diff --git a/main/main.cpp b/main/main.cpp
index aa925c508cc..4635d377c45 100644
--- a/main/main.cpp
+++ b/main/main.cpp
@@ -365,7 +365,7 @@ 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
@@ -1826,8 +1826,7 @@ 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;
@@ -1881,9 +1880,11 @@ bool Main::start() {
 				script = 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
@@ -1904,16 +1905,19 @@ bool Main::start() {
 			if (parsed_pair) {
 				i++;
 			}
+		} else if (args[i] == "--doctool") {
+			// Handle case where no path is given to --doctool.
+			doc_tool_path = ".";
 		}
 	}
 
 #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.");
 		}
 
@@ -1943,7 +1947,7 @@ 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;
@@ -1960,7 +1964,7 @@ 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);