diff --git a/libutil/util_opt.c b/libutil/util_opt.c
index bdc028e1..c6daa14e 100644
--- a/libutil/util_opt.c
+++ b/libutil/util_opt.c
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ struct util_opt_l *util_opt_l = &l;
 #define MAX_OPTLEN	256
 
 static int opt_max_len(void);
+static bool opt_is_active(struct util_opt *opt);
 
 /**
  * Initialize the command line options
@@ -68,7 +69,9 @@ void util_opt_init(struct util_opt *opt_vec, const char *opt_prefix)
 
 	opterr = 0;
 	/* Get number of options */
-	for (count = 0; opt_vec[count].desc != NULL; count++);
+	for (i = 0, count = 0; opt_vec[i].desc != NULL; i++)
+		if (opt_is_active(&opt_vec[i]))
+			count++;
 	/*
 	 * Allocate short option string for worst case when all options have
 	 * optional parameters e.g "x::" and long option string.
@@ -85,7 +88,9 @@ void util_opt_init(struct util_opt *opt_vec, const char *opt_prefix)
 	/* Force getopt_long() to return ':' for missing required arguments */
 	*str++ = ':';
 	/* Construction of input structures for getopt_long() function.  */
-	for (i = 0, j = 0; i < count; i++) {
+	for (i = 0, j = 0; opt_vec[i].desc != NULL; i++) {
+		if (!opt_is_active(&opt_vec[i]))
+			continue;
 		if (opt_vec[i].flags & UTIL_OPT_FLAG_SECTION)
 			continue;
 		if (!(opt_vec[i].flags & UTIL_OPT_FLAG_NOLONG)) {
diff --git a/libutil/util_opt_command_example.c b/libutil/util_opt_command_example.c
index a8fbf70b..a87ed5a0 100644
--- a/libutil/util_opt_command_example.c
+++ b/libutil/util_opt_command_example.c
@@ -42,6 +42,12 @@ static struct util_opt opt_vec[] = {
 		.desc = "Option with a required argument REQ_ARG",
 		.command = COMMAND_PULL,
 	},
+	{
+		.option = { "test", required_argument, NULL, 't'},
+		.argument = "TEST",
+		.desc = "Option 'test' with a required argument TEST for pull",
+		.command = COMMAND_PULL,
+	},
 	{
 		.desc = "OPTIONS",
 		.flags = UTIL_OPT_FLAG_SECTION,
@@ -57,7 +63,12 @@ static struct util_opt opt_vec[] = {
 		.option = { NULL, no_argument, NULL, 'l'},
 		.desc = "Option with only a short name",
 		.flags = UTIL_OPT_FLAG_NOLONG,
-		.command = "push",
+		.command = COMMAND_PUSH,
+	},
+	{
+		.option = { "test", no_argument, NULL, 't'},
+		.desc = "Option 'test' without an argument for push",
+		.command = COMMAND_PUSH,
 	},
 	UTIL_OPT_SECTION("COMMON OPTIONS"),
 	/* Standard option: -h,--help */
@@ -122,9 +133,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	char **my_argv = argv;
 	char *command = NULL;
 
-	/* Install option vector */
-	util_opt_init(opt_vec, NULL);
-
 	/* The command name is the very first argument */
 	if (argc >= 2 && strncmp(argv[1], "-", 1) != 0) {
 		command = argv[1];
@@ -144,6 +152,9 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	util_opt_set_command(command);
 	util_prg_set_command(command);
 
+	/* Install option vector */
+	util_opt_init(opt_vec, NULL);
+
 	/* Parse all options specified in my_argv[] */
 	while (1) {
 		/* Get the next option 'c' from my_argv[] */
@@ -173,6 +184,9 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		case 'l':
 			printf("Specified: -l\n");
 			break;
+		case 't':
+			printf("Specified: --test %s\n", optarg ? optarg : "");
+			break;
 		default:
 			util_opt_print_parse_error(c, my_argv);
 			return EXIT_FAILURE;