diff --git a/redbot/core/bot.py b/redbot/core/bot.py
index 2aa23366a..83a714398 100644
--- a/redbot/core/bot.py
+++ b/redbot/core/bot.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import sys
 import contextlib
 import weakref
 import functools
-from collections import namedtuple
+from collections import namedtuple, OrderedDict
 from datetime import datetime
 from enum import IntEnum
 from importlib.machinery import ModuleSpec
@@ -1109,7 +1109,7 @@ class Red(
         await modlog._init(self)
         await bank._init()
 
-        packages = []
+        packages = OrderedDict()
 
         last_system_info = await self._config.last_system_info()
 
@@ -1135,10 +1135,13 @@ class Red(
                 python_version_changed = True
         else:
             if self._cli_flags.no_cogs is False:
-                packages.extend(await self._config.packages())
+                packages.update(dict.fromkeys(await self._config.packages()))
 
             if self._cli_flags.load_cogs:
-                packages.extend(self._cli_flags.load_cogs)
+                packages.update(dict.fromkeys(self._cli_flags.load_cogs))
+            if self._cli_flags.unload_cogs:
+                for package in self._cli_flags.unload_cogs:
+                    packages.pop(package, None)
 
         system_changed = False
         machine = platform.machine()
@@ -1169,11 +1172,9 @@ class Red(
         if packages:
             # Load permissions first, for security reasons
             try:
-                packages.remove("permissions")
-            except ValueError:
+                packages.move_to_end("permissions", last=False)
+            except KeyError:
                 pass
-            else:
-                packages.insert(0, "permissions")
 
             to_remove = []
             log.info("Loading packages...")
@@ -1197,9 +1198,11 @@ class Red(
                     await self.remove_loaded_package(package)
                     to_remove.append(package)
             for package in to_remove:
-                packages.remove(package)
-            if packages:
-                log.info("Loaded packages: " + ", ".join(packages))
+                del packages[package]
+        if packages:
+            log.info("Loaded packages: " + ", ".join(packages))
+        else:
+            log.info("No packages were loaded.")
 
         if self.rpc_enabled:
             await self.rpc.initialize(self.rpc_port)
diff --git a/redbot/core/cli.py b/redbot/core/cli.py
index dda223b3d..bf37f3a8a 100644
--- a/redbot/core/cli.py
+++ b/redbot/core/cli.py
@@ -185,6 +185,9 @@ def parse_cli_flags(args):
         help="Force loading specified cogs from the installed packages. "
         "Can be used with the --no-cogs flag to load these cogs exclusively.",
     )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--unload-cogs", type=str, nargs="+", help="Force unloading specified cogs."
+    )
     parser.add_argument(
         "--dry-run",
         action="store_true",