diff --git a/debugger/winedbg.c b/debugger/winedbg.c
index 6962dad4eef..a6198fc4981 100644
--- a/debugger/winedbg.c
+++ b/debugger/winedbg.c
@@ -28,11 +28,11 @@
 #include "ntddk.h"
 #include "thread.h"
 #include "wincon.h"
+#include "winreg.h"
 #include "wingdi.h"
 #include "winuser.h"
 #include "msvcrt/excpt.h"
-
-#include "winreg.h"
+#include "wine/library.h"
 
 DBG_PROCESS*	DEBUG_CurrProcess = NULL;
 DBG_THREAD*	DEBUG_CurrThread = NULL;
@@ -991,16 +991,30 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
     /* Initialize internal vars (types must have been initialized before) */
     if (!DEBUG_IntVarsRW(TRUE)) return -1;
 
-    if (argc > 1 && !strcmp( argv[1], "--auto" ))
+    /* parse options */
+    while (argc > 1 && argv[1][0] == '-')
     {
-        argc--;
-        argv++;
-        automatic_mode = 1;
-        /* force some internal variables */
-        DBG_IVAR(UseXTerm) = 0;
-        DBG_IVAR(BreakOnDllLoad) = 0;
-        DBG_IVAR(ConChannelMask) = 0;
-        DBG_IVAR(StdChannelMask) = DBG_CHN_MESG;
+        if (!strcmp( argv[1], "--auto" ))
+        {
+            automatic_mode = 1;
+            /* force some internal variables */
+            DBG_IVAR(UseXTerm) = 0;
+            DBG_IVAR(BreakOnDllLoad) = 0;
+            DBG_IVAR(ConChannelMask) = 0;
+            DBG_IVAR(StdChannelMask) = DBG_CHN_MESG;
+            argc--;
+            argv++;
+            continue;
+        }
+        if (!strcmp( argv[1], "--debugmsg" ) && argv[2])
+        {
+            wine_dbg_parse_options( argv[2] );
+            argc -= 2;
+            argv += 2;
+            continue;
+        }
+        DEBUG_Printf(DBG_CHN_MESG, "Usage: winedbg [--debugmsg dbgoptions] [--auto] cmdline\n" );
+        return 1;
     }
 
     DEBUG_InitConsole();
diff --git a/win32/except.c b/win32/except.c
index c10af02aa8a..2f0d33d12b2 100644
--- a/win32/except.c
+++ b/win32/except.c
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ static BOOL	start_debugger(PEXCEPTION_POINTERS epointers, HANDLE hEvent)
        RegCloseKey(hDbgConf);
     } else {
 	/* try a default setup... */
-	strcpy( format, "winedbg --debugmsg -all -- --auto %ld %ld" );
+	strcpy( format, "winedbg --debugmsg -all --auto %ld %ld" );
     }
 
     if (!bAuto)
diff --git a/winedefault.reg b/winedefault.reg
index 86e98887f22..dd5572fb402 100644
--- a/winedefault.reg
+++ b/winedefault.reg
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@
 #
 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AeDebug]
 # command line to start a debugger when an exception occurs
-"Debugger"="winedbg %ld %ld"
+"Debugger"="winedbg --debugmsg -all %ld %ld"
 # to 0 if a message box has to be presented before running the debugger
 "Auto"="1"
 
@@ -401,4 +401,3 @@
 "Times New Roman Greek,161"="Times New Roman,161"
 "Times New Roman TUR,162"="Times New Roman,162"
 "Tms Rmn"="Times New Roman"
-