diff --git a/riocli/deployment/execute.py b/riocli/deployment/execute.py
index 1d224651..f9aa5bcc 100644
--- a/riocli/deployment/execute.py
+++ b/riocli/deployment/execute.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
 @click.option('--user', default='root')
 @click.option('--shell', default='/bin/bash')
 @click.option('--timeout', default=300)
-@click.option('--run-async', is_flag=True, default=True, help="Run the command in the background")
+@click.option('--run-sync', is_flag=True, default=False, help="Run the command synchronously")
 @click.option('--exec', 'exec_name', default=None,
               help='Name of a executable in the component')
 @click.argument('deployment-name', type=str)
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ def execute_command(
         shell: str,
         timeout: int,
         exec_name: str,
-        run_async: bool,
+        run_sync: bool,
         deployment_name: str,
         command: typing.List[str]
 ) -> None:
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ def execute_command(
                 user=user,
                 shell=shell,
                 command=command,
-                background=run_async,
+                background=not run_sync,
                 deployment=deployment,
                 exec_name=exec_name,
                 device_name=deployment.spec.device.depends.nameOrGUID,
diff --git a/riocli/device/execute.py b/riocli/device/execute.py
index bdff46c2..9bb69fe2 100644
--- a/riocli/device/execute.py
+++ b/riocli/device/execute.py
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
 @click.option('--user', default='root')
 @click.option('--timeout', default=300)
 @click.option('--shell', default='/bin/bash')
-@click.option('--run-async', is_flag=True, default=True, help="Run the command in the background.")
+@click.option('--run-sync', is_flag=True, default=False, help="Run the command synchronously")
 @click.argument('device-name', type=str)
 @click.argument('command', nargs=-1)
 @name_to_guid
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ def execute_command(
         user: str,
         timeout: int,
         shell: str,
-        run_async: bool,
+        run_sync: bool,
         command: typing.List[str]
 ) -> None:
     """Execute commands on a device.
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ def execute_command(
             user=user,
             shell=shell,
             command=command,
-            background=run_async,
+            background=not run_sync,
             timeout=timeout,
         )