diff --git a/src/compiler/scala/tools/nsc/CompilerCommand.scala b/src/compiler/scala/tools/nsc/CompilerCommand.scala
index b895d4438c63..dc606d5a15a0 100644
--- a/src/compiler/scala/tools/nsc/CompilerCommand.scala
+++ b/src/compiler/scala/tools/nsc/CompilerCommand.scala
@@ -126,11 +126,11 @@ class CompilerCommand(arguments: List[String], val settings: Settings) {
   def expandArg(arg: String): List[String] = {
     import java.nio.file.{Files, Paths}
     import scala.jdk.CollectionConverters._
-    def stripComment(s: String) = s.takeWhile(_ != '#')
-    val file = Paths.get(arg stripPrefix "@")
+    def stripComment(s: String) = s.takeWhile(_ != '#').trim()  // arg can be "" but not " "
+    val file = Paths.get(arg.stripPrefix("@"))
     if (!Files.exists(file))
       throw new java.io.FileNotFoundException(s"argument file $file could not be found")
-    settings.splitParams(Files.readAllLines(file).asScala.map(stripComment).mkString(" "))
+    Files.readAllLines(file).asScala.filter(!_.startsWith("#")).map(stripComment).toList
   }
 
   // override this if you don't want arguments processed here
diff --git a/src/compiler/scala/tools/nsc/Global.scala b/src/compiler/scala/tools/nsc/Global.scala
index 0d864d9ba90b..926496d913fb 100644
--- a/src/compiler/scala/tools/nsc/Global.scala
+++ b/src/compiler/scala/tools/nsc/Global.scala
@@ -1491,23 +1491,19 @@ class Global(var currentSettings: Settings, reporter0: Reporter)
         }
       }
 
-    /** Compile list of source files,
-     *  unless there is a problem already,
-     *  such as a plugin was passed a bad option.
+    /** Compile a list of source files, unless there is a problem already, e.g., a plugin was passed a bad option.
      */
     def compileSources(sources: List[SourceFile]): Unit = if (!reporter.hasErrors) {
       printArgs(sources)
-
       def checkDeprecations() = {
         warnDeprecatedAndConflictingSettings()
         reporting.summarizeErrors()
       }
-
-      val units = sources map scripted map (file => new CompilationUnit(file, warningFreshNameCreator))
-
-      units match {
+      sources match {
         case Nil => checkDeprecations()   // nothing to compile, report deprecated options
-        case _   => compileUnits(units)
+        case _   =>
+          val units = sources.map(src => new CompilationUnit(scripted(src), warningFreshNameCreator))
+          compileUnits(units)
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/compiler/scala/tools/nsc/settings/MutableSettings.scala b/src/compiler/scala/tools/nsc/settings/MutableSettings.scala
index 49e4a8f405b5..314b5393138f 100644
--- a/src/compiler/scala/tools/nsc/settings/MutableSettings.scala
+++ b/src/compiler/scala/tools/nsc/settings/MutableSettings.scala
@@ -973,5 +973,5 @@ class MutableSettings(val errorFn: String => Unit, val pathFactory: PathFactory)
 }
 
 private object Optionlike {
-  def unapply(s: String): Boolean = s.startsWith("-")
+  def unapply(s: String): Boolean = s.startsWith("-") && s != "-"
 }
diff --git a/src/compiler/scala/tools/nsc/settings/ScalaSettings.scala b/src/compiler/scala/tools/nsc/settings/ScalaSettings.scala
index cb81e259aeea..6a3a812f21d8 100644
--- a/src/compiler/scala/tools/nsc/settings/ScalaSettings.scala
+++ b/src/compiler/scala/tools/nsc/settings/ScalaSettings.scala
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ trait ScalaSettings extends StandardScalaSettings with Warnings { _: MutableSett
   protected def defaultClasspath = Option(System.getenv("CLASSPATH")).getOrElse(".")
 
   /** If any of these settings is enabled, the compiler should print a message and exit.  */
-  def infoSettings = List[Setting](version, help, Vhelp, Whelp, Xhelp, Yhelp, showPlugins, showPhases, genPhaseGraph, printArgs)
+  def infoSettings = List[Setting](version, help, Vhelp, Whelp, Xhelp, Yhelp, showPlugins, showPhases, genPhaseGraph)
 
   /** Is an info setting set? Any -option:help? */
   def isInfo = infoSettings.exists(_.isSetByUser) || allSettings.valuesIterator.exists(_.isHelping)
diff --git a/test/files/run/argfile.check b/test/files/run/argfile.check
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..bb8621865db7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/files/run/argfile.check
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Compiler arguments written to: argfile-run.obj/print-args.txt
diff --git a/test/files/run/argfile.scala b/test/files/run/argfile.scala
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..6fffbac7e9bc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/files/run/argfile.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+
+import java.nio.file.Files
+
+import scala.jdk.CollectionConverters._
+import scala.reflect.internal.util._
+import scala.tools.nsc.{CompilerCommand, Settings}
+import scala.tools.partest.DirectTest
+import scala.util.chaining._
+
+object Test extends DirectTest {
+  var count = 0
+  lazy val argfile = testOutput.jfile.toPath().resolve("print-args.txt")
+  lazy val goodarg = testOutput.jfile.toPath().resolve("print-args2.txt")
+  override def extraSettings =
+    if (count == 0) s"""${super.extraSettings} -Xsource:3 -Vprint-args $argfile "-Wconf:cat=unused-nowarn&msg=does not suppress&site=C:s""""
+    else s"@$goodarg"
+    
+  // Use CompilerCommand for expanding the args file.
+  override def newSettings(args: List[String]) = (new Settings).tap { s =>
+    val cc = new CompilerCommand(args, s)
+    assert(cc.ok)
+    assert(cc.files.isEmpty)
+  }
+  def code =
+    sm"""
+    |@annotation.nowarn
+    |final class C {
+    |  def f: Int = "42".toInt
+    |}
+    """
+  def show() = {
+    assert(compile())
+    // drop "-Vprint-args .../print-args.txt newSource1.scala"
+    val args = Files.readAllLines(argfile).asScala.toList.dropRight(3)
+    Files.write(goodarg, args.asJava)
+    count += 1
+    assert(compile())
+  }
+}
diff --git a/test/files/run/print-args.check b/test/files/run/print-args.check
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..60f43da7cdd3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/files/run/print-args.check
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+Compiler arguments written to: print-args-run.obj/print-args.txt
+newSource1.scala:3: error: type mismatch;
+ found   : String("42")
+ required: Int
+  def f: Int = "42"
+               ^
diff --git a/test/files/run/print-args.scala b/test/files/run/print-args.scala
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..57c78b2d0d0f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/files/run/print-args.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+
+import java.nio.file.Files
+
+import scala.jdk.CollectionConverters._
+import scala.reflect.internal.util._
+import scala.tools.partest.DirectTest
+
+object Test extends DirectTest {
+  lazy val argfile = testOutput.jfile.toPath().resolve("print-args.txt")
+  override def extraSettings = s"${super.extraSettings} -Xsource:3 -Vprint-args ${argfile}"
+  def expected =
+    sm"""
+    |-usejavacp
+    |-d
+    |${testOutput.jfile.toPath()}
+    |-Xsource:3.0.0
+    |-Vprint-args
+    |${testOutput.jfile.toPath().resolve(argfile)}
+    |newSource1.scala
+    """
+  def code =
+    sm"""
+    |class C {
+    |  def f: Int = "42"
+    |}
+    """
+  def show() = {
+    assert(!compile())
+    assert(expected.linesIterator.toList.tail.init.sameElements(Files.readAllLines(argfile).asScala))
+  }
+}
diff --git a/test/junit/scala/tools/nsc/settings/SettingsTest.scala b/test/junit/scala/tools/nsc/settings/SettingsTest.scala
index b83b536725fe..3d63d7fe75c6 100644
--- a/test/junit/scala/tools/nsc/settings/SettingsTest.scala
+++ b/test/junit/scala/tools/nsc/settings/SettingsTest.scala
@@ -345,6 +345,15 @@ class SettingsTest {
     assertFalse(s.optInlinerEnabled)
     assertTrue(s.optBoxUnbox)
   }
+  @Test def `print args to reporter`: Unit = {
+    val s = settings
+    val args = "-Vprint-args" :: "-" :: Nil
+    val (ok, rest) = s.processArguments(args, processAll = true)
+    assertTrue(ok)
+    assertTrue(rest.isEmpty)
+    assertFalse(s.isInfo)
+    assertTrue(s.printArgs.isSetByUser)
+  }
 }
 object SettingsTest {
   import language.implicitConversions