diff --git a/collects/compiler/commands/test.rkt b/collects/compiler/commands/test.rkt
index 52a92bec9e..14b728d24e 100644
--- a/collects/compiler/commands/test.rkt
+++ b/collects/compiler/commands/test.rkt
@@ -4,25 +4,41 @@
          racket/path
          raco/command-name)
 
+(define submodule 'test)
+(define run-anyways? #f)
+
 (define do-test
   (match-lambda
    [(? string? s)
     (do-test (string->path s))]
    [(? path? p)
+    (define ps (path->string p))
     (cond
       [(directory-exists? p)
        (for-each
         (λ (dp)
           (do-test (build-path p dp)))
         (directory-list p))]
-      [(file-exists? p)
-       (define mod `(submod (file ,(path->string p)) test))
-       (when (module-declared? mod #t)
-         (dynamic-require mod #f))]
-      [else
+      [(and (file-exists? p)
+            (regexp-match #rx"\\.rkt$" ps))
+       (define fmod `(file ,ps))
+       (define mod `(submod ,fmod ,submodule))
+       (cond
+         [(module-declared? mod #t)
+          (dynamic-require mod #f)]
+         [(and run-anyways? (module-declared? fmod #t))
+          (dynamic-require fmod #f)])]
+      [(not (file-exists? p))
        (error 'test "Given path ~e does not exist" p)])]))
 
 (command-line
  #:program (short-program+command-name)
+ #:once-each
+ [("--submodule" "-s") submodule-str
+  "Determines which submodule to load"
+  (set! submodule (string->symbol submodule-str))]
+ [("--run-if-absent" "-r")
+  "When set, raco test will require the default module if the given submodule is not present."
+  (set! run-anyways? #t)]
  #:args files+directories
  (for-each do-test files+directories))