ] when*