diff --git a/cmd/restic/global.go b/cmd/restic/global.go
index 2c73da530..5d9875fce 100644
--- a/cmd/restic/global.go
+++ b/cmd/restic/global.go
@@ -21,11 +21,13 @@ import (
 var version = "compiled manually"
 var compiledAt = "unknown time"
 
+// GlobalOptions holds all those options that can be set for every command.
 type GlobalOptions struct {
-	Repo     string `short:"r" long:"repo"                      description:"Repository directory to backup to/restore from"`
-	CacheDir string `          long:"cache-dir"                 description:"Directory to use as a local cache"`
-	Quiet    bool   `short:"q" long:"quiet"     default:"false" description:"Do not output comprehensive progress report"`
-	NoLock   bool   `          long:"no-lock"   default:"false" description:"Do not lock the repo, this allows some operations on read-only repos."`
+	Repo     string   `short:"r" long:"repo"                      description:"Repository directory to backup to/restore from"`
+	CacheDir string   `          long:"cache-dir"                 description:"Directory to use as a local cache"`
+	Quiet    bool     `short:"q" long:"quiet"     default:"false" description:"Do not output comprehensive progress report"`
+	NoLock   bool     `          long:"no-lock"   default:"false" description:"Do not lock the repo, this allows some operations on read-only repos."`
+	Options  []string `short:"o" long:"option"                    description:"Specify options in the form 'foo.key=value'"`
 
 	password string
 	stdout   io.Writer
@@ -33,8 +35,9 @@ type GlobalOptions struct {
 }
 
 var globalOpts = GlobalOptions{stdout: os.Stdout, stderr: os.Stderr}
-var parser = flags.NewParser(&globalOpts, flags.Default)
+var parser = flags.NewParser(&globalOpts, flags.HelpFlag|flags.PassDoubleDash)
 
+// Printf writes the message to the configured stdout stream.
 func (o GlobalOptions) Printf(format string, args ...interface{}) {
 	_, err := fmt.Fprintf(o.stdout, format, args...)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -43,6 +46,7 @@ func (o GlobalOptions) Printf(format string, args ...interface{}) {
 	}
 }
 
+// Verbosef calls Printf to write the message when the verbose flag is set.
 func (o GlobalOptions) Verbosef(format string, args ...interface{}) {
 	if o.Quiet {
 		return
@@ -51,6 +55,8 @@ func (o GlobalOptions) Verbosef(format string, args ...interface{}) {
 	o.Printf(format, args...)
 }
 
+// ShowProgress returns true iff the progress status should be written, i.e.
+// the quiet flag is not set and the output is a terminal.
 func (o GlobalOptions) ShowProgress() bool {
 	if o.Quiet {
 		return false
@@ -63,6 +69,7 @@ func (o GlobalOptions) ShowProgress() bool {
 	return true
 }
 
+// Warnf writes the message to the configured stderr stream.
 func (o GlobalOptions) Warnf(format string, args ...interface{}) {
 	_, err := fmt.Fprintf(o.stderr, format, args...)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -71,6 +78,7 @@ func (o GlobalOptions) Warnf(format string, args ...interface{}) {
 	}
 }
 
+// Exitf uses Warnf to write the message and then calls os.Exit(exitcode).
 func (o GlobalOptions) Exitf(exitcode int, format string, args ...interface{}) {
 	if format[len(format)-1] != '\n' {
 		format += "\n"
@@ -108,6 +116,7 @@ func readPasswordTerminal(in *os.File, out io.Writer, prompt string) (password s
 	return password, nil
 }
 
+// ReadPassword reads the password from stdin.
 func (o GlobalOptions) ReadPassword(prompt string) string {
 	var (
 		password string
@@ -131,6 +140,8 @@ func (o GlobalOptions) ReadPassword(prompt string) string {
 	return password
 }
 
+// ReadPasswordTwice calls ReadPassword two times and returns an error when the
+// passwords don't match.
 func (o GlobalOptions) ReadPasswordTwice(prompt1, prompt2 string) string {
 	pw1 := o.ReadPassword(prompt1)
 	pw2 := o.ReadPassword(prompt2)
@@ -141,6 +152,7 @@ func (o GlobalOptions) ReadPasswordTwice(prompt1, prompt2 string) string {
 	return pw1
 }
 
+// OpenRepository reads the password and opens the repository.
 func (o GlobalOptions) OpenRepository() (*repository.Repository, error) {
 	if o.Repo == "" {
 		return nil, errors.New("Please specify repository location (-r)")
diff --git a/cmd/restic/main.go b/cmd/restic/main.go
index a11bab84f..32598fe23 100644
--- a/cmd/restic/main.go
+++ b/cmd/restic/main.go
@@ -25,9 +25,14 @@ func main() {
 
 	_, err := parser.Parse()
 	if e, ok := err.(*flags.Error); ok && e.Type == flags.ErrHelp {
+		parser.WriteHelp(os.Stdout)
 		os.Exit(0)
 	}
 
+	if err != nil {
+		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "%v\n", err)
+	}
+
 	if restic.IsAlreadyLocked(err) {
 		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "\nthe `unlock` command can be used to remove stale locks\n")
 	}