diff --git a/packages/node_modules/node-red/red.js b/packages/node_modules/node-red/red.js
index 075f50d85..1742322c3 100755
--- a/packages/node_modules/node-red/red.js
+++ b/packages/node_modules/node-red/red.js
@@ -59,32 +59,6 @@ nopt.invalidHandler = function(k,v,t) {
 
 var parsedArgs = nopt(knownOpts,shortHands,process.argv,2)
 
-/** 
- * Marge values in second object into first object.
- * 
- * @param {Object} obj0 - target object
- * @param {Object} obj1 - object to be merged
- */
-function mergeObject(obj0, obj1) {
-    function isObject(o) {
-        function typeOf(o) {
-            var toString = Object.prototype.toString;
-            return toString.call(o).slice(8, -1);
-        }
-        return (typeOf(o) == "Object");
-    }
-    Object.entries(obj1).forEach(([key, val]) => {
-        if (obj0.hasOwnProperty(key) && isObject(obj0[key]) && isObject(val)) {
-            mergeObject(obj0[key], val);
-        }
-        else {
-            obj0[key] = val;
-        }
-    })
-    return obj0;
-}
-
-
 if (parsedArgs.help) {
     console.log("Node-RED v"+RED.version());
     console.log("Usage: node-red [-v] [-?] [--settings settings.js] [--userDir DIR]");
@@ -161,29 +135,32 @@ try {
 
 if (parsedArgs.define) {
     var defs = parsedArgs.define;
-    defs.forEach(function (def) {
-        try {
+    try {
+        while (defs.length > 0) {
+            var def = defs.shift();
             var match = /^(([^=]+)=(.+)|@(.*))$/.exec(def);
             if (match) {
                 if (!match[4]) {
                     var val = JSON.parse(match[3]);
                     RED.util.setObjectProperty(settings, match[2], val, true);
-                }
-                else {
+                } else {
                     var obj = fs.readJsonSync(match[4]);
-                    mergeObject(settings, obj);
+                    for (var k in obj) {
+                        if (obj.hasOwnProperty(k)) {
+                            RED.util.setObjectProperty(settings, k, obj[k], true)
+                        }
+                    }
                 }
             }
             else {
-                throw new Error("unexpected syntax");
+                throw new Error("Invalid syntax: '"+def+"'");
             }
+
         }
-        catch (e) {
-            console.log("Error processing option: "+def);
-            console.log(e);
-            process.exit();
-        }
-    });
+    } catch (e) {
+        console.log("Error processing -D option: "+e.message);
+        process.exit();
+    }
 }
 
 if (parsedArgs.verbose) {