diff --git a/tools/virt-admin.c b/tools/virt-admin.c
index d266d824cb..2e8895956d 100644
--- a/tools/virt-admin.c
+++ b/tools/virt-admin.c
@@ -1011,7 +1011,6 @@ static const vshCmdInfo info_daemon_log_outputs = {
 static const vshCmdOptDef opts_daemon_timeout[] = {
     {.name = "timeout",
      .type = VSH_OT_INT,
-     .positional = true,
      .required = true,
      .help = N_("number of seconds the daemon will run without any active connection"),
      .flags = VSH_OFLAG_REQ | VSH_OFLAG_REQ_OPT
diff --git a/tools/vsh.c b/tools/vsh.c
index f059434b1a..33a9dcdfe8 100644
--- a/tools/vsh.c
+++ b/tools/vsh.c
@@ -426,9 +426,14 @@ vshCmddefCheckInternals(vshControl *ctl,
                              opt->name, cmd->name);
                     return -1;
                 }
-                seenPositionalOption = true;
-                isPositional = true;
+
                 isRequired = true;
+
+                /* allow INT arguments which are required and non-positional */
+                if (!(opt->flags & VSH_OFLAG_REQ_OPT)) {
+                    seenPositionalOption = true;
+                    isPositional = true;
+                }
             } else {
                 isPositional = false;
                 isRequired = false;