diff --git a/sbin/bectl/bectl.8 b/sbin/bectl/bectl.8
--- a/sbin/bectl/bectl.8
+++ b/sbin/bectl/bectl.8
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 .\"    documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
 .\"
 .\"
-.Dd October 5, 2023
+.Dd March 18, 2024
 .Dt BECTL 8
 .Os
 .Sh NAME
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 .Nd Utility to manage boot environments on ZFS
 .Sh SYNOPSIS
 .Nm
-.Op Fl h\&?
+.Op Fl h
 .Nm
 .Op Fl r Ar beroot
 .Cm activate
@@ -115,10 +115,9 @@
 .Ss Supported Subcommands and Flags
 .Bl -tag -width activate
 .It Xo
-.Fl h |
-.Fl \&?
+.Fl h
 .Xc
-Print usage information.
+Print usage information and exit.
 .It Xo
 .Cm activate
 .Op Fl t | Fl T
diff --git a/sbin/bectl/bectl.c b/sbin/bectl/bectl.c
--- a/sbin/bectl/bectl.c
+++ b/sbin/bectl/bectl.c
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@
 
 	fp =  explicit ? stdout : stderr;
 	fprintf(fp, "%s",
-	    "Usage:\tbectl {-h | -? | subcommand [args...]}\n"
+	    "Usage:\tbectl {-h | subcommand [args...]}\n"
 #if SOON
 	    "\tbectl [-r beroot] add (path)*\n"
 #endif
@@ -545,27 +545,31 @@
 {
 	struct command_map_entry *cmd;
 	const char *command;
-	char *root;
-	int rc;
+	char *root = NULL;
+	int opt, rc;
 
-	cmd = NULL;
-	root = NULL;
-	if (argc < 2)
-		return (usage(false));
-
-	if (strcmp(argv[1], "-r") == 0) {
-		if (argc < 4)
-			return (usage(false));
-		root = strdup(argv[2]);
-		command = argv[3];
-		argc -= 3;
-		argv += 3;
-	} else {
-		command = argv[1];
-		argc -= 1;
-		argv += 1;
+	while ((opt = getopt(argc, argv, "hr:")) != -1) {
+		switch (opt) {
+		case 'h':
+			exit(usage(true));
+		case 'r':
+			root = strdup(optarg);
+			break;
+		default:
+			exit(usage(false));
+		}
 	}
 
+	argc -= optind;
+	argv += optind;
+
+	if (argc == 0)
+		exit(usage(false));
+
+	command = *argv;
+	optreset = 1;
+	optind = 1;
+
 	/* Handle command aliases */
 	if (strcmp(command, "umount") == 0)
 		command = "unmount";
@@ -573,9 +577,6 @@
 	if (strcmp(command, "ujail") == 0)
 		command = "unjail";
 
-	if ((strcmp(command, "-?") == 0) || (strcmp(command, "-h") == 0))
-		return (usage(true));
-
 	if ((cmd = get_cmd_info(command)) == NULL) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "Unknown command: %s\n", command);
 		return (usage(false));