diff --git a/mathics/main.py b/mathics/main.py
index 9b2d30c3e4..4e003bd92a 100755
--- a/mathics/main.py
+++ b/mathics/main.py
@@ -340,25 +340,6 @@ def main() -> int:
 
         definitions.set_line_no(0)
 
-    if args.execute:
-        for expr in args.execute:
-            evaluation = Evaluation(shell.definitions, output=TerminalOutput(shell))
-            result = evaluation.parse_evaluate(expr, timeout=settings.TIMEOUT)
-            shell.print_result(
-                result, no_out_prompt=True, strict_wl_output=args.strict_wl_output
-            )
-            if evaluation.exc_result == Symbol("Null"):
-                exit_rc = 0
-            elif evaluation.exc_result == Symbol("$Aborted"):
-                exit_rc = -1
-            elif evaluation.exc_result == Symbol("Overflow"):
-                exit_rc = -2
-            else:
-                exit_rc = -3
-
-        if not args.persist:
-            return exit_rc
-
     if args.FILE is not None:
         feeder = MathicsFileLineFeeder(args.FILE)
         try:
@@ -377,7 +358,26 @@ def main() -> int:
 
         if args.persist:
             definitions.set_line_no(0)
-        else:
+        elif not args.execute:
+            return exit_rc
+
+    if args.execute:
+        for expr in args.execute:
+            evaluation = Evaluation(shell.definitions, output=TerminalOutput(shell))
+            result = evaluation.parse_evaluate(expr, timeout=settings.TIMEOUT)
+            shell.print_result(
+                result, no_out_prompt=True, strict_wl_output=args.strict_wl_output
+            )
+            if evaluation.exc_result == Symbol("Null"):
+                exit_rc = 0
+            elif evaluation.exc_result == Symbol("$Aborted"):
+                exit_rc = -1
+            elif evaluation.exc_result == Symbol("Overflow"):
+                exit_rc = -2
+            else:
+                exit_rc = -3
+
+        if not args.persist:
             return exit_rc
 
     if not args.quiet:
diff --git a/test/data/script.m b/test/data/script.m
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..75e233ed62
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/data/script.m
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Print["Hello"];
diff --git a/test/test_cli.py b/test/test_cli.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9254a7d0c0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test_cli.py
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+import subprocess
+
+import os.path as osp
+import re
+import pytest
+import sys
+
+
+def get_testdir():
+    filename = osp.normcase(osp.dirname(osp.abspath(__file__)))
+    return osp.realpath(filename)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.skipif(sys.version_info < (3, 7), reason="requires Python 3.7 or higher")
+def test_cli():
+    script_file = osp.join(get_testdir(), "data", "script.m")
+
+    # asserts output contains 'Hello' and '2'
+    assert re.match(
+        r"Hello\s+2",
+        subprocess.run(
+            ["mathics", "-e", "Print[1+1];", "-script", script_file],
+            capture_output=True,
+        ).stdout.decode("utf-8"),
+    )
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    test_cli()