diff --git a/lib/opts.ps1 b/lib/opts.ps1
index 6a981bdec..34ceb8fb1 100644
--- a/lib/opts.ps1
+++ b/lib/opts.ps1
@@ -1,29 +1,3 @@
-function parse_args($a) {
-	$apps = @(); $arch = $null; $global = $false
-
-	for($i = 0; $i -lt $a.length; $i++) {
-		$arg = $a[$i]
-		if($arg.startswith('-')) {
-			switch($arg) {
-				'-arch' {
-					if($a.length -gt $i + 1) { $arch = $a[$i++] }
-					else { write-host '-arch parameter requires a value'; exit 1 }
-				}
-				'-global' {
-					$global = $true
-				}
-				default {
-					write-host "unrecognised parameter: $arg"; exit 1
-				}
-			}
-		} else {
-			$apps += $arg
-		}
-	}
-
-	$apps, $arch, $global
-}
-
 # adapted from http://hg.python.org/cpython/file/2.7/Lib/getopt.py
 # returns @(opts hash, rem_args array, error string)
 function getopt($argv, $shortopts, $longopts) {
@@ -75,6 +49,8 @@ function getopt($argv, $shortopts, $longopts) {
 					return err "option -$letter not recognized"
 				}
 			}
+		} else {
+			$rem += $arg
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/libexec/scoop-install.ps1 b/libexec/scoop-install.ps1
index 66783b3f8..a51581ba9 100644
--- a/libexec/scoop-install.ps1
+++ b/libexec/scoop-install.ps1
@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@
 # When installing from your computer, you can leave the .json extension off if you like.
 #
 # Options:
-#   -arch 32bit|64bit   use the specified architecture, if the app supports it
-#   -global             install the app globally
+#   -a, --arch <32bit|64bit>  use the specified architecture, if the app supports it
+#   -g, --global              install the app globally
 
 . "$psscriptroot\..\lib\core.ps1"
 . "$psscriptroot\..\lib\manifest.ps1"
@@ -76,7 +76,11 @@ function install($app, $architecture, $global) {
 	show_notes $manifest
 }
 
-$apps, $architecture, $global = parse_args $args
+$opt, $apps, $err = getopt $args 'ga:' 'global', 'arch='
+if($err) { "scoop install: $err"; exit 1 }
+
+$global = $opt.g -or $opt.global
+$architecture = $opt.a + $opt.arch
 
 switch($architecture) {
 	'' { $architecture = architecture }
diff --git a/test/opts.ps1 b/test/opts.ps1
index af6370fe4..8452ad91f 100644
--- a/test/opts.ps1
+++ b/test/opts.ps1
@@ -26,13 +26,22 @@ test 'handle unrecognized long option' {
 	assert $err -ne $null
 	assert $err -eq 'option --non-exist not recognized'
 
-	$null, $null, $err = getopt '--global', '--another' 'abc:de:' 'global', 'one'
+	$null, $null, $err = getopt '--global','--another' 'abc:de:' 'global','one'
 	assert $err -eq 'option --another not recognized'
 }
 
+test 'remaining args returned' {
+	$opt, $rem, $err = getopt '-g','rem' 'g' ''
+	assert $err -eq $null
+	assert $opt.g -eq $true
+	assert $rem -ne $null
+	assert $rem.length -eq 1
+	assert $rem[0] -eq 'rem'
+}
+
 test 'get a long flag and a short option with argument' {
 	$a = "--global -a 32bit test" -split ' '
-	$opt, $rem, $err = getopt $a 'ga:' 'global', 'arch='
+	$opt, $rem, $err = getopt $a 'ga:' 'global','arch='
 	assert $err -eq $null
 	assert $opt.global -eq $true
 	assert $opt.a -eq '32bit'