diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index a8c217fcda..d04d9747d7 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -129,20 +129,18 @@ static int isoptish(const char* text) {
   return text[0] == '-' && (text[1] == '-' || isalpha((unsigned char)text[1]));
 }
 
-static int isoption(const char* text, char shortopt, const char* longopt, size_t *short_opts) {
-  if (text[0] != '-' || text[1] == '-')
-    *short_opts = 0;
-  if (text[0] != '-') return 0;
-
-  // check long option
-  if (text[1] == '-' && !strcmp(text+2, longopt)) return 1;
-  else if (text[1] == '-') return 0;
-
-  // must be short option; check it and...
-  if (!shortopt) return 0;
-  if (strchr(text, shortopt) != NULL) {
-    (*short_opts)++; // ...count it (for option stacking)
-    return 1;
+static int isoption(const char** text, char shortopt, const char* longopt, int is_short) {
+  if (is_short) {
+    if (shortopt && **text == shortopt) {
+      (*text)++;
+      if (!**text) *text = NULL;
+      return 1;
+    }
+  } else {
+    if (longopt != NULL && !strcmp(*text, longopt)) {
+      *text = NULL;
+      return 1;
+    }
   }
   return 0;
 }
@@ -344,9 +342,8 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
   int further_args_are_json = 0;
   int args_done = 0;
   int jq_flags = 0;
-  size_t short_opts = 0;
   jv lib_search_paths = jv_null();
-  for (int i=1; i<argc; i++, short_opts = 0) {
+  for (int i=1; i<argc; i++) {
     if (args_done || !isoptish(argv[i])) {
       if (!program) {
         program = argv[i];
@@ -366,223 +363,172 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
     } else if (!strcmp(argv[i], "--")) {
       args_done = 1;
     } else {
-      if (argv[i][1] == 'L') {
-        if (jv_get_kind(lib_search_paths) == JV_KIND_NULL)
-          lib_search_paths = jv_array();
-        if (argv[i][2] != 0) { // -Lname (faster check than strlen)
-            lib_search_paths = jv_array_append(lib_search_paths, jq_realpath(jv_string(argv[i]+2)));
-        } else if (i >= argc - 1) {
-          fprintf(stderr, "-L takes a parameter: (e.g. -L /search/path or -L/search/path)\n");
-          die();
-        } else {
-          lib_search_paths = jv_array_append(lib_search_paths, jq_realpath(jv_string(argv[i+1])));
-          i++;
-        }
-        continue;
-      }
-
-      if (isoption(argv[i], 's', "slurp", &short_opts)) {
-        options |= SLURP;
-        if (!short_opts) continue;
-      }
-      if (isoption(argv[i], 'r', "raw-output", &short_opts)) {
-        options |= RAW_OUTPUT;
-        if (!short_opts) continue;
-      }
-      if (isoption(argv[i], 0, "raw-output0", &short_opts)) {
-        options |= RAW_OUTPUT | RAW_NO_LF | RAW_OUTPUT0;
-        if (!short_opts) continue;
-      }
-      if (isoption(argv[i], 'j', "join-output", &short_opts)) {
-        options |= RAW_OUTPUT | RAW_NO_LF;
-        if (!short_opts) continue;
-      }
-      if (isoption(argv[i], 'c', "compact-output", &short_opts)) {
-        dumpopts &= ~(JV_PRINT_TAB | JV_PRINT_INDENT_FLAGS(7));
-        if (!short_opts) continue;
-      }
-      if (isoption(argv[i], 'C', "color-output", &short_opts)) {
-        options |= COLOR_OUTPUT;
-        if (!short_opts) continue;
-      }
-      if (isoption(argv[i], 'M', "monochrome-output", &short_opts)) {
-        options |= NO_COLOR_OUTPUT;
-        if (!short_opts) continue;
-      }
-      if (isoption(argv[i], 'a', "ascii-output", &short_opts)) {
-        options |= ASCII_OUTPUT;
-        if (!short_opts) continue;
-      }
-      if (isoption(argv[i], 0, "unbuffered", &short_opts)) {
-        options |= UNBUFFERED_OUTPUT;
-        continue;
-      }
-      if (isoption(argv[i], 'S', "sort-keys", &short_opts)) {
-        options |= SORTED_OUTPUT;
-        if (!short_opts) continue;
-      }
-      if (isoption(argv[i], 'R', "raw-input", &short_opts)) {
-        options |= RAW_INPUT;
-        if (!short_opts) continue;
-      }
-      if (isoption(argv[i], 'n', "null-input", &short_opts)) {
-        options |= PROVIDE_NULL;
-        if (!short_opts) continue;
-      }
-      if (isoption(argv[i], 'f', "from-file", &short_opts)) {
-        options |= FROM_FILE;
-        if (!short_opts) continue;
-      }
-      if (isoption(argv[i], 'b', "binary", &short_opts)) {
+      const char* text = argv[i];
+      int is_short;
+      // First '-' already checked by isoptish
+      if (text[1] == '-') {
+        text += 2;
+        is_short = 0;
+      } else {
+        text++;
+        is_short = 1;
+      }
+      int raw; // Temporary for --rawfile
+
+      // Parse a long option in one iteration or iterate over short options
+      while (text != NULL) {
+        if (isoption(&text, 's', "slurp", is_short)) {
+          options |= SLURP;
+        } else if (isoption(&text, 'r', "raw-output", is_short)) {
+          options |= RAW_OUTPUT;
+        } else if (isoption(&text, 0, "raw-output0", is_short)) {
+          options |= RAW_OUTPUT | RAW_NO_LF | RAW_OUTPUT0;
+        } else if (isoption(&text, 'j', "join-output", is_short)) {
+          options |= RAW_OUTPUT | RAW_NO_LF;
+        } else if (isoption(&text, 'c', "compact-output", is_short)) {
+          dumpopts &= ~(JV_PRINT_TAB | JV_PRINT_INDENT_FLAGS(7));
+        } else if (isoption(&text, 'C', "color-output", is_short)) {
+          options |= COLOR_OUTPUT;
+        } else if (isoption(&text, 'M', "monochrome-output", is_short)) {
+          options |= NO_COLOR_OUTPUT;
+        } else if (isoption(&text, 'a', "ascii-output", is_short)) {
+          options |= ASCII_OUTPUT;
+        } else if (isoption(&text, 0, "unbuffered", is_short)) {
+          options |= UNBUFFERED_OUTPUT;
+        } else if (isoption(&text, 'S', "sort-keys", is_short)) {
+          options |= SORTED_OUTPUT;
+        } else if (isoption(&text, 'R', "raw-input", is_short)) {
+          options |= RAW_INPUT;
+        } else if (isoption(&text, 'n', "null-input", is_short)) {
+          options |= PROVIDE_NULL;
+        } else if (isoption(&text, 'f', "from-file", is_short)) {
+          options |= FROM_FILE;
+        } else if (isoption(&text, 'L', NULL, is_short)) {
+          if (jv_get_kind(lib_search_paths) == JV_KIND_NULL)
+            lib_search_paths = jv_array();
+          if (text != NULL) { // -Lname
+            lib_search_paths = jv_array_append(lib_search_paths, jq_realpath(jv_string(text)));
+            text = NULL;
+          } else if (i >= argc - 1) {
+            fprintf(stderr, "-L takes a parameter: (e.g. -L /search/path or -L/search/path)\n");
+            die();
+          } else {
+            lib_search_paths = jv_array_append(lib_search_paths, jq_realpath(jv_string(argv[i+1])));
+            i++;
+          }
+        } else if (isoption(&text, 'b', "binary", is_short)) {
 #ifdef WIN32
-        fflush(stdout);
-        fflush(stderr);
-        _setmode(fileno(stdin),  _O_BINARY);
-        _setmode(fileno(stdout), _O_BINARY);
-        _setmode(fileno(stderr), _O_BINARY);
+          fflush(stdout);
+          fflush(stderr);
+          _setmode(fileno(stdin),  _O_BINARY);
+          _setmode(fileno(stdout), _O_BINARY);
+          _setmode(fileno(stderr), _O_BINARY);
 #endif
-        if (!short_opts) continue;
-      }
-      if (isoption(argv[i], 0, "tab", &short_opts)) {
-        dumpopts &= ~JV_PRINT_INDENT_FLAGS(7);
-        dumpopts |= JV_PRINT_TAB | JV_PRINT_PRETTY;
-        continue;
-      }
-      if (isoption(argv[i], 0, "indent", &short_opts)) {
-        if (i >= argc - 1) {
-          fprintf(stderr, "%s: --indent takes one parameter\n", progname);
-          die();
-        }
-        dumpopts &= ~(JV_PRINT_TAB | JV_PRINT_INDENT_FLAGS(7));
-        int indent = atoi(argv[i+1]);
-        if (indent < -1 || indent > 7) {
-          fprintf(stderr, "%s: --indent takes a number between -1 and 7\n", progname);
-          die();
-        }
-        dumpopts |= JV_PRINT_INDENT_FLAGS(indent);
-        i++;
-        continue;
-      }
-      if (isoption(argv[i], 0, "seq", &short_opts)) {
-        options |= SEQ;
-        continue;
-      }
-      if (isoption(argv[i], 0, "stream", &short_opts)) {
-        parser_flags |= JV_PARSE_STREAMING;
-        continue;
-      }
-      if (isoption(argv[i], 0, "stream-errors", &short_opts)) {
-        parser_flags |= JV_PARSE_STREAMING | JV_PARSE_STREAM_ERRORS;
-        continue;
-      }
-      if (isoption(argv[i], 'e', "exit-status", &short_opts)) {
-        options |= EXIT_STATUS;
-        if (!short_opts) continue;
-      }
-      // FIXME: For --arg* we should check that the varname is acceptable
-      if (isoption(argv[i], 0, "args", &short_opts)) {
-        further_args_are_strings = 1;
-        further_args_are_json = 0;
-        continue;
-      }
-      if (isoption(argv[i], 0, "jsonargs", &short_opts)) {
-        further_args_are_strings = 0;
-        further_args_are_json = 1;
-        continue;
-      }
-      if (isoption(argv[i], 0, "arg", &short_opts)) {
-        if (i >= argc - 2) {
-          fprintf(stderr, "%s: --arg takes two parameters (e.g. --arg varname value)\n", progname);
-          die();
-        }
-        if (!jv_object_has(jv_copy(program_arguments), jv_string(argv[i+1])))
-          program_arguments = jv_object_set(program_arguments, jv_string(argv[i+1]), jv_string(argv[i+2]));
-        i += 2; // skip the next two arguments
-        continue;
-      }
-      if (isoption(argv[i], 0, "argjson", &short_opts)) {
-        if (i >= argc - 2) {
-          fprintf(stderr, "%s: --argjson takes two parameters (e.g. --argjson varname text)\n", progname);
-          die();
-        }
-        if (!jv_object_has(jv_copy(program_arguments), jv_string(argv[i+1]))) {
-          jv v = jv_parse(argv[i+2]);
-          if (!jv_is_valid(v)) {
-            fprintf(stderr, "%s: invalid JSON text passed to --argjson\n", progname);
+        } else if (isoption(&text, 0, "tab", is_short)) {
+          dumpopts &= ~JV_PRINT_INDENT_FLAGS(7);
+          dumpopts |= JV_PRINT_TAB | JV_PRINT_PRETTY;
+        } else if (isoption(&text, 0, "indent", is_short)) {
+          if (i >= argc - 1) {
+            fprintf(stderr, "%s: --indent takes one parameter\n", progname);
             die();
           }
-          program_arguments = jv_object_set(program_arguments, jv_string(argv[i+1]), v);
-        }
-        i += 2; // skip the next two arguments
-        continue;
-      }
-      if (isoption(argv[i], 0, "rawfile", &short_opts) ||
-          isoption(argv[i], 0, "slurpfile", &short_opts)) {
-        int raw = isoption(argv[i], 0, "rawfile", &short_opts);
-        const char *which;
-        if (raw)
-          which = "rawfile";
-        else
-          which = "slurpfile";
-        if (i >= argc - 2) {
-          fprintf(stderr, "%s: --%s takes two parameters (e.g. --%s varname filename)\n", progname, which, which);
-          die();
-        }
-        if (!jv_object_has(jv_copy(program_arguments), jv_string(argv[i+1]))) {
-          jv data = jv_load_file(argv[i+2], raw);
-          if (!jv_is_valid(data)) {
-            data = jv_invalid_get_msg(data);
-            fprintf(stderr, "%s: Bad JSON in --%s %s %s: %s\n", progname, which,
-                    argv[i+1], argv[i+2], jv_string_value(data));
-            jv_free(data);
-            ret = JQ_ERROR_SYSTEM;
-            goto out;
+          dumpopts &= ~(JV_PRINT_TAB | JV_PRINT_INDENT_FLAGS(7));
+          int indent = atoi(argv[i+1]);
+          if (indent < -1 || indent > 7) {
+            fprintf(stderr, "%s: --indent takes a number between -1 and 7\n", progname);
+            die();
+          }
+          dumpopts |= JV_PRINT_INDENT_FLAGS(indent);
+          i++;
+        } else if (isoption(&text, 0, "seq", is_short)) {
+          options |= SEQ;
+        } else if (isoption(&text, 0, "stream", is_short)) {
+          parser_flags |= JV_PARSE_STREAMING;
+        } else if (isoption(&text, 0, "stream-errors", is_short)) {
+          parser_flags |= JV_PARSE_STREAMING | JV_PARSE_STREAM_ERRORS;
+        } else if (isoption(&text, 'e', "exit-status", is_short)) {
+          options |= EXIT_STATUS;
+        } else if (isoption(&text, 0, "args", is_short)) {
+          further_args_are_strings = 1;
+          further_args_are_json = 0;
+        } else if (isoption(&text, 0, "jsonargs", is_short)) {
+          further_args_are_strings = 0;
+          further_args_are_json = 1;
+        } else if (isoption(&text, 0, "arg", is_short)) {
+          // FIXME: For --arg and --argjson we should check that the varname is acceptable
+          if (i >= argc - 2) {
+            fprintf(stderr, "%s: --arg takes two parameters (e.g. --arg varname value)\n", progname);
+            die();
+          }
+          if (!jv_object_has(jv_copy(program_arguments), jv_string(argv[i+1])))
+            program_arguments = jv_object_set(program_arguments, jv_string(argv[i+1]), jv_string(argv[i+2]));
+          i += 2; // skip the next two arguments
+        } else if (isoption(&text, 0, "argjson", is_short)) {
+          if (i >= argc - 2) {
+            fprintf(stderr, "%s: --argjson takes two parameters (e.g. --argjson varname text)\n", progname);
+            die();
+          }
+          if (!jv_object_has(jv_copy(program_arguments), jv_string(argv[i+1]))) {
+            jv v = jv_parse(argv[i+2]);
+            if (!jv_is_valid(v)) {
+              fprintf(stderr, "%s: invalid JSON text passed to --argjson\n", progname);
+              die();
+            }
+            program_arguments = jv_object_set(program_arguments, jv_string(argv[i+1]), v);
           }
-          program_arguments = jv_object_set(program_arguments, jv_string(argv[i+1]), data);
+          i += 2; // skip the next two arguments
+        } else if ((raw = isoption(&text, 0, "rawfile", is_short)) ||
+            isoption(&text, 0, "slurpfile", is_short)) {
+          const char *which = raw ? "rawfile" : "slurpfile";
+          if (i >= argc - 2) {
+            fprintf(stderr, "%s: --%s takes two parameters (e.g. --%s varname filename)\n", progname, which, which);
+            die();
+          }
+          if (!jv_object_has(jv_copy(program_arguments), jv_string(argv[i+1]))) {
+            jv data = jv_load_file(argv[i+2], raw);
+            if (!jv_is_valid(data)) {
+              data = jv_invalid_get_msg(data);
+              fprintf(stderr, "%s: Bad JSON in --%s %s %s: %s\n", progname, which,
+                      argv[i+1], argv[i+2], jv_string_value(data));
+              jv_free(data);
+              ret = JQ_ERROR_SYSTEM;
+              goto out;
+            }
+            program_arguments = jv_object_set(program_arguments, jv_string(argv[i+1]), data);
+          }
+          i += 2; // skip the next two arguments
+        } else if (isoption(&text,  0,  "debug-dump-disasm", is_short)) {
+          options |= DUMP_DISASM;
+        } else if (isoption(&text,  0,  "debug-trace=all", is_short)) {
+          jq_flags |= JQ_DEBUG_TRACE_ALL;
+        } else if (isoption(&text,  0,  "debug-trace", is_short)) {
+          jq_flags |= JQ_DEBUG_TRACE;
+        } else if (isoption(&text, 'h', "help", is_short)) {
+          usage(0, 0);
+        } else if (isoption(&text, 'V', "version", is_short)) {
+          printf("jq-%s\n", JQ_VERSION);
+          ret = JQ_OK;
+          goto out;
+        } else if (isoption(&text, 0, "build-configuration", is_short)) {
+          printf("%s\n", JQ_CONFIG);
+          ret = JQ_OK;
+          goto out;
+        } else if (isoption(&text, 0, "run-tests", is_short)) {
+          i++;
+          // XXX Pass program_arguments, even a whole jq_state *, through;
+          // could be useful for testing
+          ret = jq_testsuite(lib_search_paths,
+                             (options & DUMP_DISASM) || (jq_flags & JQ_DEBUG_TRACE),
+                             argc - i, argv + i);
+          goto out;
+        } else {
+          if (is_short) {
+            fprintf(stderr, "%s: Unknown option -%c\n", progname, text[0]);
+          } else {
+            fprintf(stderr, "%s: Unknown option --%s\n", progname, text);
+          }
+          die();
         }
-        i += 2; // skip the next two arguments
-        continue;
-      }
-      if (isoption(argv[i],  0,  "debug-dump-disasm", &short_opts)) {
-        options |= DUMP_DISASM;
-        continue;
-      }
-      if (isoption(argv[i],  0,  "debug-trace=all", &short_opts)) {
-        jq_flags |= JQ_DEBUG_TRACE_ALL;
-        if (!short_opts) continue;
-      }
-      if (isoption(argv[i],  0,  "debug-trace", &short_opts)) {
-        jq_flags |= JQ_DEBUG_TRACE;
-        continue;
-      }
-      if (isoption(argv[i], 'h', "help", &short_opts)) {
-        usage(0, 0);
-        if (!short_opts) continue;
-      }
-      if (isoption(argv[i], 'V', "version", &short_opts)) {
-        printf("jq-%s\n", JQ_VERSION);
-        ret = JQ_OK;
-        goto out;
-      }
-      if (isoption(argv[i], 0, "build-configuration", &short_opts)) {
-        printf("%s\n", JQ_CONFIG);
-        ret = JQ_OK;
-        goto out;
-      }
-      if (isoption(argv[i], 0, "run-tests", &short_opts)) {
-        i++;
-        // XXX Pass program_arguments, even a whole jq_state *, through;
-        // could be useful for testing
-        ret = jq_testsuite(lib_search_paths,
-                           (options & DUMP_DISASM) || (jq_flags & JQ_DEBUG_TRACE),
-                           argc - i, argv + i);
-        goto out;
-      }
-
-      // check for unknown options... if this argument was a short option
-      if (strlen(argv[i]) != short_opts + 1) {
-        fprintf(stderr, "%s: Unknown option %s\n", progname, argv[i]);
-        die();
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/tests/shtest b/tests/shtest
index 4aa27823ce..c14cf1c516 100755
--- a/tests/shtest
+++ b/tests/shtest
@@ -210,6 +210,28 @@ else
   cmp $d/out $d/expected
 fi
 
+# Regression tests for #3194
+echo 42 > $d/expected
+$JQ -nn 42 > $d/out 2>&1
+cmp $d/out $d/expected
+
+$JQ -nL. 42 > $d/out 2>&1
+cmp $d/out $d/expected
+$JQ -nL . 42 > $d/out 2>&1
+cmp $d/out $d/expected
+
+$JQ -h > $d/expected 2>&1
+$JQ -hV > $d/out 2>&1
+cmp $d/out $d/expected
+$JQ --help --version > $d/out 2>&1
+cmp $d/out $d/expected
+
+$JQ -V > $d/expected 2>&1
+$JQ -Vh > $d/out 2>&1
+cmp $d/out $d/expected
+$JQ --version --help > $d/out 2>&1
+cmp $d/out $d/expected
+
 ## Test streaming parser
 
 ## If we add an option to stream to the `import ... as $symbol;` directive