diff --git a/tools/virsh.c b/tools/virsh.c
index 5b38881066..890c96e552 100644
--- a/tools/virsh.c
+++ b/tools/virsh.c
@@ -245,6 +245,7 @@ virshReconnect(vshControl *ctl, const char *name, bool readonly, bool force)
 static const vshCmdOptDef opts_connect[] = {
     {.name = "name",
      .type = VSH_OT_STRING,
+     .positional = true,
      .flags = VSH_OFLAG_EMPTY_OK,
      .completer = virshCompleteEmpty,
      .help = N_("hypervisor connection URI")
diff --git a/tools/virt-admin.c b/tools/virt-admin.c
index 0766032e4a..6392caf854 100644
--- a/tools/virt-admin.c
+++ b/tools/virt-admin.c
@@ -254,6 +254,7 @@ cmdVersion(vshControl *ctl, const vshCmd *cmd G_GNUC_UNUSED)
 static const vshCmdOptDef opts_connect[] = {
     {.name = "name",
      .type = VSH_OT_STRING,
+     .positional = true,
      .flags = VSH_OFLAG_EMPTY_OK,
      .help = N_("daemon's admin server connection URI")
     },
diff --git a/tools/vsh.c b/tools/vsh.c
index 80057654c8..2c90ca44f7 100644
--- a/tools/vsh.c
+++ b/tools/vsh.c
@@ -3163,6 +3163,7 @@ vshCompleteHelpCommand(vshControl *ctl G_GNUC_UNUSED,
 const vshCmdOptDef opts_help[] = {
     {.name = "command",
      .type = VSH_OT_STRING,
+     .positional = true,
      .completer = vshCompleteHelpCommand,
      .help = N_("Prints global help, command specific help, or help for a group of related commands")
     },
@@ -3220,6 +3221,7 @@ cmdHelp(vshControl *ctl, const vshCmd *cmd)
 const vshCmdOptDef opts_cd[] = {
     {.name = "dir",
      .type = VSH_OT_STRING,
+     .positional = true,
      .help = N_("directory to switch to (default: home or else root)")
     },
     {.name = NULL}