diff --git a/configure.py b/configure.py
index ec8a37fff7..8a34d933f3 100755
--- a/configure.py
+++ b/configure.py
@@ -569,8 +569,6 @@ raft_tests = set([
 apps = set([
     'scylla',
     'test/tools/cql_repl',
-    'tools/scylla-types',
-    'tools/scylla-sstable',
 ])
 
 tests = scylla_tests | perf_tests | raft_tests
@@ -1147,12 +1145,11 @@ scylla_tests_dependencies = scylla_core + idls + scylla_tests_generic_dependenci
 
 scylla_raft_dependencies = scylla_raft_core + ['utils/uuid.cc']
 
+scylla_tools = ['tools/scylla-types.cc', 'tools/scylla-sstable.cc', 'tools/schema_loader.cc']
+
 deps = {
-    'scylla': idls + ['main.cc'] + scylla_core + api + alternator + redis,
+    'scylla': idls + ['main.cc'] + scylla_core + api + alternator + redis + scylla_tools,
     'test/tools/cql_repl': idls + ['test/tools/cql_repl.cc'] + scylla_core + scylla_tests_generic_dependencies,
-    #FIXME: we don't need all of scylla_core here, only the types module, need to modularize scylla_core.
-    'tools/scylla-types': idls + ['tools/scylla-types.cc'] + scylla_core,
-    'tools/scylla-sstable': idls + ['tools/scylla-sstable.cc', 'tools/schema_loader.cc'] + scylla_core,
 }
 
 pure_boost_tests = set([
diff --git a/main.cc b/main.cc
index 98ae78c338..f3c6259d58 100644
--- a/main.cc
+++ b/main.cc
@@ -96,6 +96,7 @@
 #include "service/storage_proxy.hh"
 #include "alternator/controller.hh"
 #include "alternator/ttl.hh"
+#include "tools/entry_point.hh"
 
 #include "service/raft/raft_group_registry.hh"
 
@@ -399,7 +400,7 @@ sharded<database>* the_database;
 sharded<streaming::stream_manager> *the_stream_manager;
 }
 
-int main(int ac, char** av) {
+static int scylla_main(int ac, char** av) {
     // Allow core dumps. The would be disabled by default if
     // CAP_SYS_NICE was added to the binary, as is suggested by the
     // epoll backend.
@@ -410,14 +411,24 @@ int main(int ac, char** av) {
     }
 
   try {
-    // early check to avoid triggering
-    if (!cpu_sanity()) {
-        _exit(71);
-    }
     runtime::init_uptime();
     std::setvbuf(stdout, nullptr, _IOLBF, 1000);
     app_template::config app_cfg;
     app_cfg.name = "Scylla";
+    app_cfg.description =
+R"(scylla - NoSQL data store using the seastar framework, compatible with Apache Cassandra
+
+For more information, see https://github.com/scylladb/scylla.
+
+The scylla executable hosts multiple apps:
+* server (default) - the scylla server itself.
+* types - a command-line tool to examine values belonging to scylla types.
+* sstable - a multifunctional command-line tool to examine the content of sstables.
+
+Usage: scylla {app_name} [...]
+
+For more information about individual apps, run: scylla {app_name} --help
+)";
     app_cfg.default_task_quota = 500us;
     app_cfg.auto_handle_sigint_sigterm = false;
     app_cfg.max_networking_aio_io_control_blocks = 50000;
@@ -1457,3 +1468,40 @@ int main(int ac, char** av) {
       return 7; // 1 has a special meaning for upstart
   }
 }
+
+int main(int ac, char** av) {
+    // early check to avoid triggering
+    if (!cpu_sanity()) {
+        _exit(71);
+    }
+
+    std::function<int(int, char**)> main_func;
+
+    std::string exec_name;
+    if (ac >= 2) {
+        exec_name = av[1];
+    }
+
+    bool recognized = true;
+    if (exec_name == "server") {
+        main_func = scylla_main;
+    } else if (exec_name == "types") {
+        main_func = tools::scylla_types_main;
+    } else if (exec_name == "sstable") {
+        main_func = tools::scylla_sstable_main;
+    } else {
+        fmt::print("Unrecognized or missing app name (argv[1]={}), assuming server\n", exec_name);
+        main_func = scylla_main;
+        recognized = false;
+    }
+
+    if (recognized) {
+        // shift args to consume the recognized app name
+        --ac;
+        for (int i = 1; i < ac; ++i) {
+            std::swap(av[i], av[i + 1]);
+        }
+    }
+
+    return main_func(ac, av);
+}
diff --git a/tools/entry_point.hh b/tools/entry_point.hh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3ecd5c48a5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/entry_point.hh
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2021-present ScyllaDB
+ */
+
+/*
+ * This file is part of Scylla.
+ *
+ * Scylla is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * Scylla is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with Scylla.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+namespace tools {
+
+int scylla_types_main(int argc, char** argv);
+int scylla_sstable_main(int argc, char** argv);
+
+} // namespace tools
diff --git a/tools/scylla-sstable.cc b/tools/scylla-sstable.cc
index 72af395210..68ab8427cc 100644
--- a/tools/scylla-sstable.cc
+++ b/tools/scylla-sstable.cc
@@ -1110,7 +1110,9 @@ const std::vector<operation> operations{
 
 } // anonymous namespace
 
-int main(int argc, char** argv) {
+namespace tools {
+
+int scylla_sstable_main(int argc, char** argv) {
     app_template::config app_cfg;
     app_cfg.name = app_name;
 
@@ -1243,3 +1245,5 @@ $ scylla-sstable --validate /path/to/md-123456-big-Data.db /path/to/md-123457-bi
         });
     });
 }
+
+} // namespace tools
diff --git a/tools/scylla-types.cc b/tools/scylla-types.cc
index c06e304500..f3a199dcf8 100644
--- a/tools/scylla-types.cc
+++ b/tools/scylla-types.cc
@@ -167,7 +167,9 @@ const std::vector<action_handler> action_handlers = {
 
 }
 
-int main(int argc, char** argv) {
+namespace tools {
+
+int scylla_types_main(int argc, char** argv) {
     namespace bpo = boost::program_options;
 
     app_template::config app_cfg;
@@ -254,3 +256,5 @@ $ scylla-types --print --prefix-compound -t TimeUUIDType -t Int32Type 0010d00819
         return make_ready_future<>();
     });
 }
+
+} // namespace tools