diff --git a/packages/debugger-shell/src/electron/index.flow.js b/packages/debugger-shell/src/electron/index.flow.js
index 4dc67035f813..12c6cad55377 100644
--- a/packages/debugger-shell/src/electron/index.flow.js
+++ b/packages/debugger-shell/src/electron/index.flow.js
@@ -10,9 +10,25 @@
 
 // $FlowFixMe[unclear-type] We have no Flow types for the Electron API.
 const {app} = require('electron') as any;
+const util = require('util');
+
+// Handle global command line arguments which don't require a window
+// or the single instance lock to be held.
+const {
+  values: {version = false},
+} = util.parseArgs({
+  options: {version: {type: 'boolean'}},
+  args: process.argv.slice(app.isPackaged ? 1 : 2),
+  strict: false,
+});
+if (version) {
+  console.log(`${app.getName()} v${app.getVersion()}`);
+  // Not app.quit() - we want to exit immediately without initialising the graphical subsystem.
+  app.exit(0);
+}
 
 const gotTheLock = app.requestSingleInstanceLock({
-  argv: process.argv.slice(2),
+  argv: process.argv.slice(app.isPackaged ? 1 : 2),
 });
 
 if (!gotTheLock) {
diff --git a/scripts/debugger-shell/build-binary.js b/scripts/debugger-shell/build-binary.js
index ed98c9269d63..46ba775ed21d 100644
--- a/scripts/debugger-shell/build-binary.js
+++ b/scripts/debugger-shell/build-binary.js
@@ -44,6 +44,21 @@ async function main() {
   if (!pkg.main.startsWith('./dist/')) {
     throw new Error('Package not built yet. Run scripts/build/build.js first.');
   }
+
+  const IGNORE_PREFIXES = [
+    'src',
+    'dist/node',
+    'metainternal/build-mac',
+    '__tests__',
+    'README.md',
+  ].map(
+    dirRelativeToPackageRoot =>
+      path.join(PACKAGE_ROOT, dirRelativeToPackageRoot) + path.sep,
+  );
+  const IGNORE_FILES = ['BUCK'].map(fileRelativeToPackageRoot =>
+    path.join(PACKAGE_ROOT, fileRelativeToPackageRoot),
+  );
+
   await packager({
     dir: PACKAGE_ROOT,
     icon: path.join(PACKAGE_ROOT, 'src/electron/resources/icon'),
@@ -64,6 +79,10 @@ async function main() {
       OriginalFilename: `${APP_NAME}.exe`,
     },
     overwrite: true,
+    ignore: [
+      ...IGNORE_PREFIXES.map(prefix => new RegExp('^' + escapeRegex(prefix))),
+      ...IGNORE_FILES.map(file => new RegExp('^' + escapeRegex(file) + '$')),
+    ],
   });
 }
 
@@ -73,3 +92,7 @@ if (require.main === module) {
     process.exitCode = 1;
   });
 }
+
+function escapeRegex(str /*: string */) /*: string */ {
+  return str.replace(/[-[\]\\/{}()*+?.^$|]/g, '\\$&');
+}