diff --git a/ask.c b/ask.c
index 64822db..2a46ac6 100644
--- a/ask.c
+++ b/ask.c
@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
 /* ask - a simple command line asker
  * Copyright 2019 Bruce Hill
  * Released under the MIT License (see LICENSE for details)
- * Usage: ask [-p | --password] [-q | --quickpick] [prompt [initial value]]
- *    -p: password mode
- *    -q: quickpick mode (exit when only one option remains)
+ * Usage: ask [-q|--quickpick] [-p|--password] [-v|--version] [-h|--help] [--initial=initial] [prompt [options...]]
+ *    --password: password mode
+ *    --quickpick: quickpick mode (exit when only one option remains)
+ *    --version: print version and exit
+ *    --help: print usage and exit
+ *    --initial: initial value to pre-populate user input
  */
 #include <poll.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
@@ -118,10 +121,11 @@ static char *get_input(FILE *in, FILE *out, const char *prompt, const char *init
                 bestscore = s;
             }
         }
-        if (quickpick && ncandidates == 1 && best)
-            return best;
 
         picked = best;
+        if (quickpick && ncandidates == 1 && best)
+            goto finished;
+
         if (password) {
             if (best) fputs("\033[0;32m", out);
             else if (nopts > 0) fputs("\033[0;31m", out);
@@ -246,15 +250,28 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     }
     int a = 1;
     while (a < argc) {
-        if (strcmp(argv[a], "-p") == 0 || strcmp(argv[a], "--password") == 0) {
+        if (argv[a][0] == '-' && argv[a][1] != '-') {
+            for (char *p = &argv[a][1]; *p; p++) {
+                switch (*p) {
+                    case 'p': password = 1; break;
+                    case 'q': quickpick = 1; break;
+                    case 'h': goto help_flag;
+                    case 'v': goto version_flag;
+                }
+            }
+        } else if (strncmp(argv[a], "--initial=", strlen("--initial=")) == 0) {
+            initial = &argv[a][strlen("--initial=")];
+        } else if (strcmp(argv[a], "--password") == 0) {
             password = 1;
-        } else if (strcmp(argv[a], "-q") == 0 || strcmp(argv[a], "--quickpick") == 0) {
+        } else if (strcmp(argv[a], "--quickpick") == 0) {
             quickpick = 1;
-        } else if (strcmp(argv[a], "-h") == 0 || strcmp(argv[a], "--help") == 0) {
+        } else if (strcmp(argv[a], "--help") == 0) {
+          help_flag:
             printf("ask - A simple command line input tool.\n"
-                   "Usage: ask [-q|--quickpick] [-p|--password] [-v|--version] [-h|--help] [prompt [initial [options...]]]\n");
+                   "Usage: ask [-q|--quickpick] [-p|--password] [-v|--version] [-h|--help] [--initial=initial] [prompt [options...]]\n");
             return 0;
-        } else if (strcmp(argv[a], "-v") == 0 || strcmp(argv[a], "--version") == 0) {
+        } else if (strcmp(argv[a], "--version") == 0) {
+          version_flag:
             printf("ask v0.1\n");
             return 0;
         } else break;
@@ -262,7 +279,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     }
     if (!prompt && a < argc) prompt = argv[a++];
     if (!prompt) prompt = "> ";
-    if (!initial && a < argc) initial = argv[a++];
 
     while (a < argc) {
         if ((size_t)nlines >= linescap)