diff --git a/cmd/bulb/main.ha b/cmd/bulb/main.ha
index 0880dc5..84f8dd5 100644
--- a/cmd/bulb/main.ha
+++ b/cmd/bulb/main.ha
@@ -43,7 +43,8 @@ export fn main() void = {
 			case let num: int =>
 				number = num;
 			case =>
-				getopt::printhelp(os::stdout, name, cmd.help)!;
+				fmt::errorf("{}: option -{} requires a number\n", name, opt.0)!;
+				getopt::printusage(os::stdout, name, cmd.help)!;
 				os::exit(os::status::FAILURE);
 			};
 		case 'p' =>
@@ -58,7 +59,7 @@ export fn main() void = {
 		// list boards and exit
 		match (bulb::list(os::stdout)) {
 		case let err: bulb::error =>
-			fmt::errorf("{}: Could not list boards: {}\n", name, bulb::strerror(err))!;
+			fmt::errorf("{}: could not list boards: {}\n", name, bulb::strerror(err))!;
 			os::exit(os::status::FAILURE);
 		case void =>
 			os::exit(os::status::SUCCESS);
@@ -70,7 +71,7 @@ export fn main() void = {
 		let user_name = if (anonymous) void else get_user_name();
 		match (bulb::post(os::stdin, board, user_name)) {
 		case let err: bulb::error =>
-			fmt::errorf("{}: Could not post to {}: {}\n", name, board, bulb::strerror(err))!;
+			fmt::errorf("{}: could not post to {}: {}\n", name, board, bulb::strerror(err))!;
 		case void => void;
 		};
 	};
@@ -78,7 +79,7 @@ export fn main() void = {
 	// read latest posts on the board
 	match (bulb::read(os::stdout, board, number)) {
 	case let err: bulb::error =>
-		fmt::errorf("{}: Could not read {}: {}\n", name, board, bulb::strerror(err))!;
+		fmt::errorf("{}: could not read {}: {}\n", name, board, bulb::strerror(err))!;
 	case void => void;
 	};
 };