diff --git a/src/CLI.cpp b/src/CLI.cpp
index 4a5f412c7..3ab44239c 100644
--- a/src/CLI.cpp
+++ b/src/CLI.cpp
@@ -629,6 +629,7 @@ void CLI::addArg (const std::string& arg)
   if (isTerminator (raw))           // --
     _terminated = true;
 
+  // This is the case where the argument should not be lexed.
   if (_terminated            ||
       isRCOverride     (raw) ||     // rc:<file>
       isConfigOverride (raw) ||     // rc.<attr>:<value>
@@ -646,7 +647,7 @@ void CLI::addArg (const std::string& arg)
     _original_args.push_back (raw);
   }
 
-  // Lex, but only use lexemes if an operator is found in there.
+  // Lex the argument, but apply a series of diqualifying tests.
   else
   {
     // Lex each argument.  If there are multiple lexemes, create sub branches,
@@ -660,24 +661,19 @@ void CLI::addArg (const std::string& arg)
     while (lex.token (lexeme, type))
       lexemes.push_back (std::pair <std::string, Lexer::Type> (lexeme, type));
 
-    bool foundOP = false;
-    std::vector <std::pair <std::string, Lexer::Type> >::iterator l;
-    for (l = lexemes.begin (); l != lexemes.end (); ++l)
-      if (l->second == Lexer::typeOperator)
-        foundOP = true;
+    // TODO First or last term is a binary operator
+    // TODO Only operators are parentheses
 
-    // This one looks interesting.
-    if (lexemes.size () > 2 &&
-        foundOP)
+    if (disqualifyInsufficientTerms (lexemes) ||
+        disqualifyNoOps (lexemes))
     {
-      for (l = lexemes.begin (); l != lexemes.end (); ++l)
-      {
-        _original_args.push_back (l->first);
-      }
+      _original_args.push_back (raw);
     }
     else
     {
-      _original_args.push_back (raw);
+      std::vector <std::pair <std::string, Lexer::Type> >::iterator l;
+      for (l = lexemes.begin (); l != lexemes.end (); ++l)
+        _original_args.push_back (l->first);
     }
   }
 }
@@ -2334,3 +2330,23 @@ bool CLI::isName (const std::string& raw) const
 }
 
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+bool CLI::disqualifyInsufficientTerms (
+  const std::vector <std::pair <std::string, Lexer::Type> >& lexemes) const
+{
+  return lexemes.size () < 3 ? true : false;
+}
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+bool CLI::disqualifyNoOps (
+  const std::vector <std::pair <std::string, Lexer::Type> >& lexemes) const
+{
+  bool foundOP = false;
+  std::vector <std::pair <std::string, Lexer::Type> >::const_iterator l;
+  for (l = lexemes.begin (); l != lexemes.end (); ++l)
+    if (l->second == Lexer::typeOperator)
+      foundOP = true;
+
+  return ! foundOP;
+}
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
diff --git a/src/CLI.h b/src/CLI.h
index 1e461dc07..0f467f7ee 100644
--- a/src/CLI.h
+++ b/src/CLI.h
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 #include <string>
 #include <vector>
 #include <map>
+#include <Lexer.h>
 #include <Path.h>
 #include <File.h>
 
@@ -110,20 +111,23 @@ private:
   void decomposeModTags ();
   void decomposeModSubstitutions ();
 
-  bool isTerminator (const std::string&) const;
-  bool isRCOverride (const std::string&) const;
+  bool isTerminator     (const std::string&) const;
+  bool isRCOverride     (const std::string&) const;
   bool isConfigOverride (const std::string&) const;
-  bool isCommand (const std::string&) const;
-  bool isTag (const std::string&) const;
-  bool isUUIDList (const std::string&) const;
-  bool isUUID (const std::string&) const;
-  bool isIDSequence (const std::string&) const;
-  bool isID (const std::string&) const;
-  bool isPattern (const std::string&) const;
-  bool isSubstitution (const std::string&) const;
-  bool isAttribute (const std::string&) const;
-  bool isOperator (const std::string&) const;
-  bool isName (const std::string&) const;
+  bool isCommand        (const std::string&) const;
+  bool isTag            (const std::string&) const;
+  bool isUUIDList       (const std::string&) const;
+  bool isUUID           (const std::string&) const;
+  bool isIDSequence     (const std::string&) const;
+  bool isID             (const std::string&) const;
+  bool isPattern        (const std::string&) const;
+  bool isSubstitution   (const std::string&) const;
+  bool isAttribute      (const std::string&) const;
+  bool isOperator       (const std::string&) const;
+  bool isName           (const std::string&) const;
+
+  bool disqualifyInsufficientTerms (const std::vector <std::pair <std::string, Lexer::Type> >&) const;
+  bool disqualifyNoOps             (const std::vector <std::pair <std::string, Lexer::Type> >&) const;
 
 public:
   std::multimap <std::string, std::string> _entities;