diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 99f1b9fcf..66dae9232 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ and this project does not currently adhere to a particular versioning scheme.
 - Add repeated field name error message.
 - Add `Math` builtin functions. ([#570][gh-570])
 - Add primitive file IO function `IO/FS/flush`. ([#598][gh-598])
+- Changed `bend run` to `bend run-rs` and `bend run` defaults to the C implementation. ([#620][gh-620])
 
 ## [0.2.35] - 2024-06-06
 
@@ -393,5 +394,6 @@ and this project does not currently adhere to a particular versioning scheme.
 [gh-596]: https://github.com/HigherOrderCO/Bend/issues/596
 [gh-598]: https://github.com/HigherOrderCO/Bend/issues/598
 [gh-618]: https://github.com/HigherOrderCO/Bend/issues/618
+[gh-620]: https://github.com/HigherOrderCO/Bend/issues/620
 [gh-623]: https://github.com/HigherOrderCO/Bend/issues/623
 [Unreleased]: https://github.com/HigherOrderCO/Bend/compare/0.2.36...HEAD
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 338181fb1..47aed4afa 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -74,7 +74,8 @@ bend --version
 ### Getting Started
 #### Running Bend Programs
 ```sh
-bend run    <file.bend> # uses the Rust interpreter (sequential)
+bend run    <file.bend> # uses the C interpreter by default (parallel)
+bend run-rs <file.bend> # uses the Rust interpreter (sequential)
 bend run-c  <file.bend> # uses the C interpreter (parallel)
 bend run-cu <file.bend> # uses the CUDA interpreter (massively parallel)
 
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index b6fdcd315..82f3cc230 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -48,8 +48,9 @@ enum Mode {
     path: PathBuf,
   },
   /// Compiles the program and runs it with the Rust HVM implementation.
-  Run(RunArgs),
+  RunRs(RunArgs),
   /// Compiles the program and runs it with the C HVM implementation.
+  #[command(alias = "run")]
   RunC(RunArgs),
   /// Compiles the program and runs it with the Cuda HVM implementation.
   RunCu(RunArgs),
@@ -282,8 +283,9 @@ fn execute_cli_mode(mut cli: Cli) -> Result<(), Diagnostics> {
 
   let run_cmd = match &cli.mode {
     Mode::RunC(..) => "run-c",
+    Mode::RunRs(..) => "run",
     Mode::RunCu(..) => "run-cu",
-    _ => "run",
+    _ => "run-c",
   };
 
   match cli.mode {
@@ -307,9 +309,9 @@ fn execute_cli_mode(mut cli: Cli) -> Result<(), Diagnostics> {
       println!("{}", hvm_book_show_pretty(&compile_res.hvm_book));
     }
 
-    Mode::Run(RunArgs { pretty, run_opts, comp_opts, warn_opts, path, arguments })
-    | Mode::RunC(RunArgs { pretty, run_opts, comp_opts, warn_opts, path, arguments })
-    | Mode::RunCu(RunArgs { pretty, run_opts, comp_opts, warn_opts, path, arguments }) => {
+    Mode::RunC(RunArgs { pretty, run_opts, comp_opts, warn_opts, path, arguments })
+    | Mode::RunCu(RunArgs { pretty, run_opts, comp_opts, warn_opts, path, arguments })
+    | Mode::RunRs(RunArgs { pretty, run_opts, comp_opts, warn_opts, path, arguments }) => {
       let CliRunOpts { linear, print_stats } = run_opts;
 
       let diagnostics_cfg =
diff --git a/tests/snapshots/cli__debug_list_map.bend.snap b/tests/snapshots/cli__debug_list_map.bend.snap
index de105f53b..faa906525 100644
--- a/tests/snapshots/cli__debug_list_map.bend.snap
+++ b/tests/snapshots/cli__debug_list_map.bend.snap
@@ -6,6 +6,6 @@ error: unexpected argument '-d' found
 
   tip: to pass '-d' as a value, use '-- -d'
 
-Usage: bend run [OPTIONS] <PATH> [ARGUMENTS]...
+Usage: bend run-c [OPTIONS] <PATH> [ARGUMENTS]...
 
 For more information, try '--help'.
diff --git a/tests/snapshots/cli__debug_u60_to_nat.bend.snap b/tests/snapshots/cli__debug_u60_to_nat.bend.snap
index 6d607824c..5f55b13e8 100644
--- a/tests/snapshots/cli__debug_u60_to_nat.bend.snap
+++ b/tests/snapshots/cli__debug_u60_to_nat.bend.snap
@@ -6,6 +6,6 @@ error: unexpected argument '-d' found
 
   tip: to pass '-d' as a value, use '-- -d'
 
-Usage: bend run [OPTIONS] <PATH> [ARGUMENTS]...
+Usage: bend run-c [OPTIONS] <PATH> [ARGUMENTS]...
 
 For more information, try '--help'.