diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 148cf1f4cb..a55a20ac12 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -128,27 +128,27 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           thirdparty/tcc/tcc.exe -version
           ./v -cg -o v cmd/v # Make sure vtcc can build itself twice
-      - name: v self compilation with -gc boehm_full_opt
+      - name: v self compilation with -gc boehm
         run: |
-          ./v -gc boehm_full_opt -o v2 cmd/v && ./v2 -gc boehm_full_opt -o v3 cmd/v && ./v3 -gc boehm_full_opt -o v4 cmd/v
+          ./v -gc boehm -o v2 cmd/v && ./v2 -gc boehm -o v3 cmd/v && ./v3 -gc boehm -o v4 cmd/v
           mv v4 v
       - name: v doctor
         run: |
           ./v doctor
-      - name: Verify `v -gc boehm_full_opt test` works
+      - name: Verify `v -gc boehm test` works
         run: |
-          ./v -gc boehm_full_opt cmd/tools/test_if_v_test_system_works.v
+          ./v -gc boehm cmd/tools/test_if_v_test_system_works.v
           ./cmd/tools/test_if_v_test_system_works
-      - name: Self tests with `-gc boehm_full_opt` with V compiler using Boehm-GC itself
-        run: ./v -gc boehm_full_opt -silent test-self
+      - name: Self tests with `-gc boehm` with V compiler using Boehm-GC itself
+        run: ./v -gc boehm -silent test-self
       - name: Test leak detector
         run: |
           ./v -gc boehm_leak -o testcase_leak vlib/v/tests/testcase_leak.v
           ./testcase_leak 2>leaks.txt
           grep "Found 1 leaked object" leaks.txt && grep ", sz=1000," leaks.txt
-      - name: Test leak detector not being active for `-gc boehm_full_opt`
+      - name: Test leak detector not being active for `-gc boehm`
         run: |
-          ./v -gc boehm_full_opt -o testcase_leak vlib/v/tests/testcase_leak.v
+          ./v -gc boehm -o testcase_leak vlib/v/tests/testcase_leak.v
           ./testcase_leak 2>leaks.txt
           [ "$(stat -c %s leaks.txt)" = "0" ]
       - name: Test leak detector not being active for normal compile
diff --git a/vlib/v/gen/c/cgen.v b/vlib/v/gen/c/cgen.v
index 828857139d..dd44e3ab77 100644
--- a/vlib/v/gen/c/cgen.v
+++ b/vlib/v/gen/c/cgen.v
@@ -443,9 +443,7 @@ pub fn (mut g Gen) init() {
 	if g.table.gostmts > 0 {
 		g.comptime_defines.writeln('#define __VTHREADS__ (1)')
 	}
-	if g.pref.gc_mode in [.boehm_full, .boehm_incr, .boehm_full_opt, .boehm_incr_opt, .boehm,
-		.boehm_leak,
-	] {
+	if g.pref.gc_mode in [.boehm_full, .boehm_incr, .boehm_full_opt, .boehm_incr_opt, .boehm_leak] {
 		g.comptime_defines.writeln('#define _VGCBOEHM (1)')
 	}
 	if g.pref.is_debug || 'debug' in g.pref.compile_defines {
diff --git a/vlib/v/gen/c/cmain.v b/vlib/v/gen/c/cmain.v
index 1ea32941c4..6e741a671c 100644
--- a/vlib/v/gen/c/cmain.v
+++ b/vlib/v/gen/c/cmain.v
@@ -70,9 +70,7 @@ fn (mut g Gen) gen_c_main_function_header() {
 
 fn (mut g Gen) gen_c_main_header() {
 	g.gen_c_main_function_header()
-	if g.pref.gc_mode in [.boehm_full, .boehm_incr, .boehm_full_opt, .boehm_incr_opt, .boehm,
-		.boehm_leak,
-	] {
+	if g.pref.gc_mode in [.boehm_full, .boehm_incr, .boehm_full_opt, .boehm_incr_opt, .boehm_leak] {
 		g.writeln('#if defined(_VGCBOEHM)')
 		if g.pref.gc_mode == .boehm_leak {
 			g.writeln('\tGC_set_find_leak(1);')
@@ -176,9 +174,7 @@ pub fn (mut g Gen) gen_c_main_for_tests() {
 	main_fn_start_pos := g.out.len
 	g.writeln('')
 	g.gen_c_main_function_header()
-	if g.pref.gc_mode in [.boehm_full, .boehm_incr, .boehm_full_opt, .boehm_incr_opt, .boehm,
-		.boehm_leak,
-	] {
+	if g.pref.gc_mode in [.boehm_full, .boehm_incr, .boehm_full_opt, .boehm_incr_opt, .boehm_leak] {
 		g.writeln('#if defined(_VGCBOEHM)')
 		if g.pref.gc_mode == .boehm_leak {
 			g.writeln('\tGC_set_find_leak(1);')
diff --git a/vlib/v/gen/c/fn.v b/vlib/v/gen/c/fn.v
index 4ec39a6469..01c34b6b0a 100644
--- a/vlib/v/gen/c/fn.v
+++ b/vlib/v/gen/c/fn.v
@@ -441,7 +441,7 @@ fn (mut g Gen) call_expr(node ast.CallExpr) {
 		g.inside_call = false
 	}
 	gen_keep_alive := node.is_keep_alive && node.return_type != ast.void_type
-		&& g.pref.gc_mode in [.boehm_full, .boehm_incr, .boehm_full_opt, .boehm_incr_opt, .boehm]
+		&& g.pref.gc_mode in [.boehm_full, .boehm_incr, .boehm_full_opt, .boehm_incr_opt]
 	gen_or := node.or_block.kind != .absent // && !g.is_autofree
 	is_gen_or_and_assign_rhs := gen_or && !g.discard_or_result
 	cur_line := if is_gen_or_and_assign_rhs || gen_keep_alive { // && !g.is_autofree {
@@ -954,7 +954,7 @@ fn (mut g Gen) fn_call(node ast.CallExpr) {
 				g.write(json_obj)
 			} else {
 				if node.is_keep_alive
-					&& g.pref.gc_mode in [.boehm_full, .boehm_incr, .boehm_full_opt, .boehm_incr_opt, .boehm] {
+					&& g.pref.gc_mode in [.boehm_full, .boehm_incr, .boehm_full_opt, .boehm_incr_opt] {
 					cur_line := g.go_before_stmt(0)
 					tmp_cnt_save = g.keep_alive_call_pregen(node)
 					g.write(cur_line)
diff --git a/vlib/v/pref/pref.v b/vlib/v/pref/pref.v
index 3d2f180379..a86de7d7d3 100644
--- a/vlib/v/pref/pref.v
+++ b/vlib/v/pref/pref.v
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ pub enum GarbageCollectionMode {
 	boehm_incr // incremental garbage colletion mode
 	boehm_full_opt // full garbage collection mode
 	boehm_incr_opt // incremental garbage colletion mode
-	boehm // default Boehm-GC mode for architecture
 	boehm_leak // leak detection mode (makes `gc_check_leaks()` work)
 }
 
@@ -262,7 +261,7 @@ pub fn parse_args(known_external_commands []string, args []string) (&Preferences
 			'-gc' {
 				gc_mode := cmdline.option(current_args, '-gc', '')
 				match gc_mode {
-					'' {
+					'', 'none' {
 						res.gc_mode = .no_gc
 					}
 					'boehm_full' {
@@ -288,8 +287,10 @@ pub fn parse_args(known_external_commands []string, args []string) (&Preferences
 						parse_define(mut res, 'gcboehm_opt')
 					}
 					'boehm' {
-						res.gc_mode = .boehm
+						res.gc_mode = .boehm_full_opt // default mode
 						parse_define(mut res, 'gcboehm')
+						parse_define(mut res, 'gcboehm_full')
+						parse_define(mut res, 'gcboehm_opt')
 					}
 					'boehm_leak' {
 						res.gc_mode = .boehm_leak
@@ -298,12 +299,13 @@ pub fn parse_args(known_external_commands []string, args []string) (&Preferences
 					}
 					else {
 						eprintln('unknown garbage collection mode `-gc $gc_mode`, supported modes are:`')
-						eprintln('  `-gc boehm` ............ default mode for the platform')
+						eprintln('  `-gc boehm` ............ default GC-mode (currently `boehm_full_opt`)')
 						eprintln('  `-gc boehm_full` ....... classic full collection')
 						eprintln('  `-gc boehm_incr` ....... incremental collection')
 						eprintln('  `-gc boehm_full_opt` ... optimized classic full collection')
 						eprintln('  `-gc boehm_incr_opt` ... optimized incremental collection')
 						eprintln('  `-gc boehm_leak` ....... leak detection (for debugging)')
+						eprintln('  `-gc none` ............. no garbage collection')
 						exit(1)
 					}
 				}