diff --git a/notmuch-config.c b/notmuch-config.c
index 485fa72a..1a7ed580 100644
--- a/notmuch-config.c
+++ b/notmuch-config.c
@@ -735,6 +735,8 @@ notmuch_config_command_set (void *ctx, char *item, int argc, char *argv[])
 int
 notmuch_config_command (void *ctx, int argc, char *argv[])
 {
+    argc--; argv++; /* skip subcommand argument */
+
     if (argc < 2) {
 	fprintf (stderr, "Error: notmuch config requires at least two arguments.\n");
 	return 1;
diff --git a/notmuch-count.c b/notmuch-count.c
index 39f08c6c..0d700a9e 100644
--- a/notmuch-count.c
+++ b/notmuch-count.c
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ notmuch_count_command (void *ctx, int argc, char *argv[])
     notmuch_sort_t sort = NOTMUCH_SORT_NEWEST_FIRST;
 #endif
 
+    argc--; argv++; /* skip subcommand argument */
+
     for (i = 0; i < argc && argv[i][0] == '-'; i++) {
 	if (strcmp (argv[i], "--") == 0) {
 	    i++;
diff --git a/notmuch-dump.c b/notmuch-dump.c
index 409c86ad..126593d1 100644
--- a/notmuch-dump.c
+++ b/notmuch-dump.c
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@ notmuch_dump_command (unused (void *ctx), int argc, char *argv[])
     if (notmuch == NULL)
 	return 1;
 
+    argc--; argv++; /* skip subcommand argument */
+
     if (argc && strcmp (argv[0], "--") != 0) {
 	fprintf (stderr, "Warning: the output file argument of dump is deprecated.\n");
 	output = fopen (argv[0], "w");
diff --git a/notmuch-new.c b/notmuch-new.c
index 96a1e31e..81a93500 100644
--- a/notmuch-new.c
+++ b/notmuch-new.c
@@ -815,6 +815,8 @@ notmuch_new_command (void *ctx, int argc, char *argv[])
     add_files_state.verbose = 0;
     add_files_state.output_is_a_tty = isatty (fileno (stdout));
 
+    argc--; argv++; /* skip subcommand argument */
+
     for (i = 0; i < argc && argv[i][0] == '-'; i++) {
 	if (STRNCMP_LITERAL (argv[i], "--verbose") == 0) {
 	    add_files_state.verbose = 1;
diff --git a/notmuch-reply.c b/notmuch-reply.c
index 8f23cea2..7ac879f9 100644
--- a/notmuch-reply.c
+++ b/notmuch-reply.c
@@ -628,6 +628,8 @@ notmuch_reply_command (void *ctx, int argc, char *argv[])
     params.part = -1;
     params.cryptoctx = NULL;
 
+    argc--; argv++; /* skip subcommand argument */
+
     for (i = 0; i < argc && argv[i][0] == '-'; i++) {
 	if (strcmp (argv[i], "--") == 0) {
 	    i++;
diff --git a/notmuch-restore.c b/notmuch-restore.c
index e4a5355b..f530bb4e 100644
--- a/notmuch-restore.c
+++ b/notmuch-restore.c
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@ notmuch_restore_command (unused (void *ctx), int argc, char *argv[])
 
     synchronize_flags = notmuch_config_get_maildir_synchronize_flags (config);
 
+    argc--; argv++; /* skip subcommand argument */
+
     if (argc) {
 	input = fopen (argv[0], "r");
 	if (input == NULL) {
diff --git a/notmuch-search.c b/notmuch-search.c
index faccaf7d..6f04d9a4 100644
--- a/notmuch-search.c
+++ b/notmuch-search.c
@@ -395,6 +395,8 @@ notmuch_search_command (void *ctx, int argc, char *argv[])
     int i, ret;
     output_t output = OUTPUT_SUMMARY;
 
+    argc--; argv++; /* skip subcommand argument */
+
     for (i = 0; i < argc && argv[i][0] == '-'; i++) {
 	if (strcmp (argv[i], "--") == 0) {
 	    i++;
diff --git a/notmuch-show.c b/notmuch-show.c
index 912999e1..603992a6 100644
--- a/notmuch-show.c
+++ b/notmuch-show.c
@@ -936,6 +936,8 @@ notmuch_show_command (void *ctx, unused (int argc), unused (char *argv[]))
     params.cryptoctx = NULL;
     params.decrypt = 0;
 
+    argc--; argv++; /* skip subcommand argument */
+
     for (i = 0; i < argc && argv[i][0] == '-'; i++) {
 	if (strcmp (argv[i], "--") == 0) {
 	    i++;
diff --git a/notmuch-tag.c b/notmuch-tag.c
index 6204ae3c..dded39ea 100644
--- a/notmuch-tag.c
+++ b/notmuch-tag.c
@@ -65,6 +65,8 @@ notmuch_tag_command (void *ctx, unused (int argc), unused (char *argv[]))
 	return 1;
     }
 
+    argc--; argv++; /* skip subcommand argument */
+
     for (i = 0; i < argc; i++) {
 	if (strcmp (argv[i], "--") == 0) {
 	    i++;
diff --git a/notmuch.c b/notmuch.c
index 640ad8da..4232bee7 100644
--- a/notmuch.c
+++ b/notmuch.c
@@ -465,6 +465,8 @@ notmuch_help_command (unused (void *ctx), int argc, char *argv[])
     command_t *command;
     unsigned int i;
 
+    argc--; argv++; /* Ignore "help" */
+
     if (argc == 0) {
 	printf ("The notmuch mail system.\n\n");
 	usage (stdout);
@@ -639,7 +641,7 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
 	command = &commands[i];
 
 	if (strcmp (argv[1], command->name) == 0)
-	    return (command->function) (local, argc - 2, &argv[2]);
+	    return (command->function) (local, argc - 1, &argv[1]);
     }
 
     fprintf (stderr, "Error: Unknown command '%s' (see \"notmuch help\")\n",