diff --git a/main/main.cpp b/main/main.cpp
index cdbe45e023c..5fc75948c1f 100644
--- a/main/main.cpp
+++ b/main/main.cpp
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ void Main::print_help(const char *p_binary) {
 	OS::get_singleton()->print("                                   <path> should be absolute or relative to the project directory, and include the filename for the binary (e.g. 'builds/game.exe'). The target directory should exist.\n");
 	OS::get_singleton()->print("  --export-debug <preset> <path>   Same as --export, but using the debug template.\n");
 	OS::get_singleton()->print("  --export-pack <preset> <path>    Same as --export, but only export the game pack for the given preset. The <path> extension determines whether it will be in PCK or ZIP format.\n");
-	OS::get_singleton()->print("  --doctool <path>                 Dump the engine API reference to the given <path> in XML format, merging if existing files are found.\n");
+	OS::get_singleton()->print("  --doctool [<path>]               Dump the engine API reference to the given <path> (defaults to current dir) in XML format, merging if existing files are found.\n");
 	OS::get_singleton()->print("  --no-docbase                     Disallow dumping the base types (used with --doctool).\n");
 	OS::get_singleton()->print("  --build-solutions                Build the scripting solutions (e.g. for C# projects). Implies --editor and requires a valid project to edit.\n");
 #ifdef DEBUG_METHODS_ENABLED
@@ -1490,8 +1490,7 @@ bool Main::start() {
 	ERR_FAIL_COND_V(!_start_success, false);
 
 	bool hasicon = false;
-	String doc_tool;
-	List<String> removal_docs;
+	String doc_tool_path;
 	String positional_arg;
 	String game_path;
 	String script;
@@ -1546,9 +1545,12 @@ bool Main::start() {
 				test = args[i + 1];
 #ifdef TOOLS_ENABLED
 			} else if (args[i] == "--doctool") {
-				doc_tool = args[i + 1];
-				for (int j = i + 2; j < args.size(); j++)
-					removal_docs.push_back(args[j]);
+				doc_tool_path = args[i + 1];
+				if (doc_tool_path.begins_with("-")) {
+					// Assuming other command line arg, so default to cwd.
+					doc_tool_path = ".";
+					parsed_pair = false;
+				}
 			} else if (args[i] == "--export") {
 				editor = true; //needs editor
 				_export_preset = args[i + 1];
@@ -1568,17 +1570,19 @@ bool Main::start() {
 			if (parsed_pair) {
 				i++;
 			}
+		} else if (args[i] == "--doctool") {
+			// Handle case where no path is given to --doctool.
+			doc_tool_path = ".";
 		}
 	}
 
 	String main_loop_type;
 #ifdef TOOLS_ENABLED
-	if (doc_tool != "") {
-
+	if (doc_tool_path != "") {
 		Engine::get_singleton()->set_editor_hint(true); // Needed to instance editor-only classes for their default values
 
 		{
-			DirAccessRef da = DirAccess::open(doc_tool);
+			DirAccessRef da = DirAccess::open(doc_tool_path);
 			ERR_FAIL_COND_V_MSG(!da, false, "Argument supplied to --doctool must be a valid directory path.");
 		}
 		DocData doc;
@@ -1593,7 +1597,7 @@ bool Main::start() {
 			// Custom modules are always located by absolute path.
 			String path = _doc_data_class_paths[i].path;
 			if (path.is_rel_path()) {
-				path = doc_tool.plus_file(path);
+				path = doc_tool_path.plus_file(path);
 			}
 			String name = _doc_data_class_paths[i].name;
 			doc_data_classes[name] = path;
@@ -1610,7 +1614,7 @@ bool Main::start() {
 			}
 		}
 
-		String index_path = doc_tool.plus_file("doc/classes");
+		String index_path = doc_tool_path.plus_file("doc/classes");
 		// Create the main documentation directory if it doesn't exist
 		DirAccess *da = DirAccess::create_for_path(index_path);
 		da->make_dir_recursive(index_path);