diff --git a/sapi/phpdbg/phpdbg.c b/sapi/phpdbg/phpdbg.c
index 9cc60286c5c..8153772368f 100644
--- a/sapi/phpdbg/phpdbg.c
+++ b/sapi/phpdbg/phpdbg.c
@@ -1576,7 +1576,7 @@ phpdbg_main:
 	quit_immediately = phpdbg_startup_run > 1;
 
 	/* set exec if present on command line */
-	if (!read_from_stdin && argc > php_optind && (strcmp(argv[php_optind-1], "--") != SUCCESS)) {
+	if (!read_from_stdin && argc > php_optind) {
 		if (!exec && strlen(argv[php_optind])) {
 			exec = strdup(argv[php_optind]);
 		}