diff --git a/lib/std/collections/hashmap.c3 b/lib/std/collections/hashmap.c3
index 62bedc105..77d4e0e39 100644
--- a/lib/std/collections/hashmap.c3
+++ b/lib/std/collections/hashmap.c3
@@ -316,11 +316,11 @@ fn Key[] HashMap.copy_keys(&map, Allocator allocator = allocator::heap())
 	{
 		while (entry)
 		{
-			$if COPY_KEYS:
-				list[index++] = entry.key.copy(allocator);
-			$else
+			//$if COPY_KEYS:
+			//	list[index++] = entry.key.copy(allocator);
+			//$else
 				list[index++] = entry.key;
-			$endif
+			//$endif
 			entry = entry.next;
 		}
 	}
@@ -419,9 +419,9 @@ fn HashMapKeyIterator HashMap.key_iter(&self)
 
 fn void HashMap.add_entry(&map, uint hash, Key key, Value value, uint bucket_index) @private
 {
-	$if COPY_KEYS:
-	key = key.copy(map.allocator);
-	$endif
+	//$if COPY_KEYS:
+	//key = key.copy(map.allocator);
+	//$endif
 	Entry* entry = allocator::new(map.allocator, Entry, { .hash = hash, .key = key, .value = value, .next = map.table[bucket_index] });
 	map.table[bucket_index] = entry;
 	if (map.count++ >= map.threshold)
@@ -531,9 +531,9 @@ fn bool HashMap.remove_entry_for_key(&map, Key key) @private
 fn void HashMap.create_entry(&map, uint hash, Key key, Value value, int bucket_index) @private
 {
 	Entry *e = map.table[bucket_index];
-	$if COPY_KEYS:
-	key = key.copy(map.allocator);
-	$endif
+	//$if COPY_KEYS:
+	//key = key.copy(map.allocator);
+	//$endif
 	Entry* entry = allocator::new(map.allocator, Entry, { .hash = hash, .key = key, .value = value, .next = map.table[bucket_index] });
 	map.table[bucket_index] = entry;
 	map.count++;
@@ -541,9 +541,9 @@ fn void HashMap.create_entry(&map, uint hash, Key key, Value value, int bucket_i
 
 fn void HashMap.free_entry(&self, Entry *entry) @local
 {
-	$if COPY_KEYS:
-	allocator::free(self.allocator, entry.key);
-	$endif
+	//$if COPY_KEYS:
+	//allocator::free(self.allocator, entry.key);
+	//$endif
 	self.free_internal(entry);
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/std/encoding/json.c3 b/lib/std/encoding/json.c3
index 894e175e8..fd86ec82d 100644
--- a/lib/std/encoding/json.c3
+++ b/lib/std/encoding/json.c3
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ fn Object*! parse_map(JsonContext* context) @local
 			temp_key.append(string);
 			parse_expected(context, COLON)!;
 			Object* element = parse_any(context)!;
-			map.set(temp_key.str_view(), element);
+			map.set(temp_key.copy_str(context.allocator), element);
 			token = advance(context)!;
 			if (token == JsonTokenType.COMMA)
 			{
diff --git a/releasenotes.md b/releasenotes.md
index a9ab4056e..6c6fd5855 100644
--- a/releasenotes.md
+++ b/releasenotes.md
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 - Improve error message when using ',' in struct declarations. #1920
 - Compile time array assign ops, e.g. `$c[1] += 3` #1890.
 - Add `inline` to enums #1819.
+- Add flag `--no-run`. For commands which may run executable after building, skip the run step. #1931
 
 ### Fixes
 - Fix issue requiring prefix on a generic interface declaration.
diff --git a/src/build/build.h b/src/build/build.h
index f774c74b6..fb74cd0b5 100644
--- a/src/build/build.h
+++ b/src/build/build.h
@@ -552,6 +552,7 @@ typedef struct BuildOptions_
 	bool print_output;
 	bool print_input;
 	bool run_once;
+	bool no_run;
 	int verbosity_level;
 	const char *panicfn;
 	const char *benchfn;
diff --git a/src/build/build_options.c b/src/build/build_options.c
index f122e2885..1fe4b2594 100644
--- a/src/build/build_options.c
+++ b/src/build/build_options.c
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@ static void usage(bool full)
 		print_opt("--template <template>", "Select template for 'init': \"exe\", \"static-lib\", \"dynamic-lib\" or a path.");
 		print_opt("--symtab <value>", "Sets the preferred symtab size.");
 		print_opt("--run-once", "After running the output file, delete it immediately.");
+		print_opt("--no-run", "For commands which may run executable after building, skip the run step");
 		print_opt("--trust=<option>", "Trust level: none (default), include ($include allowed), full ($exec / exec allowed).");
 		print_opt("--output-dir <dir>", "Override general output directory.");
 		print_opt("--build-dir <dir>", "Override build output directory.");
@@ -1229,6 +1230,11 @@ static void parse_option(BuildOptions *options)
 				options->testing = true;
 				return;
 			}
+			if (match_longopt("no-run"))
+			{
+				options->no_run = true;
+				return;
+			}
 			if (match_longopt("help"))
 			{
 				usage(true);
diff --git a/src/build/builder.c b/src/build/builder.c
index 3e37f5605..be3bd9c0b 100644
--- a/src/build/builder.c
+++ b/src/build/builder.c
@@ -318,6 +318,11 @@ static void update_build_target_from_options(BuildTarget *target, BuildOptions *
 			break;
 	}
 
+	if (options->no_run)
+	{
+		target->run_after_compile = false;
+	}
+
 	switch (options->command)
 	{
 		case COMMAND_BUILD:
diff --git a/testing b/testing
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69de29bb