diff --git a/src/main/java/dev/jbang/catalog/Alias.java b/src/main/java/dev/jbang/catalog/Alias.java
index 6f761fdfc..fca7310e8 100644
--- a/src/main/java/dev/jbang/catalog/Alias.java
+++ b/src/main/java/dev/jbang/catalog/Alias.java
@@ -3,10 +3,7 @@
 import static dev.jbang.cli.BaseCommand.EXIT_INVALID_INPUT;
 
 import java.nio.file.Path;
-import java.util.HashSet;
-import java.util.List;
-import java.util.Map;
-import java.util.Objects;
+import java.util.*;
 import java.util.function.Function;
 
 import javax.annotation.Nonnull;
@@ -205,40 +202,30 @@ private static Alias merge(Alias a1, String name, Function<String, Alias> findUn
 			names.add(name);
 			a2 = merge(a2, a2.scriptRef, findUnqualifiedAlias, names);
 			String desc = a1.description != null ? a1.description : a2.description;
-			List<String> args = a1.arguments != null && !a1.arguments.isEmpty() ? a1.arguments : a2.arguments;
-			List<String> jopts = a1.runtimeOptions != null && !a1.runtimeOptions.isEmpty() ? a1.runtimeOptions
-					: a2.runtimeOptions;
-			List<String> srcs = a1.sources != null && !a1.sources.isEmpty() ? a1.sources
-					: a2.sources;
-			List<String> ress = a1.resources != null && !a1.resources.isEmpty() ? a1.resources
-					: a2.resources;
-			List<String> deps = a1.dependencies != null && !a1.dependencies.isEmpty() ? a1.dependencies
-					: a2.dependencies;
-			List<String> repos = a1.repositories != null && !a1.repositories.isEmpty() ? a1.repositories
-					: a2.repositories;
-			List<String> cpaths = a1.classpaths != null && !a1.classpaths.isEmpty() ? a1.classpaths
-					: a2.classpaths;
-			Map<String, String> props = a1.properties != null && !a1.properties.isEmpty() ? a1.properties
-					: a2.properties;
+			List<String> args = join(a1.arguments, a2.arguments);
+			List<String> jopts = join(a1.runtimeOptions, a2.runtimeOptions);
+			List<String> srcs = join(a1.sources, a2.sources);
+			List<String> ress = join(a1.resources, a2.resources);
+			List<String> deps = join(a1.dependencies, a2.dependencies);
+			List<String> repos = join(a1.repositories, a2.repositories);
+			List<String> cpaths = join(a1.classpaths, a2.classpaths);
+			Map<String, String> props = join(a1.properties, a2.properties);
 			String javaVersion = a1.javaVersion != null ? a1.javaVersion : a2.javaVersion;
 			String mainClass = a1.mainClass != null ? a1.mainClass : a2.mainClass;
 			String moduleName = a1.moduleName != null ? a1.moduleName : a2.moduleName;
-			List<String> copts = a1.compileOptions != null && !a1.compileOptions.isEmpty() ? a1.compileOptions
-					: a2.compileOptions;
-			List<String> nopts = a1.nativeOptions != null && !a1.nativeOptions.isEmpty() ? a1.nativeOptions
-					: a2.nativeOptions;
+			List<String> copts = join(a1.compileOptions, a2.compileOptions);
+			List<String> nopts = join(a1.nativeOptions, a2.nativeOptions);
 			Boolean nimg = a1.nativeImage != null ? a1.nativeImage : a2.nativeImage;
 			Boolean ints = a1.integrations != null ? a1.integrations : a2.integrations;
 			String jfr = a1.jfr != null ? a1.jfr : a2.jfr;
-			Map<String, String> debug = a1.debug != null ? a1.debug : a2.debug;
+			Map<String, String> debug = join(a1.debug, a2.debug);
 			Boolean cds = a1.cds != null ? a1.cds : a2.cds;
 			Boolean inter = a1.interactive != null ? a1.interactive : a2.interactive;
 			Boolean ep = a1.enablePreview != null ? a1.enablePreview : a2.enablePreview;
 			Boolean ea = a1.enableAssertions != null ? a1.enableAssertions : a2.enableAssertions;
 			Boolean esa = a1.enableSystemAssertions != null ? a1.enableSystemAssertions : a2.enableSystemAssertions;
-			Map<String, String> mopts = a1.manifestOptions != null && !a1.manifestOptions.isEmpty() ? a1.manifestOptions
-					: a2.manifestOptions;
-			List<JavaAgent> jags = a1.javaAgents != null && !a1.javaAgents.isEmpty() ? a1.javaAgents : a2.javaAgents;
+			Map<String, String> mopts = join(a1.manifestOptions, a2.manifestOptions);
+			List<JavaAgent> jags = join(a1.javaAgents, a2.javaAgents);
 			Catalog catalog = a2.catalog != null ? a2.catalog : a1.catalog;
 			return new Alias(a2.scriptRef, desc, args, jopts, srcs, ress, deps, repos, cpaths, props, javaVersion,
 					mainClass, moduleName, copts, nimg, nopts, ints, jfr, debug, cds, inter, ep, ea, esa, mopts, jags,
@@ -248,6 +235,36 @@ private static Alias merge(Alias a1, String name, Function<String, Alias> findUn
 		}
 	}
 
+	private static <T> List<T> join(List<T> l1, List<T> l2) {
+		if (l1 != null && !l1.isEmpty()) {
+			if (l2 != null && !l2.isEmpty()) {
+				List<T> merged = new ArrayList<>(l1.size() + l2.size());
+				merged.addAll(l2);
+				merged.addAll(l1);
+				return merged;
+			} else {
+				return l1;
+			}
+		} else {
+			return l2;
+		}
+	}
+
+	private static <K, V> Map<K, V> join(Map<K, V> m1, Map<K, V> m2) {
+		if (m1 != null && !m1.isEmpty()) {
+			if (m2 != null && !m2.isEmpty()) {
+				Map<K, V> merged = new HashMap<>();
+				merged.putAll(m2);
+				merged.putAll(m1);
+				return merged;
+			} else {
+				return m1;
+			}
+		} else {
+			return m2;
+		}
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Returns the given Alias from the local file system
 	 *
diff --git a/src/test/java/dev/jbang/cli/TestAlias.java b/src/test/java/dev/jbang/cli/TestAlias.java
index b1fb37319..9cb14ed47 100644
--- a/src/test/java/dev/jbang/cli/TestAlias.java
+++ b/src/test/java/dev/jbang/cli/TestAlias.java
@@ -458,10 +458,10 @@ void testGetAliasFour() throws IOException {
 		assertThat(alias.scriptRef, equalTo("http://dummy"));
 		assertThat(alias.resolve(), equalTo("http://dummy"));
 		assertThat(alias.description, equalTo("fourdesc"));
-		assertThat(alias.arguments, iterableWithSize(1));
-		assertThat(alias.arguments, contains("4"));
-		assertThat(alias.runtimeOptions, iterableWithSize(1));
-		assertThat(alias.runtimeOptions, contains("--four"));
+		assertThat(alias.arguments, iterableWithSize(2));
+		assertThat(alias.arguments, contains("3", "4"));
+		assertThat(alias.runtimeOptions, iterableWithSize(2));
+		assertThat(alias.runtimeOptions, contains("--three", "--four"));
 		assertThat(alias.sources, iterableWithSize(1));
 		assertThat(alias.sources, contains("foursrc"));
 		assertThat(alias.resources, iterableWithSize(1));
@@ -472,16 +472,16 @@ void testGetAliasFour() throws IOException {
 		assertThat(alias.repositories, contains("fourrepo"));
 		assertThat(alias.classpaths, iterableWithSize(1));
 		assertThat(alias.classpaths, contains("fourcp"));
-		assertThat(alias.properties, aMapWithSize(1));
+		assertThat(alias.properties, aMapWithSize(2));
 		assertThat(alias.properties, hasEntry("four", "4"));
 		assertThat(alias.javaVersion, equalTo("fourjava"));
 		assertThat(alias.mainClass, equalTo("fourmain"));
 		assertThat(alias.moduleName, equalTo("fourmodule"));
-		assertThat(alias.compileOptions, iterableWithSize(1));
-		assertThat(alias.compileOptions, contains("--cfour"));
+		assertThat(alias.compileOptions, iterableWithSize(2));
+		assertThat(alias.compileOptions, contains("--cthree", "--cfour"));
 		assertThat(alias.nativeImage, is(Boolean.FALSE));
-		assertThat(alias.nativeOptions, iterableWithSize(1));
-		assertThat(alias.nativeOptions, contains("--nfour"));
+		assertThat(alias.nativeOptions, iterableWithSize(2));
+		assertThat(alias.nativeOptions, contains("--nthree", "--nfour"));
 		assertThat(alias.jfr, equalTo("fourjfr"));
 		assertThat(alias.debug, aMapWithSize(1));
 		assertThat(alias.debug, hasEntry("fourd", "4"));
diff --git a/src/test/java/dev/jbang/cli/TestRun.java b/src/test/java/dev/jbang/cli/TestRun.java
index a10b05324..bce999bc8 100644
--- a/src/test/java/dev/jbang/cli/TestRun.java
+++ b/src/test/java/dev/jbang/cli/TestRun.java
@@ -2580,6 +2580,34 @@ void testAliasArguments() throws IOException {
 		assertThat(cmdline, endsWith("echo foo bar baz"));
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	void testAliasAliasArguments() throws IOException {
+		File f = examplesTestFolder.resolve("echo.java").toFile();
+		List<String> args = Arrays.asList("foo");
+		Alias alias = new Alias(f.toString(), null, args, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null,
+				null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null);
+		CatalogUtil.addNearestAlias("foo", alias);
+
+		List<String> args2 = Arrays.asList("bar");
+		Alias alias2 = new Alias("foo", null, args2, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null,
+				null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null);
+		CatalogUtil.addNearestAlias("bar", alias2);
+
+		CommandLine.ParseResult pr = JBang	.getCommandLine()
+											.parseArgs("run", "bar", "baz");
+		Run run = (Run) pr.subcommand().commandSpec().userObject();
+
+		ProjectBuilder pb = run.createProjectBuilderForRun();
+		Project prj = pb.build("bar");
+
+		BuildContext ctx = BuildContext.forProject(prj, null);
+		CmdGeneratorBuilder genb = Project.codeBuilder(ctx).build();
+
+		String cmdline = run.updateGeneratorForRun(genb).build().generate();
+
+		assertThat(cmdline, endsWith("echo foo bar baz"));
+	}
+
 	@Test
 	void testCatalogAliasArguments() throws IOException {
 		File f = examplesTestFolder.resolve("jbang-catalog.json").toFile();