diff --git a/include/misc.h b/include/misc.h
index 6169d1bf..2bf4c082 100644
--- a/include/misc.h
+++ b/include/misc.h
@@ -69,7 +69,12 @@
 #define hours(x)	(60*60*(x))
 #define days(x)		(60*60*24*(x))
 
-extern int debug;
+enum oops_action {
+    OOPS_ABORT,
+    OOPS_CRASH_DUMP,
+    OOPS_NOTHING
+};
+extern enum oops_action oops_action;
 
 /*
  * If EXPR is true, an internal error occured.
diff --git a/man/emp_server.6 b/man/emp_server.6
index d7b387b9..ef4c1c77 100644
--- a/man/emp_server.6
+++ b/man/emp_server.6
@@ -13,7 +13,10 @@ emp_server \- Empire server
 .BI \-e " configfile"
 ]
 [
-.BI \-R " random-seed"
+.BI \-E " action"
+]
+[
+.BI \-R " seed"
 ]
 .if \nw \{\
 .br
@@ -42,14 +45,20 @@ pages within the game.
 .TP
 .B \-d
 Debug mode.  This will prevent the server from forking itself into the
-background.  It will also make it abort when it detects an internal
-error.  You normally want to use this flag if you are running
+background.  Implies -E abort.  You normally want to use this flag if
+you are running
 .B emp_server
 from within a debugger.
 .TP
 .BI \-e " configfile"
 Use game configuration in \fIconfigfile\fR.
 .TP
+.BI \-E " action"
+What to do on recoverable internal error ("oops"): \fBabort\fP,
+\fBcrash\-dump\fP (but continue), \fBnothing\fP (default).
+.ie \nw \fBcrash-dump\fP is not implemented for Windows.
+.el \fBcrash-dump\fP works by aborting a fork of the server process.
+.TP
 .B \-h
 Help.  Print brief usage information and exit.
 .if \nw \{\
@@ -73,7 +82,7 @@ Uninstall the Windows Service with the specified name.\}
 .B \-s
 Enable thread stack checking.
 .TP
-.B \-R " random-seed"
+.B \-R " seed"
 Set the seed for random function.
 .TP
 .B \-v
diff --git a/src/lib/gen/log.c b/src/lib/gen/log.c
index 80799b79..6cdca129 100644
--- a/src/lib/gen/log.c
+++ b/src/lib/gen/log.c
@@ -46,8 +46,7 @@
 #include "player.h"
 #include "prototypes.h"
 
-/* Debugging?  If yes call abort() on internal error.  */
-int debug = 1;
+enum oops_action oops_action = OOPS_ABORT;
 
 static char logfile[32];
 static int logfd = -1;
@@ -133,7 +132,18 @@ int
 oops(char *msg, char *file, int line)
 {
     logerror("Oops: %s in %s:%d", msg ? msg : "bug", file, line);
-    if (debug) abort();
+    switch (oops_action) {
+    case OOPS_ABORT:
+	abort();
+    case OOPS_CRASH_DUMP:
+#ifndef _WIN32
+	if (fork() == 0)
+	    abort();
+#endif
+	/* fall through */
+    case OOPS_NOTHING:
+	break;
+    }
     return 1;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/server/main.c b/src/server/main.c
index 1a794af8..34409820 100644
--- a/src/server/main.c
+++ b/src/server/main.c
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@
 #include "file.h"
 #include "journal.h"
 #include "land.h"
+#include "match.h"
 #include "misc.h"
 #include "nat.h"
 #include "nuke.h"
@@ -92,13 +93,22 @@ static char pidfname[] = "server.pid";
 /* Run as daemon?  If yes, detach from controlling terminal etc. */
 static int daemonize = 1;
 
+static void
+help(char *program_name, char *complaint)
+{
+    if (complaint)
+	fprintf(stderr, "%s: %s\n", program_name, complaint);
+    fprintf(stderr, "Try -h for help.\n");
+}
+
 static void
 print_usage(char *program_name)
 {
     printf("Usage: %s [OPTION]...\n"
-	   "  -d              debug mode\n"
+	   "  -d              debug mode, implies -E abort\n"
 	   "  -e CONFIG-FILE  configuration file\n"
 	   "                  (default %s)\n"
+	   "  -E ACTION       what to do on oops: abort, crash-dump, nothing (default)\n"
 	   "  -h              display this help and exit\n"
 #ifdef _WIN32
 	   "  -i              install service `%s'\n"
@@ -122,6 +132,7 @@ print_usage(char *program_name)
 int
 main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
+    static char *oops_key[] = { "abort", "crash-dump", "nothing", NULL };
     int flags = 0;
 #if defined(_WIN32)
     int install_service_set = 0;
@@ -130,28 +141,36 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
     int remove_service_set = 0;
 #endif
     char *config_file = NULL;
-    int op, sig;
+    int op, idx, sig;
     unsigned seed = time(NULL);
 
-    debug = 0;
+    oops_action = OOPS_NOTHING;
 
 #ifdef _WIN32
 # define XOPTS "iI:uU:"
 #else
 # define XOPTS
 #endif
-    while ((op = getopt(argc, argv, "de:hpsR:v" XOPTS)) != EOF) {
+    while ((op = getopt(argc, argv, "de:E:hpsR:v" XOPTS)) != EOF) {
 	switch (op) {
 	case 'p':
 	    flags |= EMPTH_PRINT;
 	    /* fall through */
 	case 'd':
-	    debug = 1;
+	    oops_action = OOPS_ABORT;
 	    daemonize = 0;
 	    break;
 	case 'e':
 	    config_file = optarg;
 	    break;
+	case 'E':
+	    idx = stmtch(optarg, oops_key, 0, sizeof(*oops_key));
+	    if (idx < 0) {
+		help(argv[0], "invalid argument for -E");
+		return EXIT_FAILURE;
+	    }
+	    oops_action = idx;
+	    break;
 #if defined(_WIN32)
 	case 'I':
 	    service_name = optarg;
@@ -179,19 +198,19 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	    print_usage(argv[0]);
 	    return EXIT_SUCCESS;
 	default:
-	    fprintf(stderr, "Try -h for help.\n");
+	    help(argv[0], NULL);
 	    return EXIT_FAILURE;
 	}
     }
 
 #if defined(_WIN32)
-    if ((debug || flags || config_file != NULL) &&
+    if ((!daemonize || flags || config_file != NULL) &&
 	remove_service_set) {
 	fprintf(stderr, "Can't use -p, -s, -d or -e with either "
 	    "-u or -U options\n");
 	exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
     }
-    if ((debug || flags) && install_service_set) {
+    if ((!daemonize || flags) && install_service_set) {
 	fprintf(stderr, "Can't use -d, -p or -s with either "
 	    "-i or -I options\n");
 	exit(EXIT_FAILURE);