diff --git a/src/pki/command.c b/src/pki/command.c
index 415e78b10..7ccbd96f4 100644
--- a/src/pki/command.c
+++ b/src/pki/command.c
@@ -153,17 +153,24 @@ void command_register(command_t command)
 	{
 		for (i = 0; i < countof(cmds[registered].options) - 1; i++)
 		{
-			if (cmds[registered].options[i].name)
+			if (!cmds[registered].options[i].name)
 			{
-				continue;
+				break;
 			}
+		}
+		if (i > countof(cmds[registered].options) - 3)
+		{
+			fprintf(stderr, "command '%s' registered too many options, please "
+					"increase MAX_OPTIONS\n", command.cmd);
+		}
+		else
+		{
 			cmds[registered].options[i++] = (command_option_t) {
 				"debug",	'v', 1, "set debug level, default: 1"
 			};
 			cmds[registered].options[i++] = (command_option_t) {
 				"options",	'+', 1, "read command line options from file"
 			};
-			break;
 		}
 	}
 	registered++;
diff --git a/src/pki/command.h b/src/pki/command.h
index 3e66a1a26..737f4658d 100644
--- a/src/pki/command.h
+++ b/src/pki/command.h
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 #define MAX_COMMANDS 11
 
 /**
- * Maximum number of options in a command (+1)
+ * Maximum number of options in a command (+3)
  */
 #define MAX_OPTIONS 32