diff --git a/doc/node.1 b/doc/node.1
index 8b5560b1f1..2b742c4e3a 100644
--- a/doc/node.1
+++ b/doc/node.1
@@ -119,6 +119,9 @@ Enable FIPS-compliant crypto at startup.
 Requires Node.js to be built with
 .Sy ./configure --openssl-fips .
 .
+.It Fl -entry-type Ns = Ns Ar type
+Set the top-level module resolution type.
+.
 .It Fl -experimental-modules
 Enable experimental ES module support and caching modules.
 .
@@ -280,9 +283,6 @@ Print stack traces for process warnings (including deprecations).
 .It Fl -track-heap-objects
 Track heap object allocations for heap snapshots.
 .
-.It Fl -type Ns = Ns Ar type
-Set the top-level module resolution type.
-.
 .It Fl -use-bundled-ca , Fl -use-openssl-ca
 Use bundled Mozilla CA store as supplied by current Node.js version or use OpenSSL's default CA store.
 The default store is selectable at build-time.
diff --git a/lib/internal/errors.js b/lib/internal/errors.js
index 71ee52b3d8..21e0db9fce 100644
--- a/lib/internal/errors.js
+++ b/lib/internal/errors.js
@@ -873,8 +873,6 @@ E('ERR_INVALID_PROTOCOL',
   TypeError);
 E('ERR_INVALID_REPL_EVAL_CONFIG',
   'Cannot specify both "breakEvalOnSigint" and "eval" for REPL', TypeError);
-E('ERR_INVALID_REPL_TYPE',
-  'Cannot specify --type for REPL', TypeError);
 E('ERR_INVALID_RETURN_PROPERTY', (input, name, prop, value) => {
   return `Expected a valid ${input} to be returned for the "${prop}" from the` +
          ` "${name}" function but got ${value}.`;
@@ -905,9 +903,6 @@ E('ERR_INVALID_SYNC_FORK_INPUT',
   TypeError);
 E('ERR_INVALID_THIS', 'Value of "this" must be of type %s', TypeError);
 E('ERR_INVALID_TUPLE', '%s must be an iterable %s tuple', TypeError);
-E('ERR_INVALID_TYPE_FLAG',
-  'Type flag must be one of "module", "commonjs". Received --type=%s',
-  TypeError);
 E('ERR_INVALID_URI', 'URI malformed', URIError);
 E('ERR_INVALID_URL', function(input) {
   this.input = input;
@@ -1055,12 +1050,12 @@ E('ERR_TRANSFORM_WITH_LENGTH_0',
 E('ERR_TTY_INIT_FAILED', 'TTY initialization failed', SystemError);
 E('ERR_TYPE_MISMATCH', (filename, ext, typeFlag, conflict) => {
   const typeString =
-    typeFlag === 'module' ? '--type=module' : '--type=commonjs';
-  // --type mismatches file extension
+    typeFlag === 'module' ? '--entry-type=module' : '--entry-type=commonjs';
+  // --entry-type mismatches file extension
   if (conflict === 'extension')
     return `Extension ${ext} is not supported for ` +
       `${typeString} loading ${filename}`;
-  // --type mismatches package.json "type"
+  // --entry-type mismatches package.json "type"
   else if (conflict === 'scope')
     return `Cannot use ${typeString} because nearest parent package.json ` +
       ((typeFlag === 'module') ?
diff --git a/lib/internal/main/check_syntax.js b/lib/internal/main/check_syntax.js
index 2795f5766e..8c73d522ed 100644
--- a/lib/internal/main/check_syntax.js
+++ b/lib/internal/main/check_syntax.js
@@ -56,12 +56,12 @@ function checkSyntax(source, filename) {
   // Remove Shebang.
   source = stripShebang(source);
 
-  const experimentalModules =
-      require('internal/options').getOptionValue('--experimental-modules');
+  const { getOptionValue } = require('internal/options');
+  const experimentalModules = getOptionValue('--experimental-modules');
   if (experimentalModules) {
     let isModule = false;
     if (filename === '[stdin]' || filename === '[eval]') {
-      isModule = require('internal/process/esm_loader').typeFlag === 'module';
+      isModule = getOptionValue('--entry-type') === 'module';
     } else {
       const resolve = require('internal/modules/esm/default_resolve');
       const { format } = resolve(pathToFileURL(filename).toString());
diff --git a/lib/internal/main/eval_stdin.js b/lib/internal/main/eval_stdin.js
index 869a3675b6..4face9e61e 100644
--- a/lib/internal/main/eval_stdin.js
+++ b/lib/internal/main/eval_stdin.js
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ markBootstrapComplete();
 
 readStdin((code) => {
   process._eval = code;
-  if (require('internal/process/esm_loader').typeFlag === 'module')
+  if (require('internal/options').getOptionValue('--entry-type') === 'module')
     evalModule(process._eval);
   else
     evalScript('[stdin]', process._eval, process._breakFirstLine);
diff --git a/lib/internal/main/eval_string.js b/lib/internal/main/eval_string.js
index 9328a114aa..b032281925 100644
--- a/lib/internal/main/eval_string.js
+++ b/lib/internal/main/eval_string.js
@@ -9,11 +9,12 @@ const {
 const { evalModule, evalScript } = require('internal/process/execution');
 const { addBuiltinLibsToObject } = require('internal/modules/cjs/helpers');
 
-const source = require('internal/options').getOptionValue('--eval');
+const { getOptionValue } = require('internal/options');
+const source = getOptionValue('--eval');
 prepareMainThreadExecution();
 addBuiltinLibsToObject(global);
 markBootstrapComplete();
-if (require('internal/process/esm_loader').typeFlag === 'module')
+if (getOptionValue('--entry-type') === 'module')
   evalModule(source);
 else
   evalScript('[eval]', source, process._breakFirstLine);
diff --git a/lib/internal/main/repl.js b/lib/internal/main/repl.js
index 7656af46a3..c2bf54f8bb 100644
--- a/lib/internal/main/repl.js
+++ b/lib/internal/main/repl.js
@@ -11,13 +11,12 @@ const {
   evalScript
 } = require('internal/process/execution');
 
-const { ERR_INVALID_REPL_TYPE } = require('internal/errors').codes;
-
 prepareMainThreadExecution();
 
-// --type flag not supported in REPL
-if (require('internal/process/esm_loader').typeFlag) {
-  throw ERR_INVALID_REPL_TYPE();
+// --entry-type flag not supported in REPL
+if (require('internal/options').getOptionValue('--entry-type')) {
+  console.error('Cannot specify --entry-type for REPL');
+  process.exit(1);
 }
 
 const cliRepl = require('internal/repl');
diff --git a/lib/internal/modules/esm/default_resolve.js b/lib/internal/modules/esm/default_resolve.js
index 3abf4e04a9..0615875071 100644
--- a/lib/internal/modules/esm/default_resolve.js
+++ b/lib/internal/modules/esm/default_resolve.js
@@ -9,11 +9,11 @@ const { getOptionValue } = require('internal/options');
 const preserveSymlinks = getOptionValue('--preserve-symlinks');
 const preserveSymlinksMain = getOptionValue('--preserve-symlinks-main');
 const experimentalJsonModules = getOptionValue('--experimental-json-modules');
+const typeFlag = getOptionValue('--entry-type');
 
 const { resolve: moduleWrapResolve,
         getPackageType } = internalBinding('module_wrap');
 const { pathToFileURL, fileURLToPath } = require('internal/url');
-const asyncESM = require('internal/process/esm_loader');
 const { ERR_TYPE_MISMATCH,
         ERR_UNKNOWN_FILE_EXTENSION } = require('internal/errors').codes;
 
@@ -80,26 +80,26 @@ function resolve(specifier, parentURL) {
       type !== TYPE_MODULE ? legacyExtensionFormatMap : extensionFormatMap;
   let format = extMap[ext];
 
-  if (isMain && asyncESM.typeFlag) {
-    // Conflict between explicit extension (.mjs, .cjs) and --type
-    if (ext === '.cjs' && asyncESM.typeFlag === 'module' ||
-        ext === '.mjs' && asyncESM.typeFlag === 'commonjs') {
+  if (isMain && typeFlag) {
+    // Conflict between explicit extension (.mjs, .cjs) and --entry-type
+    if (ext === '.cjs' && typeFlag === 'module' ||
+        ext === '.mjs' && typeFlag === 'commonjs') {
       throw new ERR_TYPE_MISMATCH(
-        fileURLToPath(url), ext, asyncESM.typeFlag, 'extension');
+        fileURLToPath(url), ext, typeFlag, 'extension');
     }
 
-    // Conflict between package scope type and --type
+    // Conflict between package scope type and --entry-type
     if (ext === '.js') {
-      if (type === TYPE_MODULE && asyncESM.typeFlag === 'commonjs' ||
-          type === TYPE_COMMONJS && asyncESM.typeFlag === 'module') {
+      if (type === TYPE_MODULE && typeFlag === 'commonjs' ||
+          type === TYPE_COMMONJS && typeFlag === 'module') {
         throw new ERR_TYPE_MISMATCH(
-          fileURLToPath(url), ext, asyncESM.typeFlag, 'scope');
+          fileURLToPath(url), ext, typeFlag, 'scope');
       }
     }
   }
   if (!format) {
-    if (isMain && asyncESM.typeFlag)
-      format = asyncESM.typeFlag;
+    if (isMain && typeFlag)
+      format = typeFlag;
     else if (isMain)
       format = type === TYPE_MODULE ? 'module' : 'commonjs';
     else
diff --git a/lib/internal/process/esm_loader.js b/lib/internal/process/esm_loader.js
index ed387a1554..6225ea81ab 100644
--- a/lib/internal/process/esm_loader.js
+++ b/lib/internal/process/esm_loader.js
@@ -4,15 +4,9 @@ const {
   callbackMap,
 } = internalBinding('module_wrap');
 const {
-  ERR_INVALID_TYPE_FLAG,
   ERR_VM_DYNAMIC_IMPORT_CALLBACK_MISSING,
 } = require('internal/errors').codes;
 
-const type = require('internal/options').getOptionValue('--type');
-if (type && type !== 'commonjs' && type !== 'module')
-  throw new ERR_INVALID_TYPE_FLAG(type);
-exports.typeFlag = type;
-
 const { Loader } = require('internal/modules/esm/loader');
 const { pathToFileURL } = require('internal/url');
 const {
diff --git a/src/node_options.cc b/src/node_options.cc
index fc4eb985e2..bd20b6385d 100644
--- a/src/node_options.cc
+++ b/src/node_options.cc
@@ -107,8 +107,14 @@ void EnvironmentOptions::CheckOptions(std::vector<std::string>* errors) {
     errors->push_back("--loader requires --experimental-modules be enabled");
   }
 
-  if (!module_type.empty() && !experimental_modules) {
-    errors->push_back("--type requires --experimental-modules be enabled");
+  if (!module_type.empty()) {
+    if (!experimental_modules) {
+      errors->push_back("--entry-type requires "
+                        "--experimental-modules to be enabled");
+    }
+    if (module_type != "commonjs" && module_type != "module") {
+      errors->push_back("--entry-type must \"module\" or \"commonjs\"");
+    }
   }
 
   if (experimental_json_modules && !experimental_modules) {
@@ -332,8 +338,8 @@ EnvironmentOptionsParser::EnvironmentOptionsParser() {
             "show stack traces on process warnings",
             &EnvironmentOptions::trace_warnings,
             kAllowedInEnvironment);
-  AddOption("--type",
-            "top-level module type name",
+  AddOption("--entry-type",
+            "set module type name of the entry point",
             &EnvironmentOptions::module_type,
             kAllowedInEnvironment);
 
diff --git a/test/es-module/test-esm-no-extension.js b/test/es-module/test-esm-no-extension.js
index 36848eed0e..3e9ffb2bbc 100644
--- a/test/es-module/test-esm-no-extension.js
+++ b/test/es-module/test-esm-no-extension.js
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ const entry = fixtures.path('/es-modules/noext-esm');
 
 const child = spawn(process.execPath, [
   '--experimental-modules',
-  '--type=module',
+  '--entry-type=module',
   entry
 ]);
 
diff --git a/test/es-module/test-esm-type-flag-errors.js b/test/es-module/test-esm-type-flag-errors.js
index 4b75eabc0c..bbdd140482 100644
--- a/test/es-module/test-esm-type-flag-errors.js
+++ b/test/es-module/test-esm-type-flag-errors.js
@@ -19,16 +19,16 @@ expect('', packageTypeModuleMain, 'package-type-module');
 expect('', packageTypeCommonJsMain, 'package-type-commonjs');
 expect('', packageWithoutTypeMain, 'package-without-type');
 
-// Check that running with --type and no package.json "type" works
-expect('--type=commonjs', packageWithoutTypeMain, 'package-without-type');
-expect('--type=module', packageWithoutTypeMain, 'package-without-type');
+// Check that running with --entry-type and no package.json "type" works
+expect('--entry-type=commonjs', packageWithoutTypeMain, 'package-without-type');
+expect('--entry-type=module', packageWithoutTypeMain, 'package-without-type');
 
-// Check that running with conflicting --type flags throws errors
-expect('--type=commonjs', mjsFile, 'ERR_TYPE_MISMATCH', true);
-expect('--type=module', cjsFile, 'ERR_TYPE_MISMATCH', true);
-expect('--type=commonjs', packageTypeModuleMain,
+// Check that running with conflicting --entry-type flags throws errors
+expect('--entry-type=commonjs', mjsFile, 'ERR_TYPE_MISMATCH', true);
+expect('--entry-type=module', cjsFile, 'ERR_TYPE_MISMATCH', true);
+expect('--entry-type=commonjs', packageTypeModuleMain,
        'ERR_TYPE_MISMATCH', true);
-expect('--type=module', packageTypeCommonJsMain,
+expect('--entry-type=module', packageTypeCommonJsMain,
        'ERR_TYPE_MISMATCH', true);
 
 function expect(opt = '', inputFile, want, wantsError = false) {
diff --git a/test/es-module/test-esm-type-flag.mjs b/test/es-module/test-esm-type-flag.mjs
index cf91580490..2f5d0b626a 100644
--- a/test/es-module/test-esm-type-flag.mjs
+++ b/test/es-module/test-esm-type-flag.mjs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// Flags: --experimental-modules --type=module
+// Flags: --experimental-modules --entry-type=module
 /* eslint-disable node-core/required-modules */
 import cjs from '../fixtures/baz.js';
 import '../common/index.mjs';
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-cli-syntax-piped-bad.js b/test/parallel/test-cli-syntax-piped-bad.js
index ba93e13038..f342a7834f 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-cli-syntax-piped-bad.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-cli-syntax-piped-bad.js
@@ -34,12 +34,12 @@ syntaxArgs.forEach(function(arg) {
   assert.strictEqual(c.status, 1);
 });
 
-// Check --type=module
+// Check --entry-type=module
 syntaxArgs.forEach(function(arg) {
   const stdin = 'export var p = 5; var foo bar;';
   const c = spawnSync(
     node,
-    ['--experimental-modules', '--type=module', '--no-warnings', arg],
+    ['--experimental-modules', '--entry-type=module', '--no-warnings', arg],
     { encoding: 'utf8', input: stdin }
   );
 
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-cli-syntax-piped-good.js b/test/parallel/test-cli-syntax-piped-good.js
index 8ee11226d9..b2b02172cb 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-cli-syntax-piped-good.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-cli-syntax-piped-good.js
@@ -25,12 +25,12 @@ syntaxArgs.forEach(function(arg) {
   assert.strictEqual(c.status, 0);
 });
 
-// Check --type=module
+// Check --entry-type=module
 syntaxArgs.forEach(function(arg) {
   const stdin = 'export var p = 5; throw new Error("should not get run");';
   const c = spawnSync(
     node,
-    ['--experimental-modules', '--no-warnings', '--type=module', arg],
+    ['--experimental-modules', '--no-warnings', '--entry-type=module', arg],
     { encoding: 'utf8', input: stdin }
   );