diff --git a/lib/system.g b/lib/system.g
index f27d79baf1..53e586ecf6 100644
--- a/lib/system.g
+++ b/lib/system.g
@@ -117,6 +117,8 @@ BIND_GLOBAL( "GAPInfo", rec(
            help := [ "Disable the GAP read-evaluate-print loop (REPL)" ] ),
       rec( long := "nointeract", default := false,
            help := [ "Start GAP in non-interactive mode (disable read-evaluate-print loop (REPL) and break loop)" ] ),
+      rec( long := "bare", default := false,
+           help := [ "Attempt to start GAP without even needed packages (developer tool)" ] ),
       ,
       rec( short:= "c", default := "", arg := "<expr>", help := [ "execute the given expression"] ),
     ],
@@ -394,6 +396,11 @@ CallAndInstallPostRestore( function()
       CommandLineOptions.norepl := true;
     fi;
 
+    if CommandLineOptions.bare then
+      CommandLineOptions.A := true;
+      GAPInfo.Dependencies := MakeImmutable(rec( NeededOtherPackages := [] ));
+    fi;
+
     MakeImmutable( CommandLineOptions );
     MakeImmutable( InitFiles );