diff --git a/modules.jam b/modules.jam
index 87d4524db..a79ad6add 100644
--- a/modules.jam
+++ b/modules.jam
@@ -91,13 +91,13 @@ rule load ( module-name : filename ? : search * : module-tag ? )
         }
         loading-modules = $(loading-modules[1--2]) ;
         
-        local test = [ peek : BOOST_BUILD_TEST ] ;
-        if ! $(suppress-test) && $(test)-is-nonempty
+        local argv = [ peek : ARGV ] ;
+        if ! $(suppress-test)
         {
             # run any pending tests
             for local m in $(untested)
             {
-                if ( $(test) = 1 ) || ( $(m) in $(test) )
+                if ( --debug in $(argv) ) || ( --debug-module=$(m) in $(argv) )
                 {
                     ECHO testing module $(m)... ;
                     module $(m)
diff --git a/src/build/readme.txt b/src/build/readme.txt
index a7f7af4b8..46f588cba 100644
--- a/src/build/readme.txt
+++ b/src/build/readme.txt
@@ -1,9 +1,5 @@
 Development code for new build system. To test, execute:
 
-  jam -sBOOST_BUILD_PATH=.:$BOOST_ROOT -sBOOST_BUILD_TEST=1 -sJAMFILE=test.jam
-
-on unix, or 
-
-  jam -sBOOST_BUILD_PATH=.;%BOOST_ROOT% -sBOOST_BUILD_TEST=1 -sJAMFILE=test.jam
+  bjam --debug -sJAMFILE=test.jam
 
 on windows