diff --git a/MultiServer.py b/MultiServer.py
index e68c1437d..5c7ccaa1b 100644
--- a/MultiServer.py
+++ b/MultiServer.py
@@ -3077,7 +3077,7 @@ def parse_args() -> argparse.Namespace:
     parser.add_argument('multidata', nargs="?", default=defaults["multidata"])
     parser.add_argument('--host', default=defaults["host"])
     parser.add_argument('--port', default=defaults["port"], type=int)
-    parser.add_argument('--admin-password', default=defaults["admin_password"])
+    parser.add_argument('--admin-password')
     parser.add_argument('--server-password', dest="admin_password", default=argparse.SUPPRESS,
                         help=argparse.SUPPRESS)  # pre-rename alias
     parser.add_argument('--password', default=defaults["password"])
@@ -3146,6 +3146,10 @@ def parse_args() -> argparse.Namespace:
     """)
     parser.add_argument('--log_network', default=defaults["log_network"], action="store_true")
     args = parser.parse_args()
+    # a command-line admin password outranks the one a save restores; host.yaml's does not
+    args.admin_password_given = args.admin_password is not None
+    if not args.admin_password_given:
+        args.admin_password = defaults["admin_password"]
     return args
 
 
@@ -3237,6 +3241,8 @@ async def main(args: argparse.Namespace):
         raise
 
     ctx.init_save(not args.disable_save)
+    if args.admin_password_given:
+        ctx.admin_password = args.admin_password
 
     # Set up signal handler for Ctrl+C (SIGINT) - cross-platform compatible
     def shutdown_handler():
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 0ca446415..51d4d12a7 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -93,7 +93,9 @@ def _find_libmtdev() -> str | None:
         "mwgg_gui",
         "mwgg_tui",
         "mwgg_splash",
-        "worlds"
+        "worlds",
+        # Submodules like cached_world are only imported by out-of-tree worlds.
+        "rule_builder",
     ],
     "includes": [
         "ModuleUpdate",
diff --git a/test/programs/test_server_password_alias.py b/test/programs/test_server_password_alias.py
index 832f19d96..bda4b1852 100644
--- a/test/programs/test_server_password_alias.py
+++ b/test/programs/test_server_password_alias.py
@@ -1,14 +1,21 @@
 """server_password is the pre-rename spelling of admin_password; multidata, saves and
 command lines written before the rename must still reach Context.admin_password."""
 
+import asyncio
 import logging
+import os
+import pickle
+import signal
 import sys
+import tempfile
 import types
 import unittest
+import zlib
 from unittest import mock
 
 import MultiServer
 from MultiServer import Context
+from NetUtils import NetworkSlot, SlotType
 
 
 def _stub() -> types.SimpleNamespace:
@@ -34,5 +41,69 @@ def test_command_line_alias(self) -> None:
         self.assertFalse(hasattr(args, "server_password"))
 
 
+class _Stop(Exception):
+    pass
+
+
+class TestCommandLinePasswordOutranksSave(unittest.TestCase):
+    """The launcher's host dialog passes --admin-password; a save written with another
+    password must not replace it, or remote admin answers "disabled"."""
+
+    def setUp(self) -> None:
+        tmp = tempfile.TemporaryDirectory()
+        self.addCleanup(tmp.cleanup)
+        self.data = os.path.join(tmp.name, "AP_TEST.archipelago")
+        multidata = {
+            "slot_info": {1: NetworkSlot("Player1", "Game A", SlotType.player)},
+            "connect_names": {"Player1": (0, 1)},
+            "locations": {1: {}},
+            "slot_data": {1: {}},
+            "er_hint_data": {},
+            "precollected_items": {1: []},
+            "precollected_hints": {1: set()},
+            "version": (0, 6, 2),
+            "minimum_versions": {"server": (0, 1, 6), "clients": {}},
+            "seed_name": "TESTSEED",
+            "datapackage": {"Game A": {"item_name_to_id": {}, "location_name_to_id": {}, "item_name_groups": {}}},
+        }
+        with open(self.data, "wb") as f:
+            f.write(bytes([3]) + zlib.compress(pickle.dumps(multidata)))
+        no_autosave = mock.patch.object(Context, "_start_async_saving")
+        no_autosave.start()
+        self.addCleanup(no_autosave.stop)
+
+        ctx = Context("", 0, "saved", None, 1, 10, True)
+        ctx.load(self.data)
+        ctx.init_save()
+        self.assertTrue(ctx._save())
+
+    def _run_main(self, *flags: str) -> Context:
+        created = []
+        init_save = Context.init_save
+
+        def recording_init_save(ctx: Context, *args, **kwargs) -> None:
+            created.append(ctx)
+            init_save(ctx, *args, **kwargs)
+
+        with mock.patch.object(sys, "argv", ["MultiServer", self.data, *flags]):
+            args = MultiServer.parse_args()
+        sigint = signal.getsignal(signal.SIGINT)
+        try:
+            with mock.patch.object(Context, "init_save", recording_init_save), \
+                    mock.patch.object(MultiServer.Utils, "init_logging"), \
+                    mock.patch.object(MultiServer.websockets, "serve", side_effect=_Stop):
+                with self.assertRaises(_Stop):
+                    asyncio.run(MultiServer.main(args))
+        finally:
+            signal.signal(signal.SIGINT, sigint)
+        return created[0]
+
+    def test_command_line_password_beats_save(self) -> None:
+        self.assertEqual(self._run_main("--admin-password", "typed").admin_password, "typed")
+
+    def test_save_beats_host_yaml_default(self) -> None:
+        self.assertEqual(self._run_main().admin_password, "saved")
+
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()