diff --git a/base.py b/base.py
index 50243f6..779a7d4 100644
--- a/base.py
+++ b/base.py
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ class ServiceManager:
         env = self.env[ins]
         return env.get('%s_ROOT' % gr, ''), env
 
-    def do_start(self, ins, service=None, cfg='', restart=False, wait=False, logger=None):
+    def do_start(self, ins, service=None, cfg='', restart=False, wait=False, logger=None, opts=''):
         ins_list = self.wildcard(ins)
         if ins_list is not None:
             return ins_list
@@ -326,6 +326,8 @@ class ServiceManager:
         for service_i in services:
             port = service_ports[service_i]
             cmd = self.commands[ins] % dict(ins=ins, serv=service_i, port=port, cfg=cfg, pkg=self.pkg)
+            if opts:
+                cmd = f'{cmd} {opts}'
             if '%(cfg)s' in self.commands[ins] and not cfg:
                 cmd = self.stopped[ins].get(service_i)
                 if not cmd:
@@ -394,7 +396,7 @@ class ServiceManager:
             return ins_list
         self.do_start(ins, service, cfg, True, logger=logger)
 
-    def do_run(self, ins, service=None, cfg=None):
+    def do_run(self, ins, service=None, cfg=None, opts=''):
         """for tests: run and wait"""
         if self.wildcard(ins) is not None:
             raise UsageError('no wildcards allowed with %s run' % self.group)
@@ -403,7 +405,7 @@ class ServiceManager:
                 service, = self.services
             except ValueError:
                 raise UsageError('need service to start (one of %s)' % ', '.join(self.services))
-        self.do_start(ins, service, cfg, wait=True)
+        self.do_start(ins, service, cfg, wait=True, opts=opts)
 
     def do_list(self, ins=None, *args):
         """info about running services"""
diff --git a/frappyman.py b/frappyman.py
index 538e860..99f1f96 100644
--- a/frappyman.py
+++ b/frappyman.py
@@ -229,12 +229,12 @@ class FrappyManager(ServiceManager):
             env_update['PYTHONPATH'] = os.environ['PYTHONPATH'] = ':'.join(pypathlist)
         return start_dir, dict(env, **env_update)
 
-    def do_start(self, ins, service=None, cfg='', restart=False, wait=False, logger=None):
+    def do_start(self, ins, service=None, cfg='', restart=False, wait=False, logger=None, opts=''):
         if self.wildcard(ins) is not None:
             raise UsageError('no wildcards allowed with %s start' % self.group)
         if cfg and not service and len(self.services) != 1:
             raise UsageError('need service to start (one of %s)' % ', '.join(self.services))
-        super().do_start(ins, service, cfg, restart, wait, logger)
+        super().do_start(ins, service, cfg, restart, wait, logger, opts=opts)
 
     def do_restart(self, ins, service=None, cfg=None, logger=None):
         ins_list = super().do_restart(ins, service, cfg, logger)
@@ -383,14 +383,22 @@ class FrappyManager(ServiceManager):
             print(f'{gap} ! {round(ambiguous)} ambiguous mappings sea -> frappy')
 
     def treat_args(self, argdict, unknown=(), extra=()):
-        if len(unknown) == 1:
-            cfg = unknown[0]
+        cfg = None
+        extra = list(extra)
+        for arg in unknown:
+            if arg.startswith('-'):  # this is an option
+                extra.append(arg)
+            elif cfg is None:
+                cfg = arg
+            else:
+                cfg = ''
+        if cfg:
             if cfg == 'develop':
                 argdict['service'] = cfg
-                return super().treat_args(argdict, (), ())
+                return super().treat_args(argdict, (), extra)
             if (',' in cfg or cfg.endswith('.cfg') or
                     self.is_cfg(argdict.get('ins'), argdict.get('service'), cfg)):
-                return super().treat_args(argdict, (), unknown)
+                return super().treat_args(argdict, (), [cfg] + extra)
         return super().treat_args(argdict, unknown, extra)
 
     def check_cfg_file(self, ins, service, cfg, needsea=False):