diff --git a/src/core/commands.c b/src/core/commands.c
index b4362d59..174824a3 100644
--- a/src/core/commands.c
+++ b/src/core/commands.c
@@ -361,7 +361,6 @@ static int option_find(char **array, const char *option)
 	g_return_val_if_fail(option != NULL, -1);
 
 	len = strlen(option);
-	g_return_val_if_fail(len > 0, -1);
 
 	found = -1; index = 0; multiple = FALSE;
 	for (tmp = array; *tmp != NULL; tmp++, index++) {
@@ -411,7 +410,7 @@ static int get_cmd_options(char **data, int ignore_unknown,
 			}
 
 			(*data)++;
-			if (**data == '-') {
+			if (**data == '-' && isspace((*data)[1])) {
 				/* -- option means end of options even
 				   if next word starts with - */
 				(*data)++;
@@ -419,7 +418,12 @@ static int get_cmd_options(char **data, int ignore_unknown,
 				break;
 			}
 
-			option = cmd_get_param(data);
+			if (!isspace(**data))
+				option = cmd_get_param(data);
+			else {
+				option = "-";
+				(*data)++;
+			}
 
 			/* check if this option can have argument */
 			pos = optlist == NULL ? -1 :
@@ -443,7 +447,8 @@ static int get_cmd_options(char **data, int ignore_unknown,
 			if (options != NULL)
 				g_hash_table_insert(options, option, "");
 
-			if (pos == -1 || !iscmdtype(*optlist[pos]))
+			if (pos < 0 || !iscmdtype(*optlist[pos]) ||
+			    *optlist[pos] == '!')
 				option = NULL;
 
 			while (isspace(**data)) (*data)++;
diff --git a/src/core/commands.h b/src/core/commands.h
index f5a5c084..6a9d9be4 100644
--- a/src/core/commands.h
+++ b/src/core/commands.h
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ int command_have_sub(const char *command);
    options separated with space, each option can contain a special
    char in front of it:
 
+   '!': no argument (default)
    '-': optional argument
    '+': argument required
    '@': optional numeric argument
@@ -79,7 +80,7 @@ int command_have_sub(const char *command);
    will be merged. If there's any conflicts with option types, the last
    call will override the previous */
 #define iscmdtype(c) \
-        ((c) == '-' || (c) == '+' || (c) == '@')
+        ((c) == '!' || (c) == '-' || (c) == '+' || (c) == '@')
 void command_set_options(const char *cmd, const char *options);
 
 /* Returns TRUE if command has specified option. */
diff --git a/src/fe-text/gui-textwidget.c b/src/fe-text/gui-textwidget.c
index 745162aa..ce2b58a5 100644
--- a/src/fe-text/gui-textwidget.c
+++ b/src/fe-text/gui-textwidget.c
@@ -431,7 +431,7 @@ void gui_textwidget_init(void)
 	command_bind("scrollback goto", NULL, (SIGNAL_FUNC) cmd_scrollback_goto);
 	command_bind("scrollback home", NULL, (SIGNAL_FUNC) cmd_scrollback_home);
 	command_bind("scrollback end", NULL, (SIGNAL_FUNC) cmd_scrollback_end);
-	command_set_options("lastlog", "new away word regexp");
+	command_set_options("lastlog", "!- new away word regexp");
 
 	signal_add("away mode changed", (SIGNAL_FUNC) sig_away_changed);
 }