diff --git a/packages/node_modules/node-red/red.js b/packages/node_modules/node-red/red.js
index 5fb99bffa..075f50d85 100755
--- a/packages/node_modules/node-red/red.js
+++ b/packages/node_modules/node-red/red.js
@@ -60,27 +60,31 @@ nopt.invalidHandler = function(k,v,t) {
 var parsedArgs = nopt(knownOpts,shortHands,process.argv,2)
 
 /** 
- * Set property of specified object.
- * @param {Object} obj - target object
- * @param {string} path - "." separated property path
- * @param {Object} val - value to be set
+ * Marge values in second object into first object.
+ * 
+ * @param {Object} obj0 - target object
+ * @param {Object} obj1 - object to be merged
  */
-function setProperty(obj, path, val) {
-    var paths = path.split(".");
-    if (paths.length > 0) {
-        var o = obj;
-        for (var i = 0; i < paths.length -1; i++) {
-            var path = paths[i];
-            if (!o.hasOwnProperty(path)) {
-                o[path] = {};
-            }
-            o = o[path];
+function mergeObject(obj0, obj1) {
+    function isObject(o) {
+        function typeOf(o) {
+            var toString = Object.prototype.toString;
+            return toString.call(o).slice(8, -1);
         }
-        var key = paths[paths.length-1];
-        o[key] = val;
+        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]");
@@ -163,21 +167,21 @@ if (parsedArgs.define) {
             if (match) {
                 if (!match[4]) {
                     var val = JSON.parse(match[3]);
-                    setProperty(settings, match[2], val);
+                    RED.util.setObjectProperty(settings, match[2], val, true);
                 }
                 else {
                     var obj = fs.readJsonSync(match[4]);
-                    Object.entries(obj).forEach(([key, val]) => {
-                        settings[key] = val;
-                    });
+                    mergeObject(settings, obj);
                 }
             }
             else {
-                throw new Error("Unexpected option: "+def);
+                throw new Error("unexpected syntax");
             }
         }
         catch (e) {
+            console.log("Error processing option: "+def);
             console.log(e);
+            process.exit();
         }
     });
 }