diff --git a/base/client.jl b/base/client.jl
index 427802f485916..b5e0ce377c764 100644
--- a/base/client.jl
+++ b/base/client.jl
@@ -226,7 +226,6 @@ function incomplete_tag(ex::Expr)
 end
 incomplete_tag(exc::Meta.ParseError) = incomplete_tag(exc.detail)
 
-cmd_suppresses_program(cmd) = cmd in ('e', 'E')
 function exec_options(opts)
     startup               = (opts.startupfile != 2)
     global have_color     = colored_text(opts)
diff --git a/base/initdefs.jl b/base/initdefs.jl
index 9460602bc057e..aa2ea67528da9 100644
--- a/base/initdefs.jl
+++ b/base/initdefs.jl
@@ -269,6 +269,7 @@ function init_active_project()
 end
 
 ## load path expansion: turn LOAD_PATH entries into concrete paths ##
+cmd_suppresses_program(cmd) = cmd in ('e', 'E')
 
 function load_path_expand(env::AbstractString)::Union{String, Nothing}
     # named environment?
@@ -283,8 +284,8 @@ function load_path_expand(env::AbstractString)::Union{String, Nothing}
             if @isdefined(PROGRAM_FILE)
                 dir = dirname(PROGRAM_FILE)
             else
-                cmds = unsafe_load_commands(opts.commands)
-                if any((cmd, arg)->cmd_suppresses_program(cmd), cmds)
+                cmds = unsafe_load_commands(JLOptions().commands)
+                if any(cmd::Pair{Char, String}->cmd_suppresses_program(first(cmd)), cmds)
                     # Usage error. The user did not pass a script.
                     return nothing
                 end