diff --git a/build.sbt b/build.sbt
index bbcb335da..a7e2c61aa 100644
--- a/build.sbt
+++ b/build.sbt
@@ -78,11 +78,10 @@ val root = (project in file(".")).
       val links = linuxPackageSymlinks.value
       for {
         link <- links
-        if !(link.destination endsWith "sbt-launch-lib.bash")
         if !(link.destination endsWith "sbt-launch.jar")
       } yield link
     },
-    
+
     // DEBIAN SPECIFIC
     debianBuildId := 0,
     version in Debian := {
@@ -150,15 +149,8 @@ val root = (project in file(".")).
     mappings in Universal := {
       val t = (target in Universal).value
       val prev = (mappings in Universal).value
-      val BinBash = "bin" + java.io.File.separator + "sbt-launch-lib.bash"
       val BinBat = "bin" + java.io.File.separator + "sbt.bat"
       prev.toList map {
-        case (k, BinBash) =>
-          val x = IO.read(k)
-          IO.write(t / "sbt-launch-lib.bash", x.replaceAllLiterally(
-            "declare init_sbt_version=_to_be_replaced",
-            s"""declare init_sbt_version="$sbtVersionToRelease""""))
-          (t / "sbt-launch-lib.bash", BinBash)
         case (k, BinBat) =>
           val x = IO.read(k)
           IO.write(t / "sbt.bat", x.replaceAllLiterally(
diff --git a/src/universal/bin/sbt b/src/universal/bin/sbt
index dd16fa77a..bd2405991 100755
--- a/src/universal/bin/sbt
+++ b/src/universal/bin/sbt
@@ -1,38 +1,20 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 
 set +e
+declare -a residual_args
+declare -a java_args
+declare -a scalac_args
+declare -a sbt_commands
+declare java_cmd=java
+declare java_version
+declare init_sbt_version=_to_be_replaced
+declare sbt_default_mem=1024
+declare default_sbt_opts=""
 
 ###  ------------------------------- ###
 ###  Helper methods for BASH scripts ###
 ###  ------------------------------- ###
 
-realpath () {
-(
-  TARGET_FILE="$1"
-  FIX_CYGPATH="$2"
-
-  cd "$(dirname "$TARGET_FILE")"
-  TARGET_FILE=$(basename "$TARGET_FILE")
-
-  COUNT=0
-  while [ -L "$TARGET_FILE" -a $COUNT -lt 100 ]
-  do
-      TARGET_FILE=$(readlink "$TARGET_FILE")
-      cd "$(dirname "$TARGET_FILE")"
-      TARGET_FILE=$(basename "$TARGET_FILE")
-      COUNT=$(($COUNT + 1))
-  done
-
-  # make sure we grab the actual windows path, instead of cygwin's path.
-  if [[ "x$FIX_CYGPATH" != "x" ]]; then
-    echo "$(cygwinpath "$(pwd -P)/$TARGET_FILE")"
-  else
-    echo "$(pwd -P)/$TARGET_FILE"
-  fi
-)
-}
-
-
 # Uses uname to detect if we're in the odd cygwin environment.
 is_cygwin() {
   local os=$(uname -s)
@@ -47,7 +29,6 @@ is_cygwin() {
 # TODO - Use nicer bash-isms here.
 CYGWIN_FLAG=$(if is_cygwin; then echo true; else echo false; fi)
 
-
 # This can fix cygwin style /cygdrive paths so we get the
 # windows style paths.
 cygwinpath() {
@@ -59,8 +40,353 @@ cygwinpath() {
   fi
 }
 
-. "$(dirname "$(realpath "$0")")/sbt-launch-lib.bash"
 
+declare SCRIPT=$0
+while [ -h "$SCRIPT" ] ; do
+  ls=$(ls -ld "$SCRIPT")
+  # Drop everything prior to ->
+  link=$(expr "$ls" : '.*-> \(.*\)$')
+  if expr "$link" : '/.*' > /dev/null; then
+    SCRIPT="$link"
+  else
+    SCRIPT=$(dirname "$SCRIPT")/"$link"
+  fi
+done
+declare -r sbt_bin_dir="$(dirname "$SCRIPT")"
+declare -r sbt_home="$(dirname "$sbt_bin_dir")"
+
+echoerr () {
+  echo 1>&2 "$@"
+}
+vlog () {
+  [[ $verbose || $debug ]] && echoerr "$@"
+}
+dlog () {
+  [[ $debug ]] && echoerr "$@"
+}
+
+jar_file () {
+  echo "$(cygwinpath "${sbt_home}/bin/sbt-launch.jar")"
+}
+
+acquire_sbt_jar () {
+  sbt_jar="$(jar_file)"
+
+  if [[ ! -f "$sbt_jar" ]]; then
+    echoerr "Could not find launcher jar: $sbt_jar"
+    exit 2
+  fi
+}
+
+rt_export_file () {
+  echo "${sbt_bin_dir}/java9-rt-export.jar"
+}
+
+execRunner () {
+  # print the arguments one to a line, quoting any containing spaces
+  [[ $verbose || $debug ]] && echo "# Executing command line:" && {
+    for arg; do
+      if printf "%s\n" "$arg" | grep -q ' '; then
+        printf "\"%s\"\n" "$arg"
+      else
+        printf "%s\n" "$arg"
+      fi
+    done
+    echo ""
+  }
+
+  # THis used to be exec, but we loose the ability to re-hook stty then
+  # for cygwin...  Maybe we should flag the feature here...
+  "$@"
+}
+
+addJava () {
+  dlog "[addJava] arg = '$1'"
+  java_args=( "${java_args[@]}" "$1" )
+}
+addSbt () {
+  dlog "[addSbt] arg = '$1'"
+  sbt_commands=( "${sbt_commands[@]}" "$1" )
+}
+addResidual () {
+  dlog "[residual] arg = '$1'"
+  residual_args=( "${residual_args[@]}" "$1" )
+}
+addDebugger () {
+  addJava "-agentlib:jdwp=transport=dt_socket,server=y,suspend=n,address=$1"
+}
+
+get_mem_opts () {
+  # if we detect any of these settings in ${JAVA_OPTS} or ${JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS} we need to NOT output our settings.
+  # The reason is the Xms/Xmx, if they don't line up, cause errors.
+  if [[ "${JAVA_OPTS}" == *-Xmx* ]] || [[ "${JAVA_OPTS}" == *-Xms* ]] || [[ "${JAVA_OPTS}" == *-XX:MaxPermSize* ]] || [[ "${JAVA_OPTS}" == *-XX:MaxMetaspaceSize* ]] || [[ "${JAVA_OPTS}" == *-XX:ReservedCodeCacheSize* ]]; then
+    echo ""
+  elif [[ "${JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS}" == *-Xmx* ]] || [[ "${JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS}" == *-Xms* ]] || [[ "${JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS}" == *-XX:MaxPermSize* ]] || [[ "${JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS}" == *-XX:MaxMetaspaceSize* ]] || [[ "${JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS}" == *-XX:ReservedCodeCacheSize* ]]; then
+    echo ""
+  elif [[ "${SBT_OPTS}" == *-Xmx* ]] || [[ "${SBT_OPTS}" == *-Xms* ]] || [[ "${SBT_OPTS}" == *-XX:MaxPermSize* ]] || [[ "${SBT_OPTS}" == *-XX:MaxMetaspaceSize* ]] || [[ "${SBT_OPTS}" == *-XX:ReservedCodeCacheSize* ]]; then
+    echo ""
+  else
+    # a ham-fisted attempt to move some memory settings in concert
+    # so they need not be messed around with individually.
+    local mem=${1:-$sbt_default_mem}
+    local codecache=$(( $mem / 8 ))
+    (( $codecache > 128 )) || codecache=128
+    (( $codecache < 512 )) || codecache=512
+    local class_metadata_size=$(( $codecache * 2 ))
+    if [[ -z $java_version ]]; then
+        java_version=$(jdk_version)
+    fi
+    local class_metadata_opt=$((( $java_version < 8 )) && echo "MaxPermSize" || echo "MaxMetaspaceSize")
+
+    local arg_xms=$([[ "${java_args[@]}" == *-Xms* ]] && echo "" || echo "-Xms${mem}m")
+    local arg_xmx=$([[ "${java_args[@]}" == *-Xmx* ]] && echo "" || echo "-Xmx${mem}m")
+    local arg_rccs=$([[ "${java_args[@]}" == *-XX:ReservedCodeCacheSize* ]] && echo "" || echo "-XX:ReservedCodeCacheSize=${codecache}m")
+    local arg_meta=$([[ "${java_args[@]}" == *-XX:${class_metadata_opt}* && ! (( $java_version < 8 )) ]] && echo "" || echo "-XX:${class_metadata_opt}=${class_metadata_size}m")
+
+    echo "${arg_xms} ${arg_xmx} ${arg_rccs} ${arg_meta}"
+  fi
+}
+
+get_gc_opts () {
+  local older_than_9=$(( $java_version < 9 ))
+
+  if [[ "$older_than_9" == "1" ]]; then
+    # don't need to worry about gc
+    echo ""
+  elif [[ "${JAVA_OPTS}" =~ Use.*GC ]] || [[ "${JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS}" =~ Use.*GC ]] || [[ "${SBT_OPTS}" =~ Use.*GC ]] ; then
+    # GC arg has been passed in - don't change
+    echo ""
+  else
+    # Java 9+ so revert to old
+    echo "-XX:+UseParallelGC"
+  fi
+}
+
+require_arg () {
+  local type="$1"
+  local opt="$2"
+  local arg="$3"
+  if [[ -z "$arg" ]] || [[ "${arg:0:1}" == "-" ]]; then
+    echo "$opt requires <$type> argument"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+}
+
+is_function_defined() {
+  declare -f "$1" > /dev/null
+}
+
+# parses JDK version from the -version output line.
+# 8 for 1.8.0_nn, 9 for 9-ea etc, and "no_java" for undetected
+jdk_version() {
+  local result
+  local lines=$("$java_cmd" -Xms32M -Xmx32M -version 2>&1 | tr '\r' '\n')
+  local IFS=$'\n'
+  for line in $lines; do
+    if [[ (-z $result) && ($line = *"version \""*) ]]
+    then
+      local ver=$(echo $line | sed -e 's/.*version "\(.*\)"\(.*\)/\1/; 1q')
+      # on macOS sed doesn't support '?'
+      if [[ $ver = "1."* ]]
+      then
+        result=$(echo $ver | sed -e 's/1\.\([0-9]*\)\(.*\)/\1/; 1q')
+      else
+        result=$(echo $ver | sed -e 's/\([0-9]*\)\(.*\)/\1/; 1q')
+      fi
+    fi
+  done
+  if [[ -z $result ]]
+  then
+    result=no_java
+  fi
+  echo "$result"
+}
+
+process_args () {
+  while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
+    case "$1" in
+       -h|-help) usage; exit 1 ;;
+    -v|-verbose) verbose=1 && shift ;;
+      -d|-debug) debug=1 && addSbt "-debug" && shift ;;
+
+           -ivy) require_arg path "$1" "$2" && addJava "-Dsbt.ivy.home=$2" && shift 2 ;;
+           -mem) require_arg integer "$1" "$2" && sbt_mem="$2" && shift 2 ;;
+     -jvm-debug) require_arg port "$1" "$2" && addDebugger $2 && shift 2 ;;
+         -batch) exec </dev/null && shift ;;
+
+       -sbt-jar) require_arg path "$1" "$2" && sbt_jar="$2" && shift 2 ;;
+   -sbt-version) require_arg version "$1" "$2" && sbt_version="$2" && shift 2 ;;
+     -java-home) require_arg path "$1" "$2" &&
+                 java_cmd="$2/bin/java" &&
+                 export JAVA_HOME="$2" &&
+                 export JDK_HOME="$2" &&
+                 export PATH="$2/bin:$PATH" &&
+                 shift 2 ;;
+
+          "-D*") addJava "$1" && shift ;;
+            -J*) addJava "${1:2}" && shift ;;
+              *) addResidual "$1" && shift ;;
+    esac
+  done
+
+  is_function_defined process_my_args && {
+    myargs=("${residual_args[@]}")
+    residual_args=()
+    process_my_args "${myargs[@]}"
+  }
+
+  java_version="$(jdk_version)"
+  vlog "[process_args] java_version = '$java_version'"
+}
+
+# Extracts the preloaded directory from either -Dsbt.preloaded or -Dsbt.global.base
+# properties by looking at:
+#   - _JAVA_OPTIONS environment variable,
+#   - SBT_OPTS environment variable,
+#   - JAVA_OPTS environment variable and
+#   - properties set by command-line options
+# in that order. The last one will be chosen such that `sbt.preloaded` is
+# always preferred over `sbt.global.base`.
+getPreloaded() {
+  local -a _java_options_array
+  local -a sbt_opts_array
+  local -a java_opts_array
+  read -a _java_options_array <<< "$_JAVA_OPTIONS"
+  read -a sbt_opts_array <<< "$SBT_OPTS"
+  read -a java_opts_array <<< "$JAVA_OPTS"
+
+  local args_to_check=(
+    "${_java_options_array[@]}"
+    "${sbt_opts_array[@]}"
+    "${java_opts_array[@]}"
+    "${java_args[@]}")
+  local via_global_base="$HOME/.sbt/preloaded"
+  local via_explicit=""
+
+  for opt in "${args_to_check[@]}"; do
+    if [[ "$opt" == -Dsbt.preloaded=* ]]; then
+      via_explicit="${opt#-Dsbt.preloaded=}"
+    elif [[ "$opt" == -Dsbt.global.base=* ]]; then
+      via_global_base="${opt#-Dsbt.global.base=}/preloaded"
+    fi
+  done
+
+  echo "${via_explicit:-${via_global_base}}"
+}
+
+syncPreloaded() {
+  local source_preloaded="$sbt_home/lib/local-preloaded/"
+  local target_preloaded="$(getPreloaded)"
+  if [[ "$init_sbt_version" == "" ]]; then
+    # FIXME: better $init_sbt_version detection
+    init_sbt_version="$(ls -1 "$source_preloaded/org.scala-sbt/sbt/")"
+  fi
+  [[ -f "$target_preloaded/org.scala-sbt/sbt/$init_sbt_version/jars/sbt.jar" ]] || {
+    # lib/local-preloaded exists (This is optional)
+    [[ -d "$source_preloaded" ]] && {
+      command -v rsync >/dev/null 2>&1 && {
+        mkdir -p "$target_preloaded"
+        rsync -a --ignore-existing "$source_preloaded" "$target_preloaded"
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+# Detect that we have java installed.
+checkJava() {
+  local required_version="$1"
+  # Now check to see if it's a good enough version
+  local good_enough="$(expr $java_version ">=" $required_version)"
+  if [[ "$java_version" == "" ]]; then
+    echo
+    echo "No Java Development Kit (JDK) installation was detected."
+    echo Please go to http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/ and download.
+    echo
+    exit 1
+  elif [[ "$good_enough" != "1" ]]; then
+    echo
+    echo "The Java Development Kit (JDK) installation you have is not up to date."
+    echo $script_name requires at least version $required_version+, you have
+    echo version $java_version
+    echo
+    echo Please go to http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/ and download
+    echo a valid JDK and install before running $script_name.
+    echo
+    exit 1
+  fi
+}
+
+copyRt() {
+  local at_least_9="$(expr $java_version ">=" 9)"
+  if [[ "$at_least_9" == "1" ]]; then
+    rtexport=$(rt_export_file)
+    # The grep for java9-rt-ext- matches the filename prefix printed in Export.java
+    java9_ext=$("$java_cmd" ${JAVA_OPTS} ${SBT_OPTS:-$default_sbt_opts} ${java_args[@]} \
+      -jar "$rtexport" --rt-ext-dir | grep java9-rt-ext-)
+    java9_rt=$(echo "$java9_ext/rt.jar")
+    vlog "[copyRt] java9_rt = '$java9_rt'"
+    if [[ ! -f "$java9_rt" ]]; then
+      echo Copying runtime jar.
+      mkdir -p "$java9_ext"
+      execRunner "$java_cmd" \
+        ${JAVA_OPTS} \
+        ${SBT_OPTS:-$default_sbt_opts} \
+        ${java_args[@]} \
+        -jar "$rtexport" \
+        "${java9_rt}"
+    fi
+    addJava "-Dscala.ext.dirs=${java9_ext}"
+  fi
+}
+
+run() {
+  # process the combined args, then reset "$@" to the residuals
+  process_args "$@"
+  set -- "${residual_args[@]}"
+  argumentCount=$#
+
+  # Copy preloaded repo to user's preloaded directory
+  syncPreloaded
+
+  # no jar? download it.
+  [[ -f "$sbt_jar" ]] || acquire_sbt_jar "$sbt_version" || {
+    # still no jar? uh-oh.
+    echo "Download failed. Obtain the sbt-launch.jar manually and place it at $sbt_jar"
+    exit 1
+  }
+
+  # TODO - java check should be configurable...
+  checkJava "6"
+
+  # Java 9 support
+  copyRt
+
+  #If we're in cygwin, we should use the windows config, and terminal hacks
+  if [[ "$CYGWIN_FLAG" == "true" ]]; then
+    stty -icanon min 1 -echo > /dev/null 2>&1
+    addJava "-Djline.terminal=jline.UnixTerminal"
+    addJava "-Dsbt.cygwin=true"
+  fi
+
+  # run sbt
+  execRunner "$java_cmd" \
+    $(get_mem_opts $sbt_mem) \
+    $(get_gc_opts) \
+    ${JAVA_OPTS} \
+    ${SBT_OPTS:-$default_sbt_opts} \
+    ${java_args[@]} \
+    -jar "$sbt_jar" \
+    "${sbt_commands[@]}" \
+    "${residual_args[@]}"
+
+  exit_code=$?
+
+  # Clean up the terminal from cygwin hacks.
+  if [[ "$CYGWIN_FLAG" == "true" ]]; then
+    stty icanon echo > /dev/null 2>&1
+  fi
+  exit $exit_code
+}
 
 declare -r noshare_opts="-Dsbt.global.base=project/.sbtboot -Dsbt.boot.directory=project/.boot -Dsbt.ivy.home=project/.ivy"
 declare -r sbt_opts_file=".sbtopts"