diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 62f1662..26826e5 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ Returns configuration settings object.
 
   - `[options]` {Object}
     - `[dirname]`       Root directory of your app package.  Required to find `package.json` and package settings file.
-    - `[cli]`           {Object} Command line interface parsing options.  Refer to [minimist](https://github.com/substack/minimist) documentation.
+    - `[cli]`           {Object} Command line interface parsing options.  Refer to [minimist](https://github.com/substack/minimist) documentation. Define as empty object to use default values.
     - `[clone]`         {Boolean} If `true`, copies package settings file to users home directory. (default: `false`).
     - `[merge]`         {String} Merge attributes using `'shallow'` or `'deep'` recursive merging (default: `'shallow'`).
     - `[configFile]`    {String} Settings file name. (default: `.<appname>.json`).
@@ -244,4 +244,4 @@ Loads configuration settings and executes a command function from the command tr
     } catch (err) {
         console.error(err);
         process.exit(1);
-    }
\ No newline at end of file
+    }
diff --git a/lib/index.js b/lib/index.js
index c2e51f8..8b57093 100644
--- a/lib/index.js
+++ b/lib/index.js
@@ -221,7 +221,10 @@ module.exports = {
         }
 
         // Parse and Merge command line options:
-        var cli_cfg = require('minimist')(process.argv.slice(2), options.cli || {});
+        if(options.cli) {
+            var cli_cfg = require('minimist')(process.argv.slice(2), options.cli);
+        }
+        
         if (cli_cfg) {
             validator2('command line args', cli_cfg, false);
             cfg = fnMerge(cfg, cli_cfg);