diff --git a/main-command/src/main/scala/sbt/internal/client/NetworkClient.scala b/main-command/src/main/scala/sbt/internal/client/NetworkClient.scala
index 11400ea98..22de59306 100644
--- a/main-command/src/main/scala/sbt/internal/client/NetworkClient.scala
+++ b/main-command/src/main/scala/sbt/internal/client/NetworkClient.scala
@@ -1194,6 +1194,77 @@ object NetworkClient {
   private[client] val noTab = "--no-tab"
   private[client] val noStdErr = "--no-stderr"
   private[client] val sbtBase = "--sbt-base-directory"
+  // Launcher flags that take a value argument (flag + next arg should be skipped)
+  private[client] val launcherValueFlags: Set[String] = Set(
+    "-mem",
+    "--mem",
+    "-jvm-debug",
+    "--jvm-debug",
+    "-sbt-jar",
+    "--sbt-jar",
+    "-sbt-cache",
+    "--sbt-cache",
+    "-sbt-version",
+    "--sbt-version",
+    "-java-home",
+    "--java-home",
+    "-ivy",
+    "--ivy",
+    "-sbt-boot",
+    "--sbt-boot",
+    "-sbt-dir",
+    "--sbt-dir",
+  )
+  // Launcher flags that take no value (flag itself should be skipped)
+  private[client] val launcherNoValueFlags: Set[String] = Set(
+    "-client",
+    "--client",
+    "--server",
+    "--jvm-client",
+    "-h",
+    "-help",
+    "--help",
+    "-v",
+    "-verbose",
+    "--verbose",
+    "-V",
+    "-version",
+    "--version",
+    "--numeric-version",
+    "--script-version",
+    "-d",
+    "-debug",
+    "--debug",
+    "-debug-inc",
+    "--debug-inc",
+    "-batch",
+    "--batch",
+    "--no-hide-jdk-warnings",
+    "-no-colors",
+    "--no-colors",
+    "-timings",
+    "--timings",
+    "-traces",
+    "--traces",
+    "-no-server",
+    "--no-server",
+    "-no-share",
+    "--no-share",
+    "-no-global",
+    "--no-global",
+    "-allow-empty",
+    "--allow-empty",
+    "-sbt-create",
+    "--sbt-create",
+    "shutdownall",
+  )
+  // Prefixes for launcher flags using = syntax
+  private[client] val launcherEqPrefixes: Seq[String] = Seq(
+    "--supershell=",
+    "-supershell=",
+    "--color=",
+    "-color=",
+  )
   private[client] def parseArgs(args: Array[String]): Arguments = {
     val defaultSbtScript = if (Properties.isWin) "sbt.bat" else "sbt"
     var sbtScript = Properties.propOrNone("sbt.script")
@@ -1230,8 +1301,13 @@ object NetworkClient {
         case "--sbt-launch-jar" if i + 1 < sanitized.length =>
           i += 1
           launchJar = Option(sanitized(i).replace("%20", " "))
-        case "-bsp" | "--bsp"        => bsp = true
-        case a if !a.startsWith("-") => commandArgs += a
+        case "-bsp" | "--bsp" => bsp = true
+        case a if launcherValueFlags.contains(a) =>
+          if (i + 1 < sanitized.length) i += 1
+        case a if launcherNoValueFlags.contains(a)                => ()
+        case a if launcherEqPrefixes.exists(p => a.startsWith(p)) => ()
+        case a if a.startsWith("-J")                              => ()
+        case a if !a.startsWith("-")                              => commandArgs += a
         case a @ SysProp(key, value) =>
           System.setProperty(key, value)
           sbtArguments += a
diff --git a/main-command/src/test/scala/sbt/internal/client/NetworkClientParseArgsTest.scala b/main-command/src/test/scala/sbt/internal/client/NetworkClientParseArgsTest.scala
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..40f174e21
--- /dev/null
+++ b/main-command/src/test/scala/sbt/internal/client/NetworkClientParseArgsTest.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,146 @@
+/*
+ * sbt
+ * Copyright 2023, Scala center
+ * Copyright 2011 - 2022, Lightbend, Inc.
+ * Copyright 2008 - 2010, Mark Harrah
+ * Licensed under Apache License 2.0 (see LICENSE)
+ */
+
+package sbt.internal.client
+
+import verify.BasicTestSuite
+
+object NetworkClientParseArgsTest extends BasicTestSuite:
+
+  private def parse(args: String*): NetworkClient.Arguments =
+    NetworkClient.parseArgs(args.toArray)
+
+  // -- Value-taking launcher flags --
+
+  test("-mem 10000 compile drops -mem and its value"):
+    val result = parse("-mem", "10000", "compile")
+    assert(!result.sbtArguments.contains("-mem"))
+    assert(!result.sbtArguments.contains("10000"))
+    assert(!result.commandArguments.contains("-mem"))
+    assert(!result.commandArguments.contains("10000"))
+    assert(result.commandArguments.contains("compile"))
+
+  test("--mem 10000 compile drops --mem and its value"):
+    val result = parse("--mem", "10000", "compile")
+    assert(!result.sbtArguments.contains("--mem"))
+    assert(!result.sbtArguments.contains("10000"))
+    assert(result.commandArguments.contains("compile"))
+
+  test("-jvm-debug 5005 compile drops both flag and port"):
+    val result = parse("-jvm-debug", "5005", "compile")
+    assert(!result.sbtArguments.contains("-jvm-debug"))
+    assert(!result.sbtArguments.contains("5005"))
+    assert(!result.commandArguments.contains("-jvm-debug"))
+    assert(!result.commandArguments.contains("5005"))
+    assert(result.commandArguments.contains("compile"))
+
+  test("-java-home /path/to/jdk compile drops both"):
+    val result = parse("-java-home", "/path/to/jdk", "compile")
+    assert(!result.sbtArguments.contains("-java-home"))
+    assert(!result.sbtArguments.contains("/path/to/jdk"))
+    assert(!result.commandArguments.contains("-java-home"))
+    assert(!result.commandArguments.contains("/path/to/jdk"))
+    assert(result.commandArguments.contains("compile"))
+
+  test("-mem at end of args with no value does not crash"):
+    val result = parse("-mem")
+    assert(!result.sbtArguments.contains("-mem"))
+    assert(result.commandArguments.isEmpty)
+
+  // -- No-value launcher flags --
+
+  test("--client compile drops --client"):
+    val result = parse("--client", "compile")
+    assert(!result.sbtArguments.contains("--client"))
+    assert(!result.commandArguments.contains("--client"))
+    assert(result.commandArguments.contains("compile"))
+
+  test("-client compile drops -client"):
+    val result = parse("-client", "compile")
+    assert(!result.sbtArguments.contains("-client"))
+    assert(!result.commandArguments.contains("-client"))
+    assert(result.commandArguments.contains("compile"))
+
+  test("-debug is dropped"):
+    val result = parse("-debug", "compile")
+    assert(!result.sbtArguments.contains("-debug"))
+    assert(!result.commandArguments.contains("-debug"))
+    assert(result.commandArguments.contains("compile"))
+
+  test("-batch is dropped"):
+    val result = parse("-batch", "compile")
+    assert(!result.sbtArguments.contains("-batch"))
+    assert(result.commandArguments.contains("compile"))
+
+  test("-allow-empty is dropped"):
+    val result = parse("-allow-empty", "compile")
+    assert(!result.sbtArguments.contains("-allow-empty"))
+    assert(!result.commandArguments.contains("-allow-empty"))
+    assert(result.commandArguments.contains("compile"))
+
+  // -- Eq-syntax flags and -J* --
+
+  test("--supershell=false is dropped"):
+    val result = parse("--supershell=false", "compile")
+    assert(!result.sbtArguments.exists(_.contains("supershell")))
+    assert(result.commandArguments.contains("compile"))
+
+  test("--color=never is dropped"):
+    val result = parse("--color=never", "compile")
+    assert(!result.sbtArguments.exists(_.contains("color")))
+    assert(result.commandArguments.contains("compile"))
+
+  test("-J-Xss4m is dropped"):
+    val result = parse("-J-Xss4m", "compile")
+    assert(!result.sbtArguments.contains("-J-Xss4m"))
+    assert(result.commandArguments.contains("compile"))
+
+  // -- Flags that should be preserved --
+
+  test("-Dfoo=bar compile forwards -D property to sbtArguments"):
+    val result = parse("-Dfoo=bar", "compile")
+    assert(result.sbtArguments.exists(_.contains("-Dfoo=bar")))
+    assert(result.commandArguments.contains("compile"))
+
+  test("-bsp is still recognized"):
+    val result = parse("-bsp")
+    assert(result.bsp)
+
+  test("--sbt-launch-jar is preserved"):
+    val result = parse("--sbt-launch-jar", "/path/to/sbt-launch.jar", "compile")
+    assert(result.sbtLaunchJar.contains("/path/to/sbt-launch.jar"))
+    assert(result.commandArguments.contains("compile"))
+
+  test("--sbt-script is preserved"):
+    val result = parse("--sbt-script", "/usr/bin/sbt", "compile")
+    assert(result.sbtScript == "/usr/bin/sbt")
+    assert(result.commandArguments.contains("compile"))
+
+  // -- Combined / integration --
+
+  test("combined: -mem 10000 -Dfoo=bar compile test"):
+    val result = parse("-mem", "10000", "-Dfoo=bar", "compile", "test")
+    assert(!result.sbtArguments.contains("-mem"))
+    assert(!result.sbtArguments.contains("10000"))
+    assert(result.sbtArguments.exists(_.contains("-Dfoo=bar")))
+    assert(result.commandArguments.contains("compile"))
+    assert(result.commandArguments.contains("test"))
+
+  test("combined: --client -batch -java-home /jdk --color=never -Dfoo=bar compile"):
+    val result =
+      parse("--client", "-batch", "-java-home", "/jdk", "--color=never", "-Dfoo=bar", "compile")
+    assert(!result.sbtArguments.contains("--client"))
+    assert(!result.sbtArguments.contains("-batch"))
+    assert(!result.sbtArguments.contains("-java-home"))
+    assert(!result.sbtArguments.contains("/jdk"))
+    assert(!result.sbtArguments.exists(_.contains("color=never")))
+    assert(result.sbtArguments.exists(_.contains("-Dfoo=bar")))
+    assert(result.commandArguments.contains("compile"))
+    assert(result.commandArguments.size == 1)
+
+end NetworkClientParseArgsTest