diff --git a/bin/cmdtest.rb b/bin/cmdtest.rb
index 8e373fe..54612a0 100755
--- a/bin/cmdtest.rb
+++ b/bin/cmdtest.rb
@@ -572,6 +572,7 @@ module Cmdtest
 
     def _parse_options
       pr = @argument_parser = ArgumentParser.new("cmdtest")
+      pr.add("-h", "--help",         "show this help message and exit")
       pr.add("",   "--version",      "show version")
       pr.add("-q", "--quiet",        "be more quiet")
       pr.add("-v", "--verbose",      "be more verbose")
@@ -585,7 +586,13 @@ module Cmdtest
       pr.add("-i", "--incremental",  "incremental mode")
       pr.add("",   "--slave",        "run in slave mode", type: String)
       pr.addpos("arg", "testfile or pattern", nargs: 0..999)
-      return pr.parse_args(ARGV, patterns: [], ruby_s: Util.windows?)
+
+      opts = pr.parse_args(ARGV, patterns: [], ruby_s: Util.windows?)
+      if opts.help
+        pr.print_usage()
+        exit(0)
+      end
+      return opts
     end
 
     def run
diff --git a/lib/cmdtest/argumentparser.rb b/lib/cmdtest/argumentparser.rb
index 3ee0ae9..1cf237a 100644
--- a/lib/cmdtest/argumentparser.rb
+++ b/lib/cmdtest/argumentparser.rb
@@ -133,8 +133,6 @@ module Cmdtest
             @help = false
 
             @args = []
-
-            add("-h", "--help", "show this help message and exit")
         end
 
         def add(sname, name, help, args = {})
@@ -206,11 +204,6 @@ module Cmdtest
 
             @optind = 0
             while _more_args() && _arg() =~ /^-./
-                if _arg() == "-h"
-                    print_usage()
-                    exit(0)
-                end
-
                 if _arg() == "--"
                     @optind += 1
                     break