diff --git a/orcli b/orcli
index ce3b780..89b44e2 100755
--- a/orcli
+++ b/orcli
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ orcli_usage() {
     printf "  orcli info \"duplicates\"\n"
     printf "  orcli export tsv \"duplicates\"\n"
     printf "  orcli export tsv \"duplicates\" --output \"duplicates.tsv\"\n"
+    printf "  orcli run --interactive\n"
     printf "  orcli run << EOF\n    orcli import csv \"https://git.io/fj5hF\" --projectName \"duplicates\"\n    orcli info \"duplicates\"\n    orcli export tsv \"duplicates\"\n  EOF\n"
     echo
 
@@ -420,8 +421,8 @@ orcli_run_usage() {
     echo
 
     # :flag.usage
-    echo "  --debug"
-    printf "    do not exit on error and keep shell open\n"
+    echo "  --interactive"
+    printf "    do not exit on error and keep bash shell open\n"
     echo
 
     # :command.usage_args
@@ -435,9 +436,10 @@ orcli_run_usage() {
 
     # :command.usage_examples
     printf "Examples:\n"
+    printf "  orcli run --interactive\n"
     printf "  orcli run << EOF\n    orcli import csv \"https://git.io/fj5hF\" --projectName \"duplicates\"\n    orcli info \"duplicates\"\n    orcli export tsv \"duplicates\"\n  EOF\n"
     printf "  orcli run --memory \"2000M\" --port \"3334\" << EOF\n    orcli import csv \"https://git.io/fj5hF\" --projectName \"duplicates\" &\n    orcli import csv \"https://git.io/fj5hF\" --projectName \"copy\" &\n    wait\n    echo \"finished import\"\n    orcli export csv \"duplicates\" --output duplicates.csv &\n    orcli export tsv \"duplicates\" --output duplicates.tsv &\n    wait\n    wc duplicates*\n  EOF\n"
-    printf "  orcli run \"file1.sh\" \"file2.sh\" - << EOF\n    echo \"finished in \$SECONDS seconds\"\n  EOF\n"
+    printf "  orcli run --interactive \"file1.sh\" \"file2.sh\" - << EOF\n    echo \"finished in \$SECONDS seconds\"\n  EOF\n"
     echo
 
   fi
@@ -711,7 +713,7 @@ send_completions() {
   echo $'      ;;'
   echo $''
   echo $'    \'run\'*)'
-  echo $'      while read -r; do COMPREPLY+=( "$REPLY" ); done < <( compgen -W "$(_orcli_completions_filter "--debug --help --memory --port -h")" -- "$cur" )'
+  echo $'      while read -r; do COMPREPLY+=( "$REPLY" ); done < <( compgen -W "$(_orcli_completions_filter "--help --interactive --memory --port -h")" -- "$cur" )'
   echo $'      ;;'
   echo $''
   echo $'    *)'
@@ -847,6 +849,16 @@ orcli_run_command() {
   files=()
   eval "files=(${args[file]})"
 
+  # check if stdin is present if selected
+  if ! [[ ${args[--interactive]} ]]; then
+      if [[ ${args[file]} == '-' ]] || [[ ${args[file]} == '"-"' ]]; then
+          if ! read -u 0 -t 0; then
+              orcli_run_usage
+              exit 1
+          fi
+      fi
+  fi
+
   # update OPENREFINE_URL env
   OPENREFINE_URL="http://localhost:${args[--port]}"
 
@@ -889,9 +901,9 @@ orcli_run_command() {
 
   # execute script(s) in subshell
   export orcli tmpdir OPENREFINE_URL openrefine_pid
-  # case 1: interactive mode if stdin is selected but not present
   if [[ ${args[file]} == '-' || ${args[file]} == '"-"' ]]; then
       if ! read -u 0 -t 0; then
+          # case 1: interactive mode if stdin is selected but not present
           bash --rcfile <(
               cat ~/.bashrc
               interactive
@@ -899,8 +911,8 @@ orcli_run_command() {
           exit
       fi
   fi
-  # case 2: execute scripts and keep shell running
-  if [[ ${args[--debug]} ]]; then
+  if [[ ${args[--interactive]} ]]; then
+      # case 2: execute scripts and keep shell running
       bash --rcfile <(
           cat ~/.bashrc
           for i in "${!files[@]}"; do
@@ -909,13 +921,13 @@ orcli_run_command() {
           done
           interactive
       ) -i </dev/tty
-      exit
+  else
+      # case 3: just execute scripts
+      for i in "${!files[@]}"; do
+          log "execute script ${files[$i]}"
+          bash -e <(awk 1 "${files[$i]}")
+      done
   fi
-  # case 3: execute scripts
-  for i in "${!files[@]}"; do
-      log "execute script ${files[$i]}"
-      bash -e <(awk 1 "${files[$i]}")
-  done
 
 }
 
@@ -1525,10 +1537,10 @@ orcli_run_parse_requirements() {
       ;;
 
     # :flag.case
-    --debug )
+    --interactive )
 
       # :flag.case_no_arg
-      args[--debug]=1
+      args[--interactive]=1
       shift
       ;;
 
diff --git a/src/bashly.yml b/src/bashly.yml
index 61ebcc6..2b670f3 100644
--- a/src/bashly.yml
+++ b/src/bashly.yml
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ examples:
   - orcli info "duplicates"
   - orcli export tsv "duplicates"
   - orcli export tsv "duplicates" --output "duplicates.tsv"
+  - orcli run --interactive
   - |-
     orcli run << EOF
       orcli import csv "https://git.io/fj5hF" --projectName "duplicates"
@@ -123,9 +124,10 @@ commands:
         help: PORT on which OpenRefine should listen
         arg: port
         default: "3333"
-      - long: --debug
-        help: do not exit on error and keep shell open
+      - long: --interactive
+        help: do not exit on error and keep bash shell open
     examples:
+      - orcli run --interactive
       - |-
         orcli run << EOF
           orcli import csv "https://git.io/fj5hF" --projectName "duplicates"
@@ -144,6 +146,6 @@ commands:
           wc duplicates*
         EOF
       - |-
-        orcli run "file1.sh" "file2.sh" - << EOF
+        orcli run --interactive "file1.sh" "file2.sh" - << EOF
           echo "finished in \$SECONDS seconds"
         EOF
diff --git a/src/lib/send_completions.sh b/src/lib/send_completions.sh
index 45500b3..4b5f5ed 100644
--- a/src/lib/send_completions.sh
+++ b/src/lib/send_completions.sh
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ send_completions() {
   echo $'      ;;'
   echo $''
   echo $'    \'run\'*)'
-  echo $'      while read -r; do COMPREPLY+=( "$REPLY" ); done < <( compgen -W "$(_orcli_completions_filter "--debug --help --memory --port -h")" -- "$cur" )'
+  echo $'      while read -r; do COMPREPLY+=( "$REPLY" ); done < <( compgen -W "$(_orcli_completions_filter "--help --interactive --memory --port -h")" -- "$cur" )'
   echo $'      ;;'
   echo $''
   echo $'    *)'
diff --git a/src/run_command.sh b/src/run_command.sh
index 2456f3e..4a23114 100644
--- a/src/run_command.sh
+++ b/src/run_command.sh
@@ -4,6 +4,16 @@
 files=()
 eval "files=(${args[file]})"
 
+# check if stdin is present if selected
+if ! [[ ${args[--interactive]} ]]; then
+    if [[ ${args[file]} == '-' ]] || [[ ${args[file]} == '"-"' ]]; then
+        if ! read -u 0 -t 0; then
+            orcli_run_usage
+            exit 1
+        fi
+    fi
+fi
+
 # update OPENREFINE_URL env
 OPENREFINE_URL="http://localhost:${args[--port]}"
 
@@ -46,9 +56,9 @@ fi
 
 # execute script(s) in subshell
 export orcli tmpdir OPENREFINE_URL openrefine_pid
-# case 1: interactive mode if stdin is selected but not present
 if [[ ${args[file]} == '-' || ${args[file]} == '"-"' ]]; then
     if ! read -u 0 -t 0; then
+        # case 1: interactive mode if stdin is selected but not present
         bash --rcfile <(
             cat ~/.bashrc
             interactive
@@ -56,8 +66,8 @@ if [[ ${args[file]} == '-' || ${args[file]} == '"-"' ]]; then
         exit
     fi
 fi
-# case 2: execute scripts and keep shell running
-if [[ ${args[--debug]} ]]; then
+if [[ ${args[--interactive]} ]]; then
+    # case 2: execute scripts and keep shell running
     bash --rcfile <(
         cat ~/.bashrc
         for i in "${!files[@]}"; do
@@ -66,10 +76,10 @@ if [[ ${args[--debug]} ]]; then
         done
         interactive
     ) -i </dev/tty
-    exit
+else
+    # case 3: just execute scripts
+    for i in "${!files[@]}"; do
+        log "execute script ${files[$i]}"
+        bash -e <(awk 1 "${files[$i]}")
+    done
 fi
-# case 3: execute scripts
-for i in "${!files[@]}"; do
-    log "execute script ${files[$i]}"
-    bash -e <(awk 1 "${files[$i]}")
-done