diff --git a/source/creator/creator.cc b/source/creator/creator.cc
index a32d5b912b9..d60b7d42e69 100644
--- a/source/creator/creator.cc
+++ b/source/creator/creator.cc
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@
 /* Mostly initialization functions. */
 #include "BKE_appdir.hh"
 #include "BKE_blender.hh"
-#include "BKE_blender_cli_command.hh"
 #include "BKE_brush.hh"
 #include "BKE_cachefile.hh"
 #include "BKE_callbacks.hh"
@@ -122,6 +121,7 @@ ApplicationState app_state = []() {
   app_state.signal.use_crash_handler = true;
   app_state.signal.use_abort_handler = true;
   app_state.exit_code_on_error.python = 0;
+  app_state.main_arg_deferred = nullptr;
   return app_state;
 }();
 
@@ -566,16 +566,9 @@ int main(int argc,
 #ifndef WITH_PYTHON_MODULE
   if (G.background) {
     int exit_code;
-    if (app_state.command.argv) {
-      const char *id = app_state.command.argv[0];
-      if (STREQ(id, "help")) {
-        BKE_blender_cli_command_print_help();
-        exit_code = EXIT_SUCCESS;
-      }
-      else {
-        exit_code = BKE_blender_cli_command_exec(
-            C, id, app_state.command.argc - 1, app_state.command.argv + 1);
-      }
+    if (app_state.main_arg_deferred != nullptr) {
+      exit_code = main_arg_handle_deferred();
+      MEM_freeN(app_state.main_arg_deferred);
     }
     else {
       exit_code = G.is_break ? EXIT_FAILURE : EXIT_SUCCESS;
@@ -584,6 +577,9 @@ int main(int argc,
     WM_exit(C, exit_code);
   }
   else {
+    /* Not supported, although it could be made to work if needed. */
+    BLI_assert(app_state.main_arg_deferred == nullptr);
+
     /* Shows the splash as needed. */
     WM_init_splash_on_startup(C);
 
diff --git a/source/creator/creator_args.cc b/source/creator/creator_args.cc
index 6d1c1f6ffb1..99bd70f18dc 100644
--- a/source/creator/creator_args.cc
+++ b/source/creator/creator_args.cc
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 #  endif
 
 #  include "BKE_appdir.hh"
+#  include "BKE_blender_cli_command.hh"
 #  include "BKE_blender_version.h"
 #  include "BKE_blendfile.hh"
 #  include "BKE_context.hh"
@@ -420,6 +421,57 @@ fail:
 
 /** \} */
 
+/* -------------------------------------------------------------------- */
+/** \name Deferred Argument Handling
+ *
+ * Support executing an argument running instead of #WM_main which is deferred.
+ * Needed for arguments which are handled early but require sub-systems
+ * (Python in particular) * to be initialized.
+ * \{ */
+
+struct BA_ArgCallback_Deferred {
+  BA_ArgCallback func;
+  int argc;
+  const char **argv;
+  void *data;
+  /** Return-code. */
+  int exit_code;
+};
+
+static bool main_arg_deferred_is_set()
+{
+  return app_state.main_arg_deferred != nullptr;
+}
+
+static void main_arg_deferred_setup(BA_ArgCallback func, int argc, const char **argv, void *data)
+{
+  BLI_assert(app_state.main_arg_deferred == nullptr);
+  BA_ArgCallback_Deferred *d = static_cast<BA_ArgCallback_Deferred *>(
+      MEM_callocN(sizeof(*d), __func__));
+  d->func = func;
+  d->argc = argc;
+  d->argv = argv;
+  d->data = data;
+  d->exit_code = 0;
+  app_state.main_arg_deferred = d;
+}
+
+static void main_arg_deferred_exit_code_set(int exit_code)
+{
+  BA_ArgCallback_Deferred *d = app_state.main_arg_deferred;
+  BLI_assert(d != nullptr);
+  d->exit_code = exit_code;
+}
+
+int main_arg_handle_deferred()
+{
+  BA_ArgCallback_Deferred *d = app_state.main_arg_deferred;
+  d->func(d->argc, d->argv, d->data);
+  return d->exit_code;
+}
+
+/** \} */
+
 /* -------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 /** \name Utilities Python Context Macro (#BPY_CTX_SETUP)
  * \{ */
@@ -940,21 +992,34 @@ static const char arg_handle_command_set_doc[] =
     "\tPass '--help' after the command to see its help text.\n"
     "\n"
     "\tThis implies '--background' mode.";
-static int arg_handle_command_set(int argc, const char **argv, void * /*data*/)
+static int arg_handle_command_set(int argc, const char **argv, void *data)
 {
-  if (argc < 2) {
-    fprintf(stderr, "%s requires at least one argument\n", argv[0]);
-    exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
-    BLI_assert_unreachable();
+  if (!main_arg_deferred_is_set()) {
+    if (argc < 2) {
+      fprintf(stderr, "%s requires at least one argument\n", argv[0]);
+      exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+      BLI_assert_unreachable();
+    }
+    /* Application "info" messages get in the way of command line output, suppress them. */
+    G.quiet = true;
+
+    background_mode_set();
+
+    main_arg_deferred_setup(arg_handle_command_set, argc, argv, data);
+  }
+  else {
+    bContext *C = static_cast<bContext *>(data);
+    const char *id = argv[1];
+    int exit_code;
+    if (STREQ(id, "help")) {
+      BKE_blender_cli_command_print_help();
+      exit_code = EXIT_SUCCESS;
+    }
+    else {
+      exit_code = BKE_blender_cli_command_exec(C, id, argc - 2, argv + 2);
+    }
+    main_arg_deferred_exit_code_set(exit_code);
   }
-
-  /* Application "info" messages get in the way of command line output, suppress them. */
-  G.quiet = true;
-
-  background_mode_set();
-
-  app_state.command.argc = argc - 1;
-  app_state.command.argv = argv + 1;
 
   /* Consume remaining arguments. */
   return argc - 1;
@@ -2409,8 +2474,8 @@ void main_args_setup(bContext *C, bArgs *ba, bool all)
       ba, nullptr, "--disable-abort-handler", CB(arg_handle_abort_handler_disable), nullptr);
 
   BLI_args_add(ba, "-b", "--background", CB(arg_handle_background_mode_set), nullptr);
-  /* Command implies background mode. */
-  BLI_args_add(ba, "-c", "--command", CB(arg_handle_command_set), nullptr);
+  /* Command implies background mode (defers execution). */
+  BLI_args_add(ba, "-c", "--command", CB(arg_handle_command_set), C);
 
   BLI_args_add(ba, "-a", nullptr, CB(arg_handle_playback_mode), nullptr);
 
diff --git a/source/creator/creator_intern.h b/source/creator/creator_intern.h
index 92bb784e401..4a7a4a10ce0 100644
--- a/source/creator/creator_intern.h
+++ b/source/creator/creator_intern.h
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
  * Functionality for main() initialization.
  */
 
+struct BA_ArgCallback_Deferred;
 struct bArgs;
 struct bContext;
 
@@ -33,6 +34,12 @@ void main_args_setup(struct bContext *C, struct bArgs *ba, bool all);
  */
 int main_args_handle_load_file(int argc, const char **argv, void *data);
 
+/**
+ * Handle an argument which requested deferred evaluation.
+ * Needed when arguments which evaluate early need Python to be initialized for example.
+ */
+int main_arg_handle_deferred();
+
 /* `creator_signals.cc` */
 
 void main_signal_setup(void);
@@ -53,12 +60,10 @@ struct ApplicationState {
     unsigned char python;
   } exit_code_on_error;
 
-  /** Storage for commands (see `--command` argument). */
-  struct {
-    int argc;
-    const char **argv;
-  } command;
+  /** Store the argument state for later handling. */
+  struct BA_ArgCallback_Deferred *main_arg_deferred;
 };
+
 extern struct ApplicationState app_state; /* `creator.cc` */
 
 /**