diff --git a/src/bin/repo.rs b/src/bin/repo.rs
index a9ee16b01..47ff8b7c6 100644
--- a/src/bin/repo.rs
+++ b/src/bin/repo.rs
@@ -134,10 +134,7 @@ impl FromStr for CliCommand {
             "push-tree" => Ok(CliCommand::PushTree),
             "cook-tree" => Ok(CliCommand::CookTree),
             "find" => Ok(CliCommand::Find),
-            _ => Err(Error::Other(format!(
-                "Unknown command '{}'\n{}\n",
-                s, REPO_HELP_STR
-            ))),
+            _ => bail_options_err!("Unknown command {:?}", s),
         }
     }
 }
@@ -188,7 +185,10 @@ impl CliConfig {
 fn main() {
     init_config();
     if let Err(e) = main_inner() {
-        eprintln!("{:?}", e);
+        match e {
+            Error::Options(e) => eprintln!("{}\n{}", e, REPO_HELP_STR),
+            e => eprintln!("{}", e),
+        }
         process::exit(1);
     };
 }
@@ -197,8 +197,7 @@ fn main_inner() -> Result<()> {
     let args: Vec<String> = env::args().skip(1).collect();
 
     if args.is_empty() || args.contains(&"--help".to_string()) || args.contains(&"-h".to_string()) {
-        println!("{}", REPO_HELP_STR);
-        process::exit(1);
+        bail_options_err!("");
     }
 
     let (config, command, recipes) = parse_args(args)?;
@@ -259,10 +258,10 @@ fn main_inner() -> Result<()> {
             Err(e) => {
                 if config.cook.nonstop {
                     if verbose {
-                        eprintln!("{:?}", e);
+                        eprintln!("{}", e);
                     }
                     if let Err(e) = handle_nonstop_fail(recipe) {
-                        eprintln!("{:?}", e)
+                        eprintln!("{}", e)
                     };
                 }
                 print_failed(&command, &recipe.name);
@@ -417,6 +416,12 @@ fn publish_packages(recipe_names: &Vec<CookRecipe>, repo_path: &PathBuf) -> Resu
     run_command(command, &None)
 }
 
+macro_rules! bail_options_err {
+    ($($arg:tt)*) => {
+        return Err(cookbook::Error::Options(format!($($arg)*)))
+    };
+}
+
 fn parse_args(args: Vec<String>) -> Result<(CliConfig, CliCommand, Vec<CookRecipe>)> {
     let mut config = CliConfig::new()?;
     let mut command: Option<String> = None;
@@ -433,13 +438,10 @@ fn parse_args(args: Vec<String>) -> Result<(CliConfig, CliCommand, Vec<CookRecip
                     "--filesystem" => {
                         config.filesystem = Some({
                             let r = redox_installer::Config::from_file(&PathBuf::from(value));
-                            r.map_err(|e| Error::Other(e.to_string()))?
+                            r.map_err(|e| Error::Other(format!("{:?}", e)))?
                         })
                     }
-                    _ => {
-                        eprintln!("Error: Unknown flag with value: {}", arg);
-                        process::exit(1);
-                    }
+                    _ => bail_options_err!("Error: Unknown flag with value: {}", arg),
                 }
             } else if arg.starts_with("--category-") {
                 // to workaround make command limit we provide this option
@@ -449,18 +451,12 @@ fn parse_args(args: Vec<String>) -> Result<(CliConfig, CliCommand, Vec<CookRecip
                     "--repo-binary" => override_filesystem_repo_binary = true,
                     "--with-package-deps" => config.with_package_deps = true,
                     "--all" => config.all = true,
-                    _ => {
-                        eprintln!("Error: Unknown flag: {}", arg);
-                        process::exit(1);
-                    }
+                    _ => bail_options_err!("Error: Unknown flag: {}", arg),
                 }
             }
         } else if arg.starts_with('-') {
             match arg.as_str() {
-                _ => {
-                    eprintln!("Error: Unknown flag: {}", arg);
-                    process::exit(1);
-                }
+                _ => bail_options_err!("Error: Unknown flag: {}", arg),
             }
         } else if command.is_none() {
             // The first non-flag argument is the command
@@ -481,7 +477,7 @@ fn parse_args(args: Vec<String>) -> Result<(CliConfig, CliCommand, Vec<CookRecip
     }
 
     let Some(command) = command else {
-        return Err(Error::Other(format!("Error: No command specified.")));
+        bail_options_err!("Error: No command specified");
     };
     let command: CliCommand = str::parse(&command)?;
     if command.is_informational() {
@@ -494,22 +490,20 @@ fn parse_args(args: Vec<String>) -> Result<(CliConfig, CliCommand, Vec<CookRecip
     if recipe_names.is_empty() {
         if config.all || config.category.is_some() {
             if !recipe_names.is_empty() {
-                return Err(Error::Other(format!(
-                    "Do not specify recipe names when using the --all or --category flag."
-                )));
+                bail_options_err!(
+                    "Do not specify recipe names when using the --all or --category flag"
+                );
             }
             if config.all && config.category.is_some() {
-                return Err(Error::Other(format!(
-                    "Do not specify both --all and --category flag."
-                )));
+                bail_options_err!("Do not specify both --all and --category flag.");
             }
             if config.all && !command.is_cleaning() {
                 // because read_recipe is false by logic below
                 // some recipes on wip folders are invalid anyway
-                return Err(Error::Other(format!(
+                bail_options_err!(
                     "Refusing to run an unrealistic command to {} all recipes",
                     command.to_string()
-                )));
+                );
             }
             let all_recipes_path = match &config.category {
                 None => staged_pkg::list(""),
@@ -534,9 +528,9 @@ fn parse_args(args: Vec<String>) -> Result<(CliConfig, CliCommand, Vec<CookRecip
                     .filter_map(|k| PackageName::new(k.to_string()).ok())
                     .collect();
             } else {
-                return Err(Error::Other(format!(
+                bail_options_err!(
                     "Error: No recipe names or filesystem config provided and --all flag was not used."
-                )));
+                );
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index b5e1c6ce2..8ce02da99 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ pub enum Error {
     Command(Command, ExitStatus),
     Package(pkg::PackageError),
     Pkgar(pkgar::Error),
+    Options(String),
     Other(String),
 }
 
@@ -95,7 +96,7 @@ impl Display for Error {
             }
             Error::Package(package_error) => write!(f, "{}", package_error),
             Error::Pkgar(error) => write!(f, "{}", error),
-            Error::Other(context) => {
+            Error::Other(context) | Error::Options(context) => {
                 write!(f, "{context}")
             }
         }