diff --git a/picoc.c b/picoc.c
index a3a4d01..85432dc 100644
--- a/picoc.c
+++ b/picoc.c
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #include "picoc.h"
 
-#define CALL_MAIN "main();"
+#define CALL_MAIN_NO_ARGS "main();"
+#define CALL_MAIN_WITH_ARGS "main(__argc,__argv);"
 
 
 /* initialise everything */
@@ -34,6 +35,27 @@ void Cleanup()
 
 /* platform-dependent code for running programs is in this file */
 #ifdef UNIX_HOST
+void CallMain(int argc, char **argv)
+{
+    /* check if the program wants arguments */
+    struct Value *FuncValue;
+
+    VariableGet(NULL, TableStrRegister("main"), &FuncValue);
+    if (FuncValue->Typ->Base != TypeFunction)
+        ProgramFail(NULL, "main is not a function - can't call it");
+
+    if (FuncValue->Val->FuncDef.NumParams == 0)
+        Parse("", CALL_MAIN_NO_ARGS, strlen(CALL_MAIN_NO_ARGS), TRUE);
+    else
+    {
+        /* define the arguments */
+        VariableDefinePlatformVar(NULL, "__argc", &IntType, (union AnyValue *)&argc, FALSE);
+        VariableDefinePlatformVar(NULL, "__argv", CharPtrPtrType, (union AnyValue *)&argv, FALSE);
+
+        Parse("", CALL_MAIN_WITH_ARGS, strlen(CALL_MAIN_WITH_ARGS), TRUE);
+    }
+}
+
 int main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
     int ParamCount = 1;
@@ -41,9 +63,9 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     
     if (argc < 2)
     {
-        printf("Format: picoc <csource1.c>...    - run a program (calls main to start it)\n"
+        printf("Format: picoc <csource1.c>...    - run a program (calls main() to start it)\n"
                "        picoc -i                 - interactive mode\n"
-               "        picoc -m <csource1.c>... - run a program without calling main\n");
+               "        picoc -m <csource1.c>... - run a program without calling main()\n");
         exit(1);
     }
     
@@ -65,11 +87,11 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
             return 1;
         }
         
-        for (; ParamCount < argc; ParamCount++)
+        for (; ParamCount < argc && strcmp(argv[ParamCount], "-") != 0; ParamCount++)
             PlatformScanFile(argv[ParamCount]);
         
         if (!DontRunMain)
-            Parse("startup", CALL_MAIN, strlen(CALL_MAIN), TRUE);
+            CallMain(argc - ParamCount, &argv[ParamCount]);
     }
     
     Cleanup();
diff --git a/picoc.h b/picoc.h
index 59fd36b..9bc30a1 100644
--- a/picoc.h
+++ b/picoc.h
@@ -286,6 +286,7 @@ extern struct ValueType TypeType;
 extern struct ValueType FunctionType;
 extern struct ValueType MacroType;
 extern struct ValueType *CharPtrType;
+extern struct ValueType *CharPtrPtrType;
 extern struct ValueType *CharArrayType;
 extern struct ValueType *VoidPtrType;
 extern char *StrEmpty;
diff --git a/tests/31_args.c b/tests/31_args.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..920dcce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/31_args.c
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+#include <stdio.h>
+
+int main(int argc, char **argv)
+{
+    int Count;
+
+    printf("hello world %d\n", argc);
+    for (Count = 0; Count < argc; Count++)
+        printf("arg %d: %s\n", Count, argv[Count]);
+
+    return 0;
+}
diff --git a/tests/31_args.expect b/tests/31_args.expect
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bf25112
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/31_args.expect
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+hello world 5
+arg 0: -
+arg 1: arg1
+arg 2: arg2
+arg 3: arg3
+arg 4: arg4
diff --git a/tests/Makefile b/tests/Makefile
index a31a8a9..b355bf8 100644
--- a/tests/Makefile
+++ b/tests/Makefile
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ TESTS=	00_assignment.test \
 	28_strings.test \
 	29_array_address.test \
 	30_hanoi.test \
+	31_args.test \
         34_array_assignment.test \
 	35_sizeof.test \
 	36_array_initialisers.test \
@@ -38,7 +39,12 @@ TESTS=	00_assignment.test \
 
 %.test: %.expect %.c
 	@echo Test: $*...
-	-@../picoc -m $*.c 2>&1 >$*.output
+	@if [ "x`echo $* | grep args`" != "x" ]; \
+	then \
+		../picoc $*.c - arg1 arg2 arg3 arg4 2>&1 >$*.output; \
+	else \
+		../picoc -m $*.c 2>&1 >$*.output; \
+	fi
 	@if [ "x`diff -qbu $*.expect $*.output`" != "x" ]; \
 	then \
         	echo "error in test $*"; \
diff --git a/type.c b/type.c
index a63f765..6ba13bf 100644
--- a/type.c
+++ b/type.c
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ struct ValueType FunctionType;
 struct ValueType MacroType;
 struct ValueType EnumType;
 struct ValueType *CharPtrType;
+struct ValueType *CharPtrPtrType;
 struct ValueType *CharArrayType;
 struct ValueType *VoidPtrType;
 
@@ -139,6 +140,7 @@ void TypeInit()
 #endif
     CharArrayType = TypeAdd(NULL, &CharType, TypeArray, 0, StrEmpty, sizeof(char));
     CharPtrType = TypeAdd(NULL, &CharType, TypePointer, 0, StrEmpty, sizeof(void *));
+    CharPtrPtrType = TypeAdd(NULL, CharPtrType, TypePointer, 0, StrEmpty, sizeof(void *));
     VoidPtrType = TypeAdd(NULL, &VoidType, TypePointer, 0, StrEmpty, sizeof(void *));
 }