diff --git a/revision.c b/revision.c
index ee1df92d1d..a83e499047 100644
--- a/revision.c
+++ b/revision.c
@@ -2771,8 +2771,11 @@ void parse_revision_opt(struct rev_info *revs, struct parse_opt_ctx_t *ctx,
 {
 	int n = handle_revision_opt(revs, ctx->argc, ctx->argv,
 				    &ctx->cpidx, ctx->out, NULL);
-	if (n <= 0) {
-		error("unknown option `%s'", ctx->argv[0]);
+	if (n < 0) {
+		/* handle_revision_opt() has already reported the error. */
+		usage_with_options(usagestr, options);
+	} else if (!n) {
+		error("unknown option `%s'", ctx->out[ctx->cpidx - 1]);
 		usage_with_options(usagestr, options);
 	}
 	ctx->argv += n;
diff --git a/t/t4201-shortlog.sh b/t/t4201-shortlog.sh
index 023fbff546..10c43e6e75 100755
--- a/t/t4201-shortlog.sh
+++ b/t/t4201-shortlog.sh
@@ -436,4 +436,15 @@ test_expect_success 'stdin with multiple groups reports error' '
 	test_must_fail git shortlog --group=author --group=committer <log
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'invalid revision options are not reported as unknown' '
+	test_must_fail git shortlog --default 2>err &&
+	test_grep "bad --default argument" err &&
+	test_grep ! "unknown option" err
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'unknown revision options are reported correctly' '
+	test_must_fail git shortlog -n --no-such-option 2>err &&
+	test_grep "unknown option .*--no-such-option" err
+'
+
 test_done