diff --git a/tests/rigctl.c b/tests/rigctl.c
index 3eae4dbd7..4c297b445 100644
--- a/tests/rigctl.c
+++ b/tests/rigctl.c
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ void usage(void);
  * NB: do NOT use -W since it's reserved by POSIX.
  * TODO: add an option to read from a file
  */
-#define SHORT_OPTIONS "m:r:p:d:P:D:s:c:t:lC:LuonvhV"
+#define SHORT_OPTIONS "+m:r:p:d:P:D:s:c:t:lC:LuonvhV"
 static struct option long_options[] =
 {
 	{"model",           1, 0, 'm'},
diff --git a/tests/rigctl_parse.c b/tests/rigctl_parse.c
index 71ee6e0da..ecbcd2551 100644
--- a/tests/rigctl_parse.c
+++ b/tests/rigctl_parse.c
@@ -452,7 +452,7 @@ static int next_word (char *buffer, int argc, char *argv[], int newline)
   if (!reading_stdin)
     {
       if (optind >= argc) return EOF;
-      else if ('-' == argv[optind][0])
+      else if (newline && '-' == argv[optind][0] && 1 == strlen (argv[optind]))
         {
           ++optind;
           reading_stdin = 1;
diff --git a/tests/rotctl.c b/tests/rotctl.c
index 2d199ee47..e3947f9f1 100644
--- a/tests/rotctl.c
+++ b/tests/rotctl.c
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ void usage();
  * NB: do NOT use -W since it's reserved by POSIX.
  * TODO: add an option to read from a file
  */
-#define SHORT_OPTIONS "m:r:s:C:t:LvhVlu"
+#define SHORT_OPTIONS "+m:r:s:C:t:LvhVlu"
 static struct option long_options[] =
 {
 	{"model",    1, 0, 'm'},
diff --git a/tests/rotctl_parse.c b/tests/rotctl_parse.c
index b3ca13262..dec0ea04b 100644
--- a/tests/rotctl_parse.c
+++ b/tests/rotctl_parse.c
@@ -354,7 +354,7 @@ static int next_word (char *buffer, int argc, char *argv[], int newline)
   if (!reading_stdin)
     {
       if (optind >= argc) return EOF;
-      else if ('-' == argv[optind][0])
+      else if (newline && '-' == argv[optind][0] && 1 == strlen (argv[optind]))
         {
           ++optind;
           reading_stdin = 1;