diff --git a/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_add.py b/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_add.py
index 8c79a0f7bf..2e00cfb8a0 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_add.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_add.py
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ def do_add(
         sys.stdout = orig
 
 
-def option_parser(get_parser):
+def option_parser(get_parser, args):
     parser = get_parser(
         _(
             '''\
diff --git a/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_add_custom_column.py b/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_add_custom_column.py
index 81b38b65b3..2f6f22ae56 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_add_custom_column.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_add_custom_column.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ def implementation(db, notify_changes, *args):
     is_remote
 
 
-def option_parser(get_parser):
+def option_parser(get_parser, args):
     pass
 
 
diff --git a/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_add_format.py b/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_add_format.py
index de4a3ade14..5107c6fcbf 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_add_format.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_add_format.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ def implementation(db, notify_changes, book_id, data, fmt, replace):
     return added
 
 
-def option_parser(get_parser):
+def option_parser(get_parser, args):
     parser = get_parser(
         _(
             '''\
diff --git a/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_backup_metadata.py b/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_backup_metadata.py
index 81b38b65b3..2f6f22ae56 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_backup_metadata.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_backup_metadata.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ def implementation(db, notify_changes, *args):
     is_remote
 
 
-def option_parser(get_parser):
+def option_parser(get_parser, args):
     pass
 
 
diff --git a/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_catalog.py b/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_catalog.py
index 81b38b65b3..2f6f22ae56 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_catalog.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_catalog.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ def implementation(db, notify_changes, *args):
     is_remote
 
 
-def option_parser(get_parser):
+def option_parser(get_parser, args):
     pass
 
 
diff --git a/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_check_library.py b/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_check_library.py
index 81b38b65b3..2f6f22ae56 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_check_library.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_check_library.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ def implementation(db, notify_changes, *args):
     is_remote
 
 
-def option_parser(get_parser):
+def option_parser(get_parser, args):
     pass
 
 
diff --git a/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_clone.py b/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_clone.py
index 81b38b65b3..2f6f22ae56 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_clone.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_clone.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ def implementation(db, notify_changes, *args):
     is_remote
 
 
-def option_parser(get_parser):
+def option_parser(get_parser, args):
     pass
 
 
diff --git a/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_custom_columns.py b/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_custom_columns.py
index 81b38b65b3..2f6f22ae56 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_custom_columns.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_custom_columns.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ def implementation(db, notify_changes, *args):
     is_remote
 
 
-def option_parser(get_parser):
+def option_parser(get_parser, args):
     pass
 
 
diff --git a/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_embed_metadata.py b/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_embed_metadata.py
index 81b38b65b3..2f6f22ae56 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_embed_metadata.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_embed_metadata.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ def implementation(db, notify_changes, *args):
     is_remote
 
 
-def option_parser(get_parser):
+def option_parser(get_parser, args):
     pass
 
 
diff --git a/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_export.py b/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_export.py
index d8c4748023..eabbf5de2f 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_export.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_export.py
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ def implementation(db, notify_changes, action, *args):
         db.copy_format_to(book_id, fmt, dest)
 
 
-def option_parser(get_parser):
+def option_parser(get_parser, args):
     parser = get_parser(
         _(
             '''\
diff --git a/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_list.py b/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_list.py
index 40f2165aac..a135ce7634 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_list.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_list.py
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ def do_list(
             print()
 
 
-def option_parser(get_parser):
+def option_parser(get_parser, args):
     parser = get_parser(
         _(
             '''\
diff --git a/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_list_categories.py b/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_list_categories.py
index 81b38b65b3..2f6f22ae56 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_list_categories.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_list_categories.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ def implementation(db, notify_changes, *args):
     is_remote
 
 
-def option_parser(get_parser):
+def option_parser(get_parser, args):
     pass
 
 
diff --git a/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_remove.py b/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_remove.py
index 6ed5339e81..8f16b48401 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_remove.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_remove.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ def implementation(db, notify_changes, ids, permanent):
         notify_changes(books_deleted(ids))
 
 
-def option_parser(get_parser):
+def option_parser(get_parser, args):
     p = get_parser(
         _(
             '''\
diff --git a/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_remove_custom_column.py b/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_remove_custom_column.py
index 81b38b65b3..2f6f22ae56 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_remove_custom_column.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_remove_custom_column.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ def implementation(db, notify_changes, *args):
     is_remote
 
 
-def option_parser(get_parser):
+def option_parser(get_parser, args):
     pass
 
 
diff --git a/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_remove_format.py b/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_remove_format.py
index 9a7d6e293d..57d6bd70b1 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_remove_format.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_remove_format.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ def implementation(db, notify_changes, book_id, fmt):
         notify_changes(formats_removed(fmt_map))
 
 
-def option_parser(get_parser):
+def option_parser(get_parser, args):
     return get_parser(
         _(
             '''
diff --git a/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_restore_database.py b/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_restore_database.py
index 81b38b65b3..2f6f22ae56 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_restore_database.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_restore_database.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ def implementation(db, notify_changes, *args):
     is_remote
 
 
-def option_parser(get_parser):
+def option_parser(get_parser, args):
     pass
 
 
diff --git a/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_saved_searches.py b/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_saved_searches.py
index 81b38b65b3..2f6f22ae56 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_saved_searches.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_saved_searches.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ def implementation(db, notify_changes, *args):
     is_remote
 
 
-def option_parser(get_parser):
+def option_parser(get_parser, args):
     pass
 
 
diff --git a/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_search.py b/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_search.py
index 81b38b65b3..2f6f22ae56 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_search.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_search.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ def implementation(db, notify_changes, *args):
     is_remote
 
 
-def option_parser(get_parser):
+def option_parser(get_parser, args):
     pass
 
 
diff --git a/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_set_custom.py b/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_set_custom.py
index 81b38b65b3..2f6f22ae56 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_set_custom.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_set_custom.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ def implementation(db, notify_changes, *args):
     is_remote
 
 
-def option_parser(get_parser):
+def option_parser(get_parser, args):
     pass
 
 
diff --git a/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_set_metadata.py b/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_set_metadata.py
index 9e8096c4d7..89a19a1ac0 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_set_metadata.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_set_metadata.py
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ def implementation(db, notify_changes, action, *args):
             return db.get_metadata(book_id)
 
 
-def option_parser(get_parser):
+def option_parser(get_parser, args):
     parser = get_parser(
         _(
             '''
diff --git a/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_show_metadata.py b/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_show_metadata.py
index cffbb5eb58..8bba0688ba 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_show_metadata.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/cli/cmd_show_metadata.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ def implementation(db, notify_changes, book_id):
         return db.get_metadata(book_id)
 
 
-def option_parser(get_parser):
+def option_parser(get_parser, args):
     parser = get_parser(
         _(
             '''
diff --git a/src/calibre/db/cli/main.py b/src/calibre/db/cli/main.py
index 22b6df0765..ce5244e316 100644
--- a/src/calibre/db/cli/main.py
+++ b/src/calibre/db/cli/main.py
@@ -27,10 +27,10 @@ COMMANDS = (
 )
 
 
-def option_parser_for(cmd):
+def option_parser_for(cmd, args=()):
 
     def cmd_option_parser():
-        return module_for_cmd(cmd).option_parser(get_parser)
+        return module_for_cmd(cmd).option_parser(get_parser, args)
 
     return cmd_option_parser
 
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ def main(args=sys.argv):
         parser.print_help()
         return 1
     del args[i]
-    parser = option_parser_for(cmd)()
+    parser = option_parser_for(cmd, args)()
     opts, args = parser.parse_args(args)
     return run_cmd(cmd, opts, args[1:], DBCtx(opts))