diff --git a/obmcutil b/obmcutil
index 788a55f..b9c5b18 100755
--- a/obmcutil
+++ b/obmcutil
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@
     echo "obmcutil deletelogs    Delete all phosphor-logging entries from"
     echo "                       system"
     echo ""
-    echo "optional arguments:"
+    echo "optional arguments (must precede the positional options above):"
     echo "  -h, --help          show this help message and exit"
     echo "  -w, --wait          block until state transition succeeds or fails"
     echo "  -v, --verbose       print the journal to stdout if --wait is supplied"
@@ -436,10 +436,12 @@
     esac
 }
 
+shiftcnt=0
 for arg in "$@"; do
     case $arg in
         -w|--wait)
             G_WAIT=30
+            shiftcnt=$((shiftcnt+1))
             continue
             ;;
         -h|--help)
@@ -447,12 +449,15 @@
             ;;
         -v|--verbose)
             G_VERBOSE=y
+            shiftcnt=$((shiftcnt+1))
             ;;
         -*)
             print_usage_err "Unknown option: $arg"
             ;;
         *)
             G_ORIG_CMD=$arg
+            # shift out the optional parameters
+            shift $shiftcnt
             # pass all arguments to handle_cmd in case command takes additional
             # parameters
             handle_cmd "$@"