diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0f4e646..4a64329 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -318,6 +318,9 @@ introduced between each file).
 
 ### head([{'-n', \<num\>},] file [, file ...])
 ### head([{'-n', \<num\>},] file_array)
+Available options:
+
++ `-n <num>`: Show the first `<num>` lines of the files
 
 Examples:
 
@@ -327,12 +330,14 @@ var str = head('file1', 'file2');
 var str = head(['file1', 'file2']); // same as above
 ```
 
-Output the first 10 lines of a file (or the first `<num>` if `-n` is
-specified)
+Read the start of a file.
 
 
 ### tail([{'-n', \<num\>},] file [, file ...])
 ### tail([{'-n', \<num\>},] file_array)
+Available options:
+
++ `-n <num>`: Show the last `<num>` lines of the files
 
 Examples:
 
@@ -342,8 +347,7 @@ var str = tail('file1', 'file2');
 var str = tail(['file1', 'file2']); // same as above
 ```
 
-Output the last 10 lines of a file (or the last `<num>` if `-n` is
-specified)
+Read the end of a file.
 
 
 ### ShellString.prototype.to(file)
diff --git a/src/common.js b/src/common.js
index 3986d42..a154431 100644
--- a/src/common.js
+++ b/src/common.js
@@ -315,9 +315,16 @@ function wrap(cmd, fn, options) {
 
         // Perform glob-expansion on all arguments after globStart, but preserve
         // the arguments before it (like regexes for sed and grep)
-        if (!config.noglob && typeof options.globStart === 'number')
+        if (!config.noglob && typeof options.globStart === 'number') {
           args = args.slice(0, options.globStart).concat(expand(args.slice(options.globStart)));
+        }
+
         try {
+          // parse options if options are provided
+          if (typeof options.cmdOptions === 'object') {
+            args[0] = parseOptions(args[0], options.cmdOptions);
+          }
+
           retValue = fn.apply(this, args);
         } catch (e) {
           if (e.msg === 'earlyExit')
diff --git a/src/cp.js b/src/cp.js
index d124c48..133fe08 100644
--- a/src/cp.js
+++ b/src/cp.js
@@ -3,7 +3,15 @@ var path = require('path');
 var common = require('./common');
 var os = require('os');
 
-common.register('cp', _cp, {globStart: 1});
+common.register('cp', _cp, {globStart: 1, cmdOptions: {
+    'f': '!no_force',
+    'n': 'no_force',
+    'R': 'recursive',
+    'r': 'recursive',
+    'L': 'followsymlink',
+    'P': 'noFollowsymlink',
+  }
+});
 
 // Buffered file copy, synchronous
 // (Using readFileSync() + writeFileSync() could easily cause a memory overflow
@@ -173,15 +181,6 @@ function cpcheckcycle(sourceDir, srcFile) {
 //@
 //@ Copies files.
 function _cp(options, sources, dest) {
-  options = common.parseOptions(options, {
-    'f': '!no_force',
-    'n': 'no_force',
-    'R': 'recursive',
-    'r': 'recursive',
-    'L': 'followsymlink',
-    'P': 'noFollowsymlink',
-  });
-
   // If we're missing -R, it actually implies -L (unless -P is explicit)
   if (options.followsymlink)
     options.noFollowsymlink = false;
diff --git a/src/find.js b/src/find.js
index 4069525..a13e23e 100644
--- a/src/find.js
+++ b/src/find.js
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ function _find(options, paths) {
     pushFile(file);
 
     if (fs.statSync(file).isDirectory()) {
-      _ls('-RA', file).forEach(function(subfile) {
+      _ls({recursive: true, all: true}, file).forEach(function(subfile) {
         pushFile(path.join(file, subfile));
       });
     }
diff --git a/src/grep.js b/src/grep.js
index 3a3f5ca..09787e6 100644
--- a/src/grep.js
+++ b/src/grep.js
@@ -1,7 +1,14 @@
 var common = require('./common');
 var fs = require('fs');
 
-common.register('grep', _grep, {globStart: 2, canReceivePipe: true}); // don't glob-expand the regex
+common.register('grep', _grep, {
+  globStart: 2, // don't glob-expand the regex
+  canReceivePipe: true,
+  cmdOptions: {
+    'v': 'inverse',
+    'l': 'nameOnly',
+  },
+});
 
 //@
 //@ ### grep([options,] regex_filter, file [, file ...])
@@ -21,11 +28,6 @@ common.register('grep', _grep, {globStart: 2, canReceivePipe: true}); // don't g
 //@ Reads input string from given files and returns a string containing all lines of the
 //@ file that match the given `regex_filter`.
 function _grep(options, regex, files) {
-  options = common.parseOptions(options, {
-    'v': 'inverse',
-    'l': 'nameOnly'
-  });
-
   // Check if this is coming from a pipe
   var pipe = common.readFromPipe(this);
 
diff --git a/src/head.js b/src/head.js
index 305f927..baf7972 100644
--- a/src/head.js
+++ b/src/head.js
@@ -1,7 +1,13 @@
 var common = require('./common');
 var fs = require('fs');
 
-common.register('head', _head, {globStart: 1, canReceivePipe: true});
+common.register('head', _head, {
+  globStart: 1,
+  canReceivePipe: true,
+  cmdOptions: {
+    'n': 'numLines',
+  },
+});
 
 // This reads n or more lines, or the entire file, whichever is less.
 function readSomeLines(file, numLines) {
@@ -33,6 +39,9 @@ function readSomeLines(file, numLines) {
 //@
 //@ ### head([{'-n', \<num\>},] file [, file ...])
 //@ ### head([{'-n', \<num\>},] file_array)
+//@ Available options:
+//@
+//@ + `-n <num>`: Show the first `<num>` lines of the files
 //@
 //@ Examples:
 //@
@@ -42,12 +51,8 @@ function readSomeLines(file, numLines) {
 //@ var str = head(['file1', 'file2']); // same as above
 //@ ```
 //@
-//@ Output the first 10 lines of a file (or the first `<num>` if `-n` is
-//@ specified)
+//@ Read the start of a file.
 function _head(options, files) {
-  options = common.parseOptions(options, {
-    'n': 'numLines'
-  });
   var head = [];
   var pipe = common.readFromPipe(this);
 
diff --git a/src/ln.js b/src/ln.js
index cdf15ca..6b11fc4 100644
--- a/src/ln.js
+++ b/src/ln.js
@@ -2,7 +2,13 @@ var fs = require('fs');
 var path = require('path');
 var common = require('./common');
 
-common.register('ln', _ln, {globStart: 1});
+common.register('ln', _ln, {
+  globStart: 1,
+  cmdOptions: {
+    's': 'symlink',
+    'f': 'force',
+  },
+});
 
 //@
 //@ ### ln([options,] source, dest)
@@ -20,11 +26,6 @@ common.register('ln', _ln, {globStart: 1});
 //@
 //@ Links source to dest. Use -f to force the link, should dest already exist.
 function _ln(options, source, dest) {
-  options = common.parseOptions(options, {
-    's': 'symlink',
-    'f': 'force'
-  });
-
   if (!source || !dest) {
     common.error('Missing <source> and/or <dest>');
   }
diff --git a/src/ls.js b/src/ls.js
index fc4c767..d39506a 100644
--- a/src/ls.js
+++ b/src/ls.js
@@ -5,7 +5,17 @@ var glob = require('glob');
 
 var globPatternRecursive = path.sep + '**' + path.sep + '*';
 
-common.register('ls', _ls, {globStart: 1});
+common.register('ls', _ls, {
+  globStart: 1,
+  cmdOptions: {
+    'R': 'recursive',
+    'A': 'all',
+    'a': 'all_deprecated',
+    'd': 'directory',
+    'l': 'long',
+  },
+});
+
 
 //@
 //@ ### ls([options,] [path, ...])
@@ -31,14 +41,6 @@ common.register('ls', _ls, {globStart: 1});
 //@
 //@ Returns array of files in the given path, or in current directory if no path provided.
 function _ls(options, paths) {
-  options = common.parseOptions(options, {
-    'R': 'recursive',
-    'A': 'all',
-    'a': 'all_deprecated',
-    'd': 'directory',
-    'l': 'long'
-  });
-
   if (options.all_deprecated) {
     // We won't support the -a option as it's hard to image why it's useful
     // (it includes '.' and '..' in addition to '.*' files)
diff --git a/src/mkdir.js b/src/mkdir.js
index 5c51afd..7a8479c 100644
--- a/src/mkdir.js
+++ b/src/mkdir.js
@@ -2,7 +2,12 @@ var common = require('./common');
 var fs = require('fs');
 var path = require('path');
 
-common.register('mkdir', _mkdir, {globStart: 1});
+common.register('mkdir', _mkdir, {
+  globStart: 1,
+  cmdOptions: {
+    'p': 'fullpath',
+  },
+});
 
 // Recursively creates 'dir'
 function mkdirSyncRecursive(dir) {
@@ -44,9 +49,6 @@ function mkdirSyncRecursive(dir) {
 //@
 //@ Creates directories.
 function _mkdir(options, dirs) {
-  options = common.parseOptions(options, {
-    'p': 'fullpath'
-  });
   if (!dirs)
     common.error('no paths given');
 
diff --git a/src/mv.js b/src/mv.js
index 6c42a59..48f8451 100644
--- a/src/mv.js
+++ b/src/mv.js
@@ -4,7 +4,13 @@ var common = require('./common');
 var cp = require('./cp');
 var rm = require('./rm');
 
-common.register('mv', _mv, {globStart: 1});
+common.register('mv', _mv, {
+  globStart: 1,
+  cmdOptions: {
+    'f': '!no_force',
+    'n': 'no_force',
+  },
+});
 
 //@
 //@ ### mv([options ,] source [, source ...], dest')
@@ -24,11 +30,6 @@ common.register('mv', _mv, {globStart: 1});
 //@
 //@ Moves files.
 function _mv(options, sources, dest) {
-  options = common.parseOptions(options, {
-    'f': '!no_force',
-    'n': 'no_force'
-  });
-
   // Get sources, dest
   if (arguments.length < 3) {
     common.error('missing <source> and/or <dest>');
diff --git a/src/rm.js b/src/rm.js
index ff43e99..b4929c4 100644
--- a/src/rm.js
+++ b/src/rm.js
@@ -1,7 +1,14 @@
 var common = require('./common');
 var fs = require('fs');
 
-common.register('rm', _rm, {globStart: 1});
+common.register('rm', _rm, {
+  globStart: 1,
+  cmdOptions: {
+    'f': 'force',
+    'r': 'recursive',
+    'R': 'recursive',
+  },
+});
 
 // Recursively removes 'dir'
 // Adapted from https://github.com/ryanmcgrath/wrench-js
@@ -97,11 +104,6 @@ function isWriteable(file) {
 //@
 //@ Removes files.
 function _rm(options, files) {
-  options = common.parseOptions(options, {
-    'f': 'force',
-    'r': 'recursive',
-    'R': 'recursive'
-  });
   if (!files)
     common.error('no paths given');
 
diff --git a/src/sed.js b/src/sed.js
index 5a12217..7a55bc2 100644
--- a/src/sed.js
+++ b/src/sed.js
@@ -1,7 +1,13 @@
 var common = require('./common');
 var fs = require('fs');
 
-common.register('sed', _sed, {globStart: 3, canReceivePipe: true}); // don't glob-expand regexes
+common.register('sed', _sed, {
+  globStart: 3, // don't glob-expand regexes
+  canReceivePipe: true,
+  cmdOptions: {
+    'i': 'inplace',
+  },
+});
 
 //@
 //@ ### sed([options,] search_regex, replacement, file [, file ...])
@@ -20,10 +26,6 @@ common.register('sed', _sed, {globStart: 3, canReceivePipe: true}); // don't glo
 //@ Reads an input string from `files` and performs a JavaScript `replace()` on the input
 //@ using the given search regex and replacement string or function. Returns the new string after replacement.
 function _sed(options, regex, replacement, files) {
-  options = common.parseOptions(options, {
-    'i': 'inplace'
-  });
-
   // Check if this is coming from a pipe
   var pipe = common.readFromPipe(this);
 
diff --git a/src/sort.js b/src/sort.js
index 2b111c4..a67742d 100644
--- a/src/sort.js
+++ b/src/sort.js
@@ -1,7 +1,15 @@
 var common = require('./common');
 var fs = require('fs');
 
-common.register('sort', _sort, {globStart: 1, canReceivePipe: true});
+common.register('sort', _sort, {
+  globStart: 1,
+  canReceivePipe: true,
+  cmdOptions: {
+    'r': 'reverse',
+    'n': 'numerical',
+  }
+});
+
 
 // parse out the number prefix of a line
 function parseNumber (str) {
@@ -50,11 +58,6 @@ function numericalCmp(a, b) {
 //@ Return the contents of the files, sorted line-by-line. Sorting multiple
 //@ files mixes their content, just like unix sort does.
 function _sort(options, files) {
-  options = common.parseOptions(options, {
-    'r': 'reverse',
-    'n': 'numerical'
-  });
-
   // Check if this is coming from a pipe
   var pipe = common.readFromPipe(this);
 
diff --git a/src/tail.js b/src/tail.js
index d0fd897..e6a5948 100644
--- a/src/tail.js
+++ b/src/tail.js
@@ -1,11 +1,20 @@
 var common = require('./common');
 var fs = require('fs');
 
-common.register('tail', _tail, {globStart: 1, canReceivePipe: true});
+common.register('tail', _tail, {
+  globStart: 1,
+  canReceivePipe: true,
+  cmdOptions: {
+    'n': 'numLines',
+  },
+});
 
 //@
 //@ ### tail([{'-n', \<num\>},] file [, file ...])
 //@ ### tail([{'-n', \<num\>},] file_array)
+//@ Available options:
+//@
+//@ + `-n <num>`: Show the last `<num>` lines of the files
 //@
 //@ Examples:
 //@
@@ -15,12 +24,8 @@ common.register('tail', _tail, {globStart: 1, canReceivePipe: true});
 //@ var str = tail(['file1', 'file2']); // same as above
 //@ ```
 //@
-//@ Output the last 10 lines of a file (or the last `<num>` if `-n` is
-//@ specified)
+//@ Read the end of a file.
 function _tail(options, files) {
-  options = common.parseOptions(options, {
-    'n': 'numLines'
-  });
   var tail = [];
   var pipe = common.readFromPipe(this);
 
diff --git a/src/test.js b/src/test.js
index d4d8428..6cb4f8a 100644
--- a/src/test.js
+++ b/src/test.js
@@ -1,7 +1,20 @@
 var common = require('./common');
 var fs = require('fs');
 
-common.register('test', _test);
+common.register('test', _test, {
+  cmdOptions: {
+    'b': 'block',
+    'c': 'character',
+    'd': 'directory',
+    'e': 'exists',
+    'f': 'file',
+    'L': 'link',
+    'p': 'pipe',
+    'S': 'socket',
+  },
+});
+
+
 
 //@
 //@ ### test(expression)
@@ -28,18 +41,6 @@ function _test(options, path) {
   if (!path)
     common.error('no path given');
 
-  // hack - only works with unary primaries
-  options = common.parseOptions(options, {
-    'b': 'block',
-    'c': 'character',
-    'd': 'directory',
-    'e': 'exists',
-    'f': 'file',
-    'L': 'link',
-    'p': 'pipe',
-    'S': 'socket'
-  });
-
   var canInterpret = false;
   for (var key in options)
     if (options[key] === true) {
diff --git a/src/touch.js b/src/touch.js
index a84a5a8..0eab448 100644
--- a/src/touch.js
+++ b/src/touch.js
@@ -1,7 +1,16 @@
 var common = require('./common');
 var fs = require('fs');
 
-common.register('touch', _touch, {globStart: 1});
+common.register('touch', _touch, {
+  globStart: 1,
+  cmdOptions: {
+    'a': 'atime_only',
+    'c': 'no_create',
+    'd': 'date',
+    'm': 'mtime_only',
+    'r': 'reference',
+  },
+});
 
 //@
 //@ ### touch([options,] file [, file ...])
@@ -26,14 +35,6 @@ common.register('touch', _touch, {globStart: 1});
 //@ A FILE argument that does not exist is created empty, unless -c is supplied.
 //@ This is a partial implementation of *[touch(1)](http://linux.die.net/man/1/touch)*.
 function _touch(opts, files) {
-  opts = common.parseOptions(opts, {
-    'a': 'atime_only',
-    'c': 'no_create',
-    'd': 'date',
-    'm': 'mtime_only',
-    'r': 'reference',
-  });
-
   if (!files)
     common.error('no files given');
   else if (typeof files === 'string')
diff --git a/src/uniq.js b/src/uniq.js
index 65bb51e..930c6b9 100644
--- a/src/uniq.js
+++ b/src/uniq.js
@@ -10,7 +10,15 @@ function lpad(c, str){
   return res;
 }
 
-common.register('uniq', _uniq, {globStart: 1, canReceivePipe: true});
+common.register('uniq', _uniq, {
+  globStart: 1,
+  canReceivePipe: true,
+  cmdOptions: {
+    'i': 'ignoreCase',
+    'c': 'count',
+    'd': 'duplicates',
+  },
+});
 
 //@
 //@ ### uniq([options,] [input, [output]])
@@ -30,12 +38,6 @@ common.register('uniq', _uniq, {globStart: 1, canReceivePipe: true});
 //@
 //@ Filter adjacent matching lines from input
 function _uniq(options, input, output) {
-  options = common.parseOptions(options, {
-    'i': 'ignoreCase',
-    'c': 'count',
-    'd': 'duplicates'
-  });
-
   // Check if this is coming from a pipe
   var pipe = common.readFromPipe(this);