diff --git a/sapi/cli/php_cli.c b/sapi/cli/php_cli.c
index 46e345352c9..949c8667f44 100644
--- a/sapi/cli/php_cli.c
+++ b/sapi/cli/php_cli.c
@@ -83,12 +83,11 @@
 #define PHP_MODE_LINT        4
 #define PHP_MODE_STRIP       5
 #define PHP_MODE_CLI_DIRECT  6
-#define PHP_MODE_CLI_NO_TAGS 7
 
 extern char *ap_php_optarg;
 extern int ap_php_optind;
 
-#define OPTSTRING "aCc:d:ef:g:hilmnqr:sw?vx:z:"
+#define OPTSTRING "aCc:d:ef:g:hilmnqr:sw?vz:"
 
 static int _print_module_info(zend_module_entry *module, void *arg TSRMLS_DC)
 {
@@ -242,13 +241,12 @@ static void php_cli_usage(char *argv0)
 		prog = "php";
 	}
 
-	php_printf( "Usage: %s [options] [-f | -x] <file> [args...]\n"
+	php_printf( "Usage: %s [options] [-f] <file> [args...]\n"
 	            "       %s [options] -r <code> [args...]\n"
 	            "       %s [options] [-- args...]\n"
 				"  -s             Display colour syntax highlighted source.\n"
 				"  -w             Display source with stripped comments and whitespace.\n"
 				"  -f <file>      Parse <file>.\n"
-				"  -x <file>      Parse <file> without script tags <?..?>\n"
 				"  -v             Version number\n"
 				"  -c <path>      Look for php.ini file in this directory\n"
 				"  -a             Run interactively\n"
@@ -315,6 +313,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	zend_llist global_vars;
 	int interactive=0;
     char *exec_direct=NULL;
+    char *param_error=NULL;
 /* end of temporary locals */
 #ifdef ZTS
 	zend_compiler_globals *compiler_globals;
@@ -418,16 +417,11 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 				CG(extended_info) = 1;
 				break;
 
-			case 'x': /* parse file */
-				if (behavior != PHP_MODE_STANDARD)
-					break;
-				behavior=PHP_MODE_CLI_NO_TAGS;
-				script_file = ap_php_optarg;
-				no_headers = 1;
-
 			case 'f': /* parse file */
-				if (behavior != PHP_MODE_STANDARD)
+				if (behavior == PHP_MODE_CLI_DIRECT) {
+					param_error = "Either execute direct code or use a file.\n";
 					break;
+				}
 				script_file = ap_php_optarg;
 				no_headers = 1;
 				break;
@@ -478,18 +472,20 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 				SG(headers_sent) = 1;
 				php_printf("Running PHP %s\n%s\n", PHP_VERSION , get_zend_version());
 				php_printf("[PHP Modules]\n");
-			zend_hash_apply_with_argument(&module_registry, (apply_func_arg_t) _print_module_info, NULL TSRMLS_CC);
-			php_printf("\n[Zend Modules]\n");
-			zend_llist_apply_with_argument(&zend_extensions, (llist_apply_with_arg_func_t) _print_extension_info, NULL TSRMLS_CC);
-			php_printf("\n");
-			php_end_ob_buffers(1 TSRMLS_CC);
-			exit(1);
+				zend_hash_apply_with_argument(&module_registry, (apply_func_arg_t) _print_module_info, NULL TSRMLS_CC);
+				php_printf("\n[Zend Modules]\n");
+				zend_llist_apply_with_argument(&zend_extensions, (llist_apply_with_arg_func_t) _print_extension_info, NULL TSRMLS_CC);
+				php_printf("\n");
+				php_end_ob_buffers(1 TSRMLS_CC);
+				exit(1);
 			break;
 
 #if 0 /* not yet operational, see also below ... */
 			case 'n': /* generate indented source mode*/
-				if (behavior != PHP_MODE_STANDARD)
+				if (behavior == PHP_MODE_CLI_DIRECT) {
+					param_error = "Source indenting only works for files.\n";
 					break;
+				}
 				behavior=PHP_MODE_INDENT;
 				break;
 #endif
@@ -498,19 +494,23 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 				/* This is default so NOP */
 				break;
 
-			case 's': /* generate highlighted HTML from source */
-				if (behavior != PHP_MODE_STANDARD)
-					break;
-				behavior=PHP_MODE_HIGHLIGHT;
-				break;
-
 			case 'r': /* run code from command line */
-				if (behavior != PHP_MODE_STANDARD)
+				if (behavior != PHP_MODE_STANDARD) {
+					param_error = "Either execute direct code or use a file.\n";
 					break;
+				}
 				behavior=PHP_MODE_CLI_DIRECT;
 				exec_direct=ap_php_optarg;
 				break;
 
+			case 's': /* generate highlighted HTML from source */
+				if (behavior == PHP_MODE_CLI_DIRECT) {
+					param_error = "Source highlighting only works for files.\n";
+					break;
+				}
+				behavior=PHP_MODE_HIGHLIGHT;
+				break;
+
 			case 'v': /* show php version & quit */
 				no_headers = 1;
 				if (php_request_startup(TSRMLS_C)==FAILURE) {
@@ -527,8 +527,10 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 				break;
 
 			case 'w':
-				if (behavior != PHP_MODE_STANDARD)
+				if (behavior == PHP_MODE_CLI_DIRECT) {
+					param_error = "Source stripping only works for files.\n";
 					break;
+				}
 				behavior=PHP_MODE_STRIP;
 				break;
 
@@ -541,6 +543,13 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 			}
 		}
 
+		if (param_error) {
+			SG(headers_sent) = 1;
+			SG(request_info).no_headers = 1;
+			PUTS(param_error);
+			exit(1);
+		}
+
 		CG(interactive) = interactive;
 
 		/* only set script_file if not set already and not in direct mode and not at end of parameter list */
@@ -572,29 +581,13 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		}
 		if (script_file) {
 			if (!(file_handle.handle.fp = VCWD_FOPEN(script_file, "rb"))) {
+				SG(headers_sent) = 1;
+				SG(request_info).no_headers = 1;
 				PUTS("Could not open input file.\n");
 				php_request_shutdown((void *) 0);
 				php_module_shutdown(TSRMLS_C);
 				return FAILURE;
 			}
-			if (behavior == PHP_MODE_CLI_NO_TAGS) {
-				FILE *fp;
-
-				if (!(fp=tmpfile())) {
-					PUTS("Could not create temp file.\n");
-					php_request_shutdown((void *) 0);
-					php_module_shutdown(TSRMLS_C);
-					return FAILURE;
-				}
-				fwrite("<?\n", 3, 1, fp);
-				while((c=fgetc(file_handle.handle.fp))!=EOF) {
-					fputc(c, fp);
-				}
-				fwrite("\n?>", 3, 1, fp);
-				fclose(file_handle.handle.fp);
-				file_handle.handle.fp = fp;
-				behavior = PHP_MODE_STANDARD;
-			}
 			php_register_variable("PHP_SELF", script_file, NULL TSRMLS_CC);
 			file_handle.filename = script_file;
 			/* #!php support */