diff --git a/virt-back b/virt-back
index 008fc36..20ca358 100755
--- a/virt-back
+++ b/virt-back
@@ -16,8 +16,8 @@ the latest version may be downloaded here:
 https://git.unturf.com/python/virt-back
 """
 
-"""The varible doms represents a list of libvirt dom objects.
-Use the Domfetcher class to aquire lists of dom objects."""
+"""The variable doms represents a list of libvirt dom objects.
+Use the Domfetcher class to acquire a list of dom objects."""
 
 import libvirt
 import tarfile
@@ -26,11 +26,9 @@ import re
 from time import sleep
 from datetime import date
 from sys import exit
-from optparse import OptionParser, OptionGroup
-from os import path
-from os import remove
+import argparse
+from os import path, remove
 from shutil import move, copy2
-
 import subprocess
 
 try:
@@ -417,12 +415,10 @@ def rotate(target, retention=3):
 def getoptions():
     """Fetch cli args, parse and map to python, test sanity"""
 
-    # create an option parcer object
-    p = OptionParser()
+    # create an argument parser object
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description=DESCRIPTION)
 
-    p.set_description(DESCRIPTION)
-
-    p.add_option(
+    parser.add_argument(
         "-q",
         "--quiet",
         dest="quiet",
@@ -431,7 +427,7 @@ def getoptions():
         help="prevent output to stdout",
     )
 
-    p.add_option(
+    parser.add_argument(
         "-d",
         "--date",
         dest="tardate",
@@ -440,7 +436,7 @@ def getoptions():
         help="append date to tar filename [default: no date]",
     )
 
-    p.add_option(
+    parser.add_argument(
         "-g",
         "--no-gzip",
         dest="nogzip",
@@ -449,17 +445,17 @@ def getoptions():
         help="do not gzip the resulting tar file",
     )
 
-    p.add_option(
+    parser.add_argument(
         "-a",
         "--retention",
         dest="retention",
         metavar="amount",
         default=3,
-        type="int",
+        type=int,
         help="backups to retain [default: 3]",
     )
 
-    p.add_option(
+    parser.add_argument(
         "-p",
         "--path",
         dest="backpath",
@@ -468,19 +464,17 @@ def getoptions():
         help="backup path [default: '/KVMBACK']",
     )
 
-    p.add_option(
+    parser.add_argument(
         "-u", "--uri", dest="uri", metavar="'URI'", help="optional hypervisor uri"
     )
 
     # Actions for info testing: These options display info/ test a list of guests only.
-
-    g0 = OptionGroup(
-        p,
+    info_group = parser.add_argument_group(
         "Actions for info testing",
         "These options display info or test a list of guests.",
     )
 
-    g0.add_option(
+    info_group.add_argument(
         "-i",
         "--info",
         dest="info",
@@ -489,7 +483,7 @@ def getoptions():
         help="info/test a list of guests (space delimited dom names)",
     )
 
-    g0.add_option(
+    info_group.add_argument(
         "--info-all",
         dest="infoall",
         action="store_true",
@@ -498,14 +492,12 @@ def getoptions():
     )
 
     # WARNING: Dangerous options below, option grouping for scary actions
-
-    g1 = OptionGroup(
-        p,
+    action_group = parser.add_argument_group(
         "Actions for a list of dom names",
         "WARNING:  These options WILL bring down guests!",
     )
 
-    g1.add_option(
+    action_group.add_argument(
         "-b",
         "--backup",
         dest="backup",
@@ -514,7 +506,7 @@ def getoptions():
         help="backup a list of guests (space delimited dom names)",
     )
 
-    g1.add_option(
+    action_group.add_argument(
         "-r",
         "--reboot",
         dest="reboot",
@@ -523,7 +515,7 @@ def getoptions():
         help="reboot a list of guests (space delimited dom names)",
     )
 
-    g1.add_option(
+    action_group.add_argument(
         "-s",
         "--shutdown",
         dest="shutdown",
@@ -532,7 +524,7 @@ def getoptions():
         help="shutdown a list of guests (space delimited dom names)",
     )
 
-    g1.add_option(
+    action_group.add_argument(
         "-c",
         "--create",
         dest="create",
@@ -541,11 +533,11 @@ def getoptions():
         help="start a list of guests (space delimited dom names)",
     )
 
-    g2 = OptionGroup(
-        p, "Actions for all doms", "WARNING:  These options WILL bring down ALL guests!"
+    all_group = parser.add_argument_group(
+        "Actions for all doms", "WARNING:  These options WILL bring down ALL guests!"
     )
 
-    g2.add_option(
+    all_group.add_argument(
         "--backup-all",
         dest="backupall",
         action="store_true",
@@ -553,7 +545,7 @@ def getoptions():
         help="attempt to shutdown, backup, and start ALL guests",
     )
 
-    g2.add_option(
+    all_group.add_argument(
         "--reboot-all",
         dest="rebootall",
         action="store_true",
@@ -561,7 +553,7 @@ def getoptions():
         help="attempt to shutdown and then start ALL guests",
     )
 
-    g2.add_option(
+    all_group.add_argument(
         "--shutdown-all",
         dest="shutdownall",
         action="store_true",
@@ -569,7 +561,7 @@ def getoptions():
         help="attempt to shutdown ALL guests",
     )
 
-    g2.add_option(
+    all_group.add_argument(
         "--create-all",
         dest="createall",
         action="store_true",
@@ -577,13 +569,8 @@ def getoptions():
         help="attempt to start ALL guests",
     )
 
-    # attach groups g1 and g2 to the parser p object
-    p.add_option_group(g0)
-    p.add_option_group(g1)
-    p.add_option_group(g2)
-
     # parse options and args
-    options, guest_names = p.parse_args()
+    options, unknown_args = parser.parse_known_args()
 
     # the actionsum should be 1 to continue, bool math ftw
     actions = [
@@ -601,6 +588,7 @@ def getoptions():
     actionsum = sum(actions)
 
     if actionsum == 1:
+        guest_names = unknown_args
         return options, guest_names
     else:
         exit(