diff --git a/kas-container b/kas-container
index 8783aac4..39c984a2 100755
--- a/kas-container
+++ b/kas-container
@@ -330,18 +330,21 @@ while [ $# -gt 0 ] && [ $KAS_EXTRA_BITBAKE_ARGS -eq 0 ]; do
 	case "$1" in
 	--skip|--target|--task)
 		KAS_OPTIONS="${KAS_OPTIONS} $1 $2"
-		shift 2
+		shift 1
+		shift 1 || KAS_OPTIONS="--help"
 		;;
 	-c|--cmd|--command)
 		KAS_BITBAKE_C_OPTION_ARGS="$2"
-		shift 2
+		shift 1
+		shift 1 || KAS_OPTIONS="--help"
 		;;
 	-E|--preserve-env)
 		fatal_error "$1 is not supported with ${KAS_CONTAINER_SELF_NAME}"
 		;;
 	--provenance)
 		KAS_OPTIONS="${KAS_OPTIONS} $1 $2"
-		shift 2
+		shift 1
+		shift 1 || KAS_OPTIONS="--help"
 		;;
 	--)
 		KAS_EXTRA_BITBAKE_ARGS=$#