diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index bddca73af..202de0c10 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -461,21 +461,26 @@ Command.prototype.normalize = function(args){
  */
 
 Command.prototype.parseArgs = function(args, unknown){
-  var cmds = this.commands
-    , len = cmds.length
+  var cmdTriggered = false
     , name;
 
+  // If there were a command named args[0],
+  // then we notify args and unknown options to it.
   if (args.length) {
     name = args[0];
     if (this.listeners(name).length) {
       this.emit(args.shift(), args, unknown);
-    } else {
-      this.emit('*', args);
+      cmdTriggered = true;
+    } else if (this.listeners('*').length) {
+      this.emit('*', args, unknown);
+      cmdTriggered = true;
     }
-  } else {
+  }
+
+  if (!cmdTriggered) {
     outputHelpIfNecessary(this, unknown);
-    
-    // If there were no args and we have unknown options,
+
+    // If we have unknown options,
     // then they are extraneous and we need to error.
     if (unknown.length > 0) {      
       this.unknownOption(unknown[0]);
diff --git a/test/test.options.args.unknown.js b/test/test.options.args.unknown.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2dc64f6f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test.options.args.unknown.js
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+/**
+ * Module dependencies.
+ */
+
+var program = require('../')
+  , should = require('should');
+
+program
+  .version('0.0.1')
+  .option('-f, --foo', 'add some foo')
+  .option('-b, --bar', 'add some bar');
+
+// Make sure we still catch errors with required values for options
+var exceptionOccurred = false;
+var oldProcessExit = process.exit;
+var oldConsoleError = console.error;
+process.exit = function() { exceptionOccurred = true; throw new Error(); };
+console.error = function() {};
+
+try {
+  program.parse(['node', 'test', '--foo', '--unknown']);
+} catch (ex) {
+}
+exceptionOccurred.should.be.true;
+exceptionOccurred = false;
+
+try {
+  program.parse(['node', 'test', '--foo', '-u', 'args1']);
+} catch (ex) {
+}
+exceptionOccurred.should.be.true;
+exceptionOccurred = false;
+
+try {
+  program.parse(['node', 'test', '--foo', '--unknown', 'args1', 'args2']);
+} catch (ex) {
+}
+exceptionOccurred.should.be.true;
+exceptionOccurred = false;
+
+process.exit = oldProcessExit;
+console.error = oldConsoleError;