diff --git a/.github/workflows/nix_linux_x86_64.yml b/.github/workflows/nix_linux_x86_64.yml
index 17e8e0a013..e751a4542d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/nix_linux_x86_64.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/nix_linux_x86_64.yml
@@ -21,3 +21,11 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: execute tests with --release
         run: /home/big-ci-user/.nix-profile/bin/nix develop -c cargo test --locked --release
+        
+      - name: upload args binary for inspection
+        if: always()
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
+        with:
+           name: failing_args_binary
+           path: examples/interactive/args
+           retention-days: 4
diff --git a/crates/cli/tests/cli_run.rs b/crates/cli/tests/cli_run.rs
index c164b6c0c4..368fd2dd99 100644
--- a/crates/cli/tests/cli_run.rs
+++ b/crates/cli/tests/cli_run.rs
@@ -61,12 +61,18 @@ mod cli_run {
     #[cfg(target_os = "macos")]
     const ALLOW_VALGRIND: bool = false;
 
+    #[derive(Debug, PartialEq, Eq)]
+    enum Arg<'a> {
+        ExamplePath(&'a str),
+        PlainText(&'a str),
+    }
+
     #[derive(Debug, PartialEq, Eq)]
     struct Example<'a> {
         filename: &'a str,
         executable_filename: &'a str,
         stdin: &'a [&'a str],
-        input_paths: &'a [&'a str],
+        arguments: &'a [Arg<'a>],
         expected_ending: &'a str,
         use_valgrind: bool,
     }
@@ -223,7 +229,7 @@ mod cli_run {
         stdin: &[&str],
         executable_filename: &str,
         flags: &[&str],
-        input_paths: &[&str],
+        args: &[&Arg],
         expected_ending: &str,
     ) {
         assert!(input_paths.is_empty(), "Wasm does not support input files");
@@ -273,10 +279,20 @@ mod cli_run {
                     let file_name = example_file(dir_name, example.filename);
 
                     let mut app_args: Vec<String> = vec![];
-                    for file in example.input_paths {
-                        app_args.push(example_file(dir_name, file).to_str().unwrap().to_string());
+                    for arg in example.arguments {
+                        match arg {
+                            Arg::ExamplePath(file) => {
+                                app_args.push(example_file(dir_name, file).to_str().unwrap().to_string());
+                            }
+                            Arg::PlainText(arg) => {
+                                app_args.push(arg.to_string());
+                            }
+                        }
                     }
 
+                    // workaround for surgical linker issue, see PR #3990
+                    let mut custom_flags : Vec<&str> = vec![];
+
                     match example.executable_filename {
                         "form" | "hello-gui" | "breakout" | "ruby" => {
                             // Since these require things the build system often doesn't have
@@ -296,6 +312,9 @@ mod cli_run {
                             eprintln!("WARNING: skipping testing example {} because it only works in a browser!", example.filename);
                             return;
                         }
+                        "args" => {
+                            custom_flags = vec![LINKER_FLAG, "legacy"];
+                        }
                         _ => {}
                     }
 
@@ -304,12 +323,13 @@ mod cli_run {
                         &file_name,
                         example.stdin,
                         example.executable_filename,
-                        &[],
+                        &custom_flags,
                         &app_args,
                         example.expected_ending,
                         example.use_valgrind,
                     );
 
+                    custom_flags.push(OPTIMIZE_FLAG);
                     // This is mostly because the false interpreter is still very slow -
                     // 25s for the cli tests is just not acceptable during development!
                     #[cfg(not(debug_assertions))]
@@ -317,7 +337,7 @@ mod cli_run {
                         &file_name,
                         example.stdin,
                         example.executable_filename,
-                        &[OPTIMIZE_FLAG],
+                        &custom_flags,
                         &app_args,
                         example.expected_ending,
                         example.use_valgrind,
@@ -368,7 +388,7 @@ mod cli_run {
             filename: "main.roc",
             executable_filename: "helloWorld",
             stdin: &[],
-            input_paths: &[],
+            arguments: &[],
             expected_ending:"Hello, World!\n",
             use_valgrind: true,
         },
@@ -376,7 +396,7 @@ mod cli_run {
             filename: "main.roc",
             executable_filename: "rocLovesPlatforms",
             stdin: &[],
-            input_paths: &[],
+            arguments: &[],
             expected_ending:"Which platform am I running on now?\n",
             use_valgrind: true,
         },
@@ -387,7 +407,7 @@ mod cli_run {
         //     filename: "rocLovesC.roc",
         //     executable_filename: "rocLovesC",
         //     stdin: &[],
-        //     input_paths: &[],
+        //     arguments: &[],
         //     expected_ending:"Roc <3 C!\n",
         //     use_valgrind: true,
         // },
@@ -395,7 +415,7 @@ mod cli_run {
             filename: "rocLovesRust.roc",
             executable_filename: "rocLovesRust",
             stdin: &[],
-            input_paths: &[],
+            arguments: &[],
             expected_ending:"Roc <3 Rust!\n",
             use_valgrind: true,
         },
@@ -403,7 +423,7 @@ mod cli_run {
             filename: "rocLovesSwift.roc",
             executable_filename: "rocLovesSwift",
             stdin: &[],
-            input_paths: &[],
+            arguments: &[],
             expected_ending:"Roc <3 Swift!\n",
             use_valgrind: true,
         },
@@ -411,7 +431,7 @@ mod cli_run {
             filename: "rocLovesWebAssembly.roc",
             executable_filename: "rocLovesWebAssembly",
             stdin: &[],
-            input_paths: &[],
+            arguments: &[],
             expected_ending:"Roc <3 Web Assembly!\n",
             use_valgrind: true,
         },
@@ -419,7 +439,7 @@ mod cli_run {
             filename: "rocLovesZig.roc",
             executable_filename: "rocLovesZig",
             stdin: &[],
-            input_paths: &[],
+            arguments: &[],
             expected_ending:"Roc <3 Zig!\n",
             use_valgrind: true,
         },
@@ -427,7 +447,7 @@ mod cli_run {
             filename: "main.roc",
             executable_filename: "libhello",
             stdin: &[],
-            input_paths: &[],
+            arguments: &[],
             expected_ending:"",
             use_valgrind: true,
         },
@@ -435,7 +455,7 @@ mod cli_run {
             filename: "fibonacci.roc",
             executable_filename: "fibonacci",
             stdin: &[],
-            input_paths: &[],
+            arguments: &[],
             expected_ending:"55\n",
             use_valgrind: true,
         },
@@ -443,7 +463,7 @@ mod cli_run {
             filename: "Hello.roc",
             executable_filename: "hello-gui",
             stdin: &[],
-            input_paths: &[],
+            arguments: &[],
             expected_ending: "",
             use_valgrind: false,
         },
@@ -451,7 +471,7 @@ mod cli_run {
             filename: "breakout.roc",
             executable_filename: "breakout",
             stdin: &[],
-            input_paths: &[],
+            arguments: &[],
             expected_ending: "",
             use_valgrind: false,
         },
@@ -459,7 +479,7 @@ mod cli_run {
             filename: "quicksort.roc",
             executable_filename: "quicksort",
             stdin: &[],
-            input_paths: &[],
+            arguments: &[],
             expected_ending: "[0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2]\n",
             use_valgrind: true,
         },
@@ -467,15 +487,23 @@ mod cli_run {
         //     filename: "Quicksort.roc",
         //     executable_filename: "quicksort",
         //     stdin: &[],
-        //     input_paths: &[],
+        //     arguments: &[],
         //     expected_ending: "[0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2]\n",
         //     use_valgrind: true,
         // },
+        args:"interactive" => Example {
+            filename: "args.roc",
+            executable_filename: "args",
+            stdin: &[],
+            arguments: &[Arg::PlainText("hello"), Arg::PlainText("world")],
+            expected_ending: "hello world\n",
+            use_valgrind: false,
+        },
         effects:"interactive" => Example {
             filename: "effects.roc",
             executable_filename: "effects",
             stdin: &["hi there!"],
-            input_paths: &[],
+            arguments: &[],
             expected_ending: "hi there!\nIt is known\n",
             use_valgrind: true,
         },
@@ -483,7 +511,7 @@ mod cli_run {
         //     filename: "Main.roc",
         //     executable_filename: "tea-example",
         //     stdin: &[],
-        //     input_paths: &[],
+        //     arguments: &[],
         //     expected_ending: "",
         //     use_valgrind: true,
         // },
@@ -491,7 +519,7 @@ mod cli_run {
             filename: "form.roc",
             executable_filename: "form",
             stdin: &["Giovanni\n", "Giorgio\n"],
-            input_paths: &[],
+            arguments: &[],
             expected_ending: "Hi, Giovanni Giorgio! 👋\n",
             use_valgrind: false,
         },
@@ -499,7 +527,7 @@ mod cli_run {
             filename: "tui.roc",
             executable_filename: "tui",
             stdin: &["foo\n"], // NOTE: adding more lines leads to memory leaks
-            input_paths: &[],
+            arguments: &[],
             expected_ending: "Hello Worldfoo!\n",
             use_valgrind: true,
         },
@@ -507,7 +535,7 @@ mod cli_run {
         //     filename: "Main.roc",
         //     executable_filename: "custom-malloc-example",
         //     stdin: &[],
-        //     input_paths: &[],
+        //     arguments: &[],
         //     expected_ending: "ms!\nThe list was small!\n",
         //     use_valgrind: true,
         // },
@@ -515,7 +543,7 @@ mod cli_run {
         //     filename: "Main.roc",
         //     executable_filename: "task-example",
         //     stdin: &[],
-        //     input_paths: &[],
+        //     arguments: &[],
         //     expected_ending: "successfully wrote to file\n",
         //     use_valgrind: true,
         // },
@@ -524,7 +552,7 @@ mod cli_run {
                 filename: "False.roc",
                 executable_filename: "false",
                 stdin: &[],
-                input_paths: &["examples/hello.false"],
+                arguments: &[Arg::ExamplePath("examples/hello.false")],
                 expected_ending:"Hello, World!\n",
                 use_valgrind: false,
             }
@@ -534,7 +562,7 @@ mod cli_run {
                 filename: "static-site.roc",
                 executable_filename: "static-site",
                 stdin: &[],
-                input_paths: &["input", "output"],
+                arguments: &[Arg::ExamplePath("input"), Arg::ExamplePath("output")],
                 expected_ending: "Processed 3 files with 3 successes and 0 errors\n",
                 use_valgrind: false,
             }
@@ -564,8 +592,15 @@ mod cli_run {
                     let mut ran_without_optimizations = false;
 
                     let mut app_args: Vec<String> = vec![];
-                    for file in benchmark.input_paths {
-                        app_args.push(examples_dir("benchmarks").join(file).to_str().unwrap().to_string());
+                    for arg in benchmark.arguments {
+                        match arg {
+                            Arg::ExamplePath(file) => {
+                                app_args.push(examples_dir("benchmarks").join(file).to_str().unwrap().to_string());
+                            }
+                            Arg::PlainText(arg) => {
+                                app_args.push(arg.to_string());
+                            }
+                        }
                     }
 
                     BENCHMARKS_BUILD_PLATFORM.call_once( || {
@@ -717,7 +752,7 @@ mod cli_run {
                 filename: "NQueens.roc",
                 executable_filename: "nqueens",
                 stdin: &["6"],
-                input_paths: &[],
+                arguments: &[],
                 expected_ending: "4\n",
                 use_valgrind: true,
             },
@@ -725,7 +760,7 @@ mod cli_run {
                 filename: "CFold.roc",
                 executable_filename: "cfold",
                 stdin: &["3"],
-                input_paths: &[],
+                arguments: &[],
                 expected_ending: "11 & 11\n",
                 use_valgrind: true,
             },
@@ -733,7 +768,7 @@ mod cli_run {
                 filename: "Deriv.roc",
                 executable_filename: "deriv",
                 stdin: &["2"],
-                input_paths: &[],
+                arguments: &[],
                 expected_ending: "1 count: 6\n2 count: 22\n",
                 use_valgrind: true,
             },
@@ -741,7 +776,7 @@ mod cli_run {
                 filename: "RBTreeCk.roc",
                 executable_filename: "rbtree-ck",
                 stdin: &["100"],
-                input_paths: &[],
+                arguments: &[],
                 expected_ending: "10\n",
                 use_valgrind: true,
             },
@@ -749,7 +784,7 @@ mod cli_run {
                 filename: "RBTreeInsert.roc",
                 executable_filename: "rbtree-insert",
                 stdin: &[],
-                input_paths: &[],
+                arguments: &[],
                 expected_ending: "Node Black 0 {} Empty Empty\n",
                 use_valgrind: true,
             },
@@ -757,7 +792,7 @@ mod cli_run {
     //            filename: "RBTreeDel.roc",
     //            executable_filename: "rbtree-del",
     //            stdin: &["420"],
-    //            input_paths: &[],
+    //            arguments: &[],
     //            expected_ending: "30\n",
     //            use_valgrind: true,
     //        },
@@ -765,7 +800,7 @@ mod cli_run {
                 filename: "TestAStar.roc",
                 executable_filename: "test-astar",
                 stdin: &[],
-                input_paths: &[],
+                arguments: &[],
                 expected_ending: "True\n",
                 use_valgrind: false,
             },
@@ -773,7 +808,7 @@ mod cli_run {
                 filename: "TestBase64.roc",
                 executable_filename: "test-base64",
                 stdin: &[],
-                input_paths: &[],
+                arguments: &[],
                 expected_ending: "encoded: SGVsbG8gV29ybGQ=\ndecoded: Hello World\n",
                 use_valgrind: true,
             },
@@ -781,7 +816,7 @@ mod cli_run {
                 filename: "Closure.roc",
                 executable_filename: "closure",
                 stdin: &[],
-                input_paths: &[],
+                arguments: &[],
                 expected_ending: "",
                 use_valgrind: false,
             },
@@ -789,7 +824,7 @@ mod cli_run {
                 filename: "Issue2279.roc",
                 executable_filename: "issue2279",
                 stdin: &[],
-                input_paths: &[],
+                arguments: &[],
                 expected_ending: "Hello, world!\n",
                 use_valgrind: true,
             },
@@ -797,7 +832,7 @@ mod cli_run {
                 filename: "QuicksortApp.roc",
                 executable_filename: "quicksortapp",
                 stdin: &[],
-                input_paths: &[],
+                arguments: &[],
                 expected_ending: "todo put the correct quicksort answer here",
                 use_valgrind: true,
             },
diff --git a/crates/cli/tests/known_bad/TypeError.roc b/crates/cli/tests/known_bad/TypeError.roc
index c1052dd7b3..2eaec83ae7 100644
--- a/crates/cli/tests/known_bad/TypeError.roc
+++ b/crates/cli/tests/known_bad/TypeError.roc
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ app "type-error"
     imports [pf.Stdout.{ line }, pf.Task.{ await }]
     provides [main] to pf
 
-main =
+main = \_args ->
     _ <- await (line "a")
     _ <- await (line "b")
     _ <- await (line "c")
diff --git a/examples/interactive/.gitignore b/examples/interactive/.gitignore
index 6eacf36982..084ea28578 100644
--- a/examples/interactive/.gitignore
+++ b/examples/interactive/.gitignore
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+args
 countdown
 echo
 effects
diff --git a/examples/interactive/args.roc b/examples/interactive/args.roc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7b03f98938
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/interactive/args.roc
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+app "args"
+    packages { pf: "cli-platform/main.roc" }
+    imports [pf.Stdout, pf.Task]
+    provides [main] to pf
+
+main : List Str -> Task.Task {} [] [Write [Stdout]]
+main = \args ->
+    _ <- Task.await (Stdout.line "Here are the args I got from the command line:")
+    joinedArgs = Str.joinWith args " "
+
+    Stdout.line joinedArgs
diff --git a/examples/interactive/cli-platform/main.roc b/examples/interactive/cli-platform/main.roc
index 6d3d42a6d5..c78c6ef610 100644
--- a/examples/interactive/cli-platform/main.roc
+++ b/examples/interactive/cli-platform/main.roc
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 platform "cli"
-    requires {} { main : Task {} [] * }
+    requires {} { main : List Str -> Task {} [] * }
     exposes []
     packages {}
     imports [Task.{ Task }, InternalTask, Effect.{ Effect }]
     provides [mainForHost]
 
-mainForHost : Effect (Result {} []) as Fx
-mainForHost = InternalTask.toEffect main
+mainForHost : List Str -> Effect (Result {} []) as Fx
+mainForHost = \args -> InternalTask.toEffect (main args)
diff --git a/examples/interactive/cli-platform/src/lib.rs b/examples/interactive/cli-platform/src/lib.rs
index d801fcd8da..80cb6c4d90 100644
--- a/examples/interactive/cli-platform/src/lib.rs
+++ b/examples/interactive/cli-platform/src/lib.rs
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ use core::mem::MaybeUninit;
 use glue::Metadata;
 use libc;
 use roc_std::{RocList, RocResult, RocStr};
+use std::borrow::Borrow;
 use std::ffi::{CStr, OsStr};
 use std::fs::File;
 use std::os::raw::c_char;
@@ -20,7 +21,7 @@ use file_glue::WriteErr;
 
 extern "C" {
     #[link_name = "roc__mainForHost_1_exposed_generic"]
-    fn roc_main(output: *mut u8);
+    fn roc_main(output: *mut u8, args: *const RocList<RocStr>);
 
     #[link_name = "roc__mainForHost_size"]
     fn roc_main_size() -> i64;
@@ -84,11 +85,16 @@ pub extern "C" fn rust_main() -> i32 {
     let size = unsafe { roc_main_size() } as usize;
     let layout = Layout::array::<u8>(size).unwrap();
 
+    // TODO: can we be more efficient about reusing the String's memory for RocStr?
+    let args: RocList<RocStr> = std::env::args_os()
+        .map(|s| RocStr::from(s.to_string_lossy().borrow()))
+        .collect();
+
     unsafe {
         // TODO allocate on the stack if it's under a certain size
         let buffer = std::alloc::alloc(layout);
 
-        roc_main(buffer);
+        roc_main(buffer, &args);
 
         let result = call_the_closure(buffer);
 
diff --git a/examples/interactive/countdown.roc b/examples/interactive/countdown.roc
index 710ee83486..473fdc18a8 100644
--- a/examples/interactive/countdown.roc
+++ b/examples/interactive/countdown.roc
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ app "countdown"
     imports [pf.Stdin, pf.Stdout, pf.Task.{ await, loop, succeed }]
     provides [main] to pf
 
-main =
+main = \_args ->
     _ <- await (Stdout.line "\nLet's count down from 10 together - all you have to do is press <ENTER>.")
     _ <- await Stdin.line
     loop 10 tick
diff --git a/examples/interactive/echo.roc b/examples/interactive/echo.roc
index 4de7dd8428..d6c225a76a 100644
--- a/examples/interactive/echo.roc
+++ b/examples/interactive/echo.roc
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@ app "echo"
     imports [pf.Stdin, pf.Stdout, pf.Task]
     provides [main] to pf
 
-main : Task.Task {} [] [Read [Stdin], Write [Stdout]]
-main =
+main : List Str -> Task.Task {} [] [Read [Stdin], Write [Stdout]]
+main = \_args ->
     _ <- Task.await (Stdout.line "🗣  Shout into this cave and hear the echo! 👂👂👂")
     Task.loop {} (\_ -> Task.map tick Step)
 
diff --git a/examples/interactive/form.roc b/examples/interactive/form.roc
index 10261464fc..9e8d7c46fb 100644
--- a/examples/interactive/form.roc
+++ b/examples/interactive/form.roc
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@ app "form"
     imports [pf.Stdin, pf.Stdout, pf.Task.{ await, Task }]
     provides [main] to pf
 
-main : Task {} * [Read [Stdin], Write [Stdout]]
-main =
+main : List Str -> Task {} * [Read [Stdin], Write [Stdout]]
+main = \_args ->
     _ <- await (Stdout.line "What's your first name?")
     firstName <- await Stdin.line
     _ <- await (Stdout.line "What's your last name?")
diff --git a/examples/interactive/http-get.roc b/examples/interactive/http-get.roc
index a890a2beb7..10d90bed38 100644
--- a/examples/interactive/http-get.roc
+++ b/examples/interactive/http-get.roc
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@ app "http-get"
     imports [pf.Http, pf.Task, pf.Stdin, pf.Stdout]
     provides [main] to pf
 
-main : Task.Task {} [] [Read [Stdin], Write [Stdout], Network [Http]]
-main =
+main : List Str -> Task.Task {} [] [Read [Stdin], Write [Stdout], Network [Http]]
+main = \_args ->
     _ <- Task.await (Stdout.line "Please enter a URL to fetch")
 
     url <- Task.await Stdin.line