diff --git a/Lib/pdb.py b/Lib/pdb.py
index 11d763994458e2..806bc6741f2b23 100755
--- a/Lib/pdb.py
+++ b/Lib/pdb.py
@@ -1657,7 +1657,7 @@ def help():
 def main():
     import getopt
 
-    opts, args = getopt.getopt(sys.argv[1:], 'mhc:', ['--help', '--command='])
+    opts, args = getopt.getopt(sys.argv[1:], 'mhc:', ['help', 'command='])
 
     if not args:
         print(_usage)
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Tools-Demos/2019-09-12-16-15-55.bpo-37803.chEizy.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Tools-Demos/2019-09-12-16-15-55.bpo-37803.chEizy.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..5c0eedb9370963
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Tools-Demos/2019-09-12-16-15-55.bpo-37803.chEizy.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+pdb's ``--help`` and ``--version`` long options now work.