diff --git a/bin/flutter b/bin/flutter
index c2c736aa8c..c93782102e 100755
--- a/bin/flutter
+++ b/bin/flutter
@@ -65,9 +65,8 @@ if [ ! -d "$FLUTTER_ROOT/.git" ]; then
   exit 1
 fi
 
-FLUTTER_TOOL_ARGS="--checked"
-
-# To debug the tool, you can uncomment the following line to enable checked mode and set an observatory port:
+# To debug the tool, you can uncomment the following lines to enable checked mode and set an observatory port:
+# FLUTTER_TOOL_ARGS="--checked $FLUTTER_TOOL_ARGS"
 # FLUTTER_TOOL_ARGS="$FLUTTER_TOOL_ARGS --observe=65432"
 
 (
diff --git a/bin/flutter.bat b/bin/flutter.bat
index 43e082d84b..645c808547 100644
--- a/bin/flutter.bat
+++ b/bin/flutter.bat
@@ -39,9 +39,8 @@ IF NOT EXIST "%flutter_root%\.git" (
 REM Ensure that bin/cache exists.
 IF NOT EXIST "%cache_dir%" MKDIR "%cache_dir%"
 
-SET FLUTTER_TOOL_ARGS="--checked"
-
-REM To debug the tool, you can uncomment the following line to enable checked mode and set an observatory port:
+REM To debug the tool, you can uncomment the following lines to enable checked mode and set an observatory port:
+REM SET FLUTTER_TOOL_ARGS="--checked %FLUTTER_TOOL_ARGS%"
 REM SET FLUTTER_TOOL_ARGS="%FLUTTER_TOOL_ARGS% --observe=65432"
 
 :acquire_lock