diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 9d54f343..4d8ca73e 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ A preview of the next release can be installed from
 
 ## Unreleased
 
-- ...
+- [#1467](https://github.com/babashka/babashka/issues/1467): avoid printing results, unless `--prn` is enabled (aside from `-e`, `-o` and `-O`)
 
 ## 1.0.170 (2023-01-19)
 
diff --git a/src/babashka/main.clj b/src/babashka/main.clj
index 2b6e2885..ee71da69 100644
--- a/src/babashka/main.clj
+++ b/src/babashka/main.clj
@@ -153,6 +153,7 @@ Global opts:
   --init <file>     Load file after any preloads and prior to evaluation/subcommands.
   --config <file>   Replacing bb.edn with file. Relative paths are resolved relative to file.
   --deps-root <dir> Treat dir as root of relative paths in config.
+  --prn             Print result via clojure.core/prn
   -Sforce           Force recalculation of the classpath (don't use the cache)
   -Sdeps            Deps data to use as the last deps file to be merged
 
@@ -569,10 +570,10 @@ Use bb run --help to show this help output.
                                :edn-in true))
           ("-o") (recur (next options)
                         (assoc opts-map
-                               :shell-out true))
+                               :shell-out true :prn true))
           ("-O") (recur (next options)
                         (assoc opts-map
-                               :edn-out true))
+                               :edn-out true :prn true))
           ("-io") (recur (next options)
                          (assoc opts-map
                                 :shell-in true
@@ -639,7 +640,8 @@ Use bb run --help to show this help output.
                    (assoc opts-map
                           :nrepl (or opt "1667"))))
           ("--eval", "-e")
-          (let [options (next options)]
+          (let [options (next options)
+                opts-map (assoc opts-map :prn true)]
             (recur (next options)
                    (update opts-map :expressions (fnil conj []) (first options))))
           ("--main", "-m",)
@@ -675,6 +677,7 @@ Use bb run --help to show this help output.
               (case c
                 (\( \{ \[ \* \@ \#)
                 (-> opts-map
+                    (assoc :prn true)
                     (update :expressions (fnil conj []) (first options))
                     (assoc :command-line-args (next options)))
                 (assoc opts-map
@@ -710,6 +713,8 @@ Use bb run --help to show this help output.
 
         ("--deps-root")
         (recur (nnext options) (assoc opts-map :deps-root (second options)))
+        ("--prn")
+        (recur (next options) (assoc opts-map :prn true))
         [options opts-map])
       [options opts-map])))
 
@@ -790,6 +795,7 @@ Use bb run --help to show this help output.
                     :print-deps :prepare]
              exec-fn :exec}
             cli-opts
+            print-result? (:prn cli-opts)
             _ (when debug (vreset! common/debug true))
             _ (do ;; set properties
                 (when main (System/setProperty "babashka.main" main))
@@ -992,8 +998,7 @@ Use bb run --help to show this help output.
                                                     (sci/eval-string* sci-ctx expression))]
                                               ;; return value printing
                                               (when (and (some? res)
-                                                         (or (not run)
-                                                             (:prn cli-opts)))
+                                                         print-result?)
                                                 (if-let [pr-f (cond shell-out println
                                                                     edn-out sio/prn)]
                                                   (if (sequential? res)
diff --git a/test/babashka/bb_edn_test.clj b/test/babashka/bb_edn_test.clj
index eb39a5c7..3e2142ef 100644
--- a/test/babashka/bb_edn_test.clj
+++ b/test/babashka/bb_edn_test.clj
@@ -457,7 +457,7 @@ even more stuff here\"
       (pr-str '{:paths ["test-resources"]
                 :pods  {retrogradeorbit/bootleg {:version "0.1.9"}}})
       (is (= "\"<div><p>Test</p></div>\"\n"
-             (test-utils/bb nil "-m" "pod-tests.bootleg"))))))
+             (test-utils/bb nil "--prn" "-m" "pod-tests.bootleg"))))))
 
 (deftest ^:skip-windows local-pod-test
   (test-utils/with-config
diff --git a/test/babashka/classpath_test.clj b/test/babashka/classpath_test.clj
index ae04e945..61808c77 100644
--- a/test/babashka/classpath_test.clj
+++ b/test/babashka/classpath_test.clj
@@ -13,10 +13,10 @@
 
 (deftest classpath-test
   (is (= :my-script/bb
-         (bb nil "--classpath" "test-resources/babashka/src_for_classpath_test"
+         (bb nil "--prn" "--classpath" "test-resources/babashka/src_for_classpath_test"
              "(require '[my-script :as ms]) (ms/foo)")))
   (is (= "hello from foo\n"
-         (tu/bb nil "--classpath" "test-resources/babashka/src_for_classpath_test/foo.jar"
+         (tu/bb nil "--prn" "--classpath" "test-resources/babashka/src_for_classpath_test/foo.jar"
                 "(require '[foo :as f]) (f/foo)")))
   (is (thrown-with-msg? Exception #"not find"
          (tu/bb nil
@@ -42,10 +42,10 @@
 
 (deftest main-test
   (is (= "(\"1\" \"2\" \"3\" \"4\")\n"
-         (tu/bb nil "--classpath" "test-resources/babashka/src_for_classpath_test" "-m" "my.main" "1" "2" "3" "4")))
+         (tu/bb nil "--prn" "--classpath" "test-resources/babashka/src_for_classpath_test" "-m" "my.main" "1" "2" "3" "4")))
   (testing "system property"
     (is (= "\"my.main2\""
-           (str/trim (tu/bb nil "--classpath" "test-resources/babashka/src_for_classpath_test" "-m" "my.main2"))))))
+           (str/trim (tu/bb nil "--prn" "--classpath" "test-resources/babashka/src_for_classpath_test" "-m" "my.main2"))))))
 
 (deftest error-while-loading-test
   (is (true?
diff --git a/test/babashka/exec_test.clj b/test/babashka/exec_test.clj
index 4a990520..6af27024 100644
--- a/test/babashka/exec_test.clj
+++ b/test/babashka/exec_test.clj
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
   (is (thrown? Exception (bb "-x" "json/generate-string" "--foo" "1")))
   (is (= {:foo 1} (cheshire/parse-string
                    (edn/read-string
-                    (bb "-x" "cheshire.core/generate-string" "--foo" "1")) true))))
+                    (bb "--prn" "-x" "cheshire.core/generate-string" "--foo" "1")) true))))
 
 (deftest tasks-exec-test
   (u/with-config
diff --git a/test/babashka/file_var_test.clj b/test/babashka/file_var_test.clj
index e601523a..bc5d058b 100644
--- a/test/babashka/file_var_test.clj
+++ b/test/babashka/file_var_test.clj
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 
 (deftest file-var-test
   (let [[f1 f2 f3 f4]
-        (str/split (bb nil "--classpath" "test/babashka/scripts"
+        (str/split (bb nil "--prn" "--classpath" "test/babashka/scripts"
                        "test/babashka/scripts/file_var.bb")
                    #"\n")]
     (is (str/ends-with? f1 "file_var_classpath.bb"))
@@ -19,6 +19,6 @@
     (is (str/ends-with? f4 "file_var.bb")))
   (testing "file var uses absolute path"
     (is (str/includes?
-         (bb nil (io/file "test" ".." "test"
-                          "babashka" "scripts" "simple_file_var.bb"))
+         (bb nil "--prn" (io/file "test" ".." "test"
+                                  "babashka" "scripts" "simple_file_var.bb"))
          ".."))))
diff --git a/test/babashka/main_test.clj b/test/babashka/main_test.clj
index 28102ba8..fe0adbd3 100644
--- a/test/babashka/main_test.clj
+++ b/test/babashka/main_test.clj
@@ -31,11 +31,11 @@
          (parse-opts ["--nrepl-server" "-cp" "src"])))
   (is (= {:nrepl "1667", :classpath "src"}
          (parse-opts ["-cp" "src" "nrepl-server"])))
-  (is (= {:socket-repl "1666", :expressions ["123"]}
+  (is (= {:prn true :socket-repl "1666", :expressions ["123"]}
          (parse-opts ["--socket-repl" "-e" "123"])))
-  (is (= {:socket-repl "1666", :expressions ["123"]}
+  (is (= {:prn true :socket-repl "1666", :expressions ["123"]}
          (parse-opts ["--socket-repl" "1666" "-e" "123"])))
-  (is (= {:nrepl "1666", :expressions ["123"]}
+  (is (= {:prn true :nrepl "1666", :expressions ["123"]}
          (parse-opts ["--nrepl-server" "1666" "-e" "123"])))
   (is (= {:classpath "src"
           :uberjar "foo.jar"}
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@
   (is (= 123 (bb nil "-e" "(println 123)")))
   (is (= 123 (bb nil "--eval" "(println 123)")))
   (testing "distinguish automatically between expression or file name"
-    (is (= {:result 8080} (bb nil "test/babashka/scripts/tools.cli.bb")))
+    (is (= {:result 8080} (bb nil "--prn" "test/babashka/scripts/tools.cli.bb")))
     (is (thrown-with-msg? Exception #"does not exist" (bb nil "foo.clj")))
     (is (thrown-with-msg? Exception #"does not exist" (bb nil "-help"))))
   (is (= "1 2 3" (bb nil "-e" "(require '[clojure.string :as str1])" "-e" "(str1/join \" \" [1 2 3])")))
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@
   (is (= "hello\n" (test-utils/bb nil "(println \"hello\")"))))
 
 (deftest System-test
-  (let [res (bb nil "-f" "test/babashka/scripts/System.bb")]
+  (let [res (bb nil "--prn" "-f" "test/babashka/scripts/System.bb")]
     (is (= "bar" (second res)))
     (doseq [s res]
       (is (not-empty s)))))
@@ -202,21 +202,21 @@
 
 (deftest init-test
   (testing "init with a file"
-    (is (= "foo" (bb nil "--init" "test-resources/babashka/init_test.clj" 
+    (is (= "foo" (bb nil "--prn" "--init" "test-resources/babashka/init_test.clj" 
                    "-f" "test-resources/babashka/init_caller.clj"))))
   (testing "init with eval(s)"
     (is (= "foo" (bb nil "--init" "test-resources/babashka/init_test.clj"
                    "-e" "(init-test/do-a-thing)"))))
   (testing "init with main from init'ed ns"
-    (is (= "Hello from init!" (bb nil "--init" "test-resources/babashka/init_test.clj"
+    (is (= "Hello from init!" (bb nil "--prn" "--init" "test-resources/babashka/init_test.clj"
                                 "-m" "init-test"))))
   (testing "init with main from another namespace"
     (test-utils/with-config '{:paths ["test-resources/babashka/src_for_classpath_test"]}
-      (is (= "foo" (bb nil "--init" "test-resources/babashka/init_test.clj"
+      (is (= "foo" (bb nil "--prn" "--init" "test-resources/babashka/init_test.clj"
                      "-m" "call-init-main")))))
   (testing "init with a qualified function passed to --main"
     (test-utils/with-config '{:paths ["test-resources/babashka/src_for_classpath_test"]}
-      (is (= "foobar" (bb nil "--init" "test-resources/babashka/init_test.clj"
+      (is (= "foobar" (bb nil "--prn" "--init" "test-resources/babashka/init_test.clj"
                         "-m" "call-init-main/foobar")))))
   (testing "init with a subcommand after it"
     (let [actual-output (test-utils/bb "(println (init-test/do-a-thing))"
@@ -341,7 +341,7 @@
                            temp-dir-path))))))
 
 (deftest tools-cli-test
-  (is (= {:result 8080} (bb nil "test/babashka/scripts/tools.cli.bb"))))
+  (is (= {:result 8080} (bb nil "--prn" "test/babashka/scripts/tools.cli.bb"))))
 
 (deftest try-catch-test
   (is (zero? (bb nil "(try (/ 1 0) (catch ArithmeticException _ 0))")))
@@ -366,7 +366,7 @@
 (deftest csv-test
   (is (= '(["Adult" "87727"] ["Elderly" "43914"] ["Child" "33411"] ["Adolescent" "29849"]
            ["Infant" "15238"] ["Newborn" "10050"] ["In Utero" "1198"])
-         (bb nil (.getPath (io/file "test" "babashka" "scripts" "csv.bb"))))))
+         (bb nil "--prn" (.getPath (io/file "test" "babashka" "scripts" "csv.bb"))))))
 
 (deftest assert-test ;; assert was first implemented in bb but moved to sci later
   (is (thrown-with-msg? Exception #"should-be-true"
@@ -419,7 +419,7 @@
                      (java.nio.file.Files/copy p p' (into-array [java.nio.file.StandardCopyOption/REPLACE_EXISTING]))))))"
              temp-path))
     (is (.exists f2))
-    (let [v (bb nil "-f" (.getPath (io/file "test-resources" "babashka" "glob.clj")))]
+    (let [v (bb nil "--prn" "-f" (.getPath (io/file "test-resources" "babashka" "glob.clj")))]
       (is (vector? v))
       (is (.exists (io/file (first v)))))
     (is (= :success (bb nil "(with-open [str (java.nio.file.Files/newDirectoryStream (.toPath (clojure.java.io/file \".\")))] :success)")))
@@ -477,7 +477,7 @@
 (deftest clojure-data-xml-test
   (is (= "<?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\"?><items><item>1</item><item>2</item></items>"
          (bb nil "(let [xml (xml/parse-str \"<items><item>1</item><item>2</item></items>\")] (xml/emit-str xml))")))
-  (is (= "0.0.87-SNAPSHOT" (bb nil "examples/pom_version_get.clj" (.getPath (io/file "test-resources" "pom.xml")))))
+  (is (= "0.0.87-SNAPSHOT" (bb nil "--prn" "examples/pom_version_get.clj" (.getPath (io/file "test-resources" "pom.xml")))))
   (is (= ":xmlns.DAV%3A/propfind"
          (bb nil "(clojure.data.xml/alias-uri :D \"DAV:\") (str ::D/propfind)"))))
 
@@ -617,12 +617,12 @@
 
 (deftest file-property-test
   (is (= "true\nfalse\n"
-         (test-utils/bb nil (.getPath (io/file "test-resources" "babashka" "file_property1.clj")))))
+         (test-utils/bb nil "--prn" (.getPath (io/file "test-resources" "babashka" "file_property1.clj")))))
   (is (= "true\n"
-         (test-utils/bb nil (.getPath (io/file "test-resources" "babashka" "file_property2.clj")))))
+         (test-utils/bb nil "--prn" (.getPath (io/file "test-resources" "babashka" "file_property2.clj")))))
   (is (apply =
-             (bb nil (.getPath (io/file "test" "babashka" "scripts" "simple_file_var.bb")))))
-  (let [res (bb nil (.getPath (io/file "test" ".." "test" "babashka"
+             (bb nil "--prn" (.getPath (io/file "test" "babashka" "scripts" "simple_file_var.bb")))))
+  (let [res (bb nil "--prn" (.getPath (io/file "test" ".." "test" "babashka"
                                        "scripts" "simple_file_var.bb")))]
     (is (apply = res))
     (is (str/includes? (first res) ".."))))
diff --git a/test/babashka/test_utils.clj b/test/babashka/test_utils.clj
index 9a856a96..ce2ac58f 100644
--- a/test/babashka/test_utils.clj
+++ b/test/babashka/test_utils.clj
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
    [babashka.impl.common :as common]
    [babashka.main :as main]
    [babashka.process :as p]
-   [clojure.edn :as edn]
    [clojure.string :as str]
    [clojure.test :as test :refer [*report-counters*]]
    [clojure.tools.reader.reader-types :as r]
diff --git a/test/babashka/uberjar_test.clj b/test/babashka/uberjar_test.clj
index 4476f45a..272c5b5b 100644
--- a/test/babashka/uberjar_test.clj
+++ b/test/babashka/uberjar_test.clj
@@ -24,13 +24,13 @@
     (let [tmp-file (java.io.File/createTempFile "uber" ".jar")
           path (.getPath tmp-file)]
       (.deleteOnExit tmp-file)
-      (tu/bb nil "--classpath" "test-resources/babashka/uberjar/src" "uberjar" path "-m" "my.main-main")
+      (tu/bb nil "--prn" "--classpath" "test-resources/babashka/uberjar/src" "uberjar" path "-m" "my.main-main")
       (is (= "(\"1\" \"2\" \"3\" \"4\")\n"
-             (tu/bb nil "--jar" path "1" "2" "3" "4")))
+             (tu/bb nil "--prn" "--jar" path "1" "2" "3" "4")))
       (is (= "(\"1\" \"2\" \"3\" \"4\")\n"
-             (tu/bb nil "-jar" path "1" "2" "3" "4")))
+             (tu/bb nil "--prn" "-jar" path "1" "2" "3" "4")))
       (is (= "(\"1\" \"2\" \"3\" \"4\")\n"
-             (tu/bb nil path "1" "2" "3" "4")))))
+             (tu/bb nil "--prn" path "1" "2" "3" "4")))))
   (testing "without main, a REPL starts"
     ;; NOTE: if we choose the same tmp-file as above and doing this all in the
     ;; same JVM process, the below test fails because my.main-main will be the
@@ -49,9 +49,9 @@
         ;; building with no --classpath
         (tu/bb nil "uberjar" path "-m" "my.main-main")
         ;; running
-        (is (= "(\"42\")\n" (tu/bb nil "--jar" path "-m" "my.main-main" "42")))
-        (is (= "(\"42\")\n" (tu/bb nil "--classpath" path "-m" "my.main-main" "42")))
-        (is (= "(\"42\")\n" (tu/bb nil path "42"))))))
+        (is (= "(\"42\")\n" (tu/bb nil "--prn" "--jar" path "-m" "my.main-main" "42")))
+        (is (= "(\"42\")\n" (tu/bb nil "--prn" "--classpath" path "-m" "my.main-main" "42")))
+        (is (= "(\"42\")\n" (tu/bb nil "--prn" path "42"))))))
   (testing "ignore empty entries on classpath"
     (let [tmp-file (java.io.File/createTempFile "uber" ".jar")
           path (.getPath tmp-file)
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@
                            InputStreamReader. PushbackReader. edn/read)]
             (is (= #{:pods} (-> bb-edn keys set)))
             (is (= (:pods config) (:pods bb-edn))))
-          (is (str/includes? (tu/bb nil "--jar" path) "3")))))))
+          (is (str/includes? (tu/bb nil "--prn" "--jar" path) "3")))))))
 
 (deftest throw-on-empty-classpath
   ;; this test fails the windows native test in CI
diff --git a/test/babashka/uberscript_test.clj b/test/babashka/uberscript_test.clj
index 9a111b18..e76511cd 100644
--- a/test/babashka/uberscript_test.clj
+++ b/test/babashka/uberscript_test.clj
@@ -1,15 +1,15 @@
 (ns babashka.uberscript-test
   (:require
    [babashka.test-utils :as tu]
-   [clojure.test :as t :refer [deftest is]]
-   [clojure.string :as str]))
+   [clojure.string :as str]
+   [clojure.test :as t :refer [deftest is]]))
 
 (deftest basic-test
   (let [tmp-file (java.io.File/createTempFile "uberscript" ".clj")]
     (.deleteOnExit tmp-file)
-    (is (empty? (tu/bb nil "--classpath" "test-resources/babashka/src_for_classpath_test" "uberscript" (.getPath tmp-file) "-m" "my.main")))
+    (is (empty? (tu/bb nil "--prn" "--classpath" "test-resources/babashka/src_for_classpath_test" "uberscript" (.getPath tmp-file) "-m" "my.main")))
     (is (= "(\"1\" \"2\" \"3\" \"4\")\n"
-           (tu/bb nil "--file" (.getPath tmp-file) "1" "2" "3" "4")))))
+           (tu/bb nil "--prn" "--file" (.getPath tmp-file) "1" "2" "3" "4")))))
 
 (when-not (= "aarch64" (System/getenv "BABASHKA_ARCH"))
   (deftest advanced-test
@@ -20,16 +20,16 @@
       ;; reader error for ::a/foo is swallowed
       ;; pod namespaces can be loaded without a problem
       ;; resulting program can be executed
-      (is (empty? (tu/bb nil "--classpath" "test-resources/babashka/uberscript/src" "uberscript" (.getPath tmp-file) "-m" "my.main")))
+      (is (empty? (tu/bb nil "--prn" "--classpath" "test-resources/babashka/uberscript/src" "uberscript" (.getPath tmp-file) "-m" "my.main")))
       (is (= ":clojure.string/foo\ntrue\n(\"1\" \"2\" \"3\" \"4\")\n"
-             (tu/bb nil "--file" (.getPath tmp-file) "1" "2" "3" "4"))))))
+             (tu/bb nil "--prn" "--file" (.getPath tmp-file) "1" "2" "3" "4"))))))
 
 (deftest pods-test
   (let [tmp-file (java.io.File/createTempFile "uberscript" ".clj")]
     (.deleteOnExit tmp-file)
     (tu/with-config (pr-str '{:paths ["test-resources/babashka/uberscript/src"]
                               :pods {org.babashka/go-sqlite3 {:version "0.1.0"}}})
-      (is (empty? (tu/bb nil  "uberscript" (.getPath tmp-file) "-m" "my.main-pod")))
+      (is (empty? (tu/bb nil "--prn" "uberscript" (.getPath tmp-file) "-m" "my.main-pod")))
       (is (= 1 (count (re-seq #"load-pod 'org.babashka/go-sqlite3"
                               (str/join (str/split-lines (slurp tmp-file))))))))
-    (is (str/includes? (tu/bb nil "--file" (.getPath tmp-file)) "3"))))
+    (is (str/includes? (tu/bb nil "--prn" "--file" (.getPath tmp-file)) "3"))))