diff --git a/copyparty/__main__.py b/copyparty/__main__.py
index f5b7e85f..6337f6f4 100644
--- a/copyparty/__main__.py
+++ b/copyparty/__main__.py
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ from .__init__ import E, WINDOWS, VT100, PY2, unicode
 from .__version__ import S_VERSION, S_BUILD_DT, CODENAME
 from .svchub import SvcHub
 from .util import py_desc, align_tab, IMPLICATIONS
+from .authsrv import re_vol
 
 HAVE_SSL = True
 try:
@@ -326,7 +327,7 @@ def run_argparse(argv, formatter):
     ap2.add_argument("-e2d", action="store_true", help="enable up2k database")
     ap2.add_argument("-e2ds", action="store_true", help="enable up2k db-scanner, sets -e2d")
     ap2.add_argument("-e2dsa", action="store_true", help="scan all folders (for search), sets -e2ds")
-    ap2.add_argument("--hist", metavar="PATH", type=u, help="where to store volume state")
+    ap2.add_argument("--hist", metavar="PATH", type=u, help="where to store volume data (db, thumbs)")
     ap2.add_argument("--no-hash", action="store_true", help="disable hashing during e2ds folder scans")
     ap2.add_argument("--re-int", metavar="SEC", type=int, default=30, help="disk rescan check interval")
     ap2.add_argument("--re-maxage", metavar="SEC", type=int, default=0, help="disk rescan volume interval (0=off)")
@@ -398,10 +399,16 @@ def main(argv=None):
     nstrs = []
     anymod = False
     for ostr in al.v or []:
+        m = re_vol.match(ostr)
+        if not m:
+            # not our problem
+            nstrs.append(ostr)
+            continue
+
+        src, dst, perms = m.groups()
+        na = [src, dst]
         mod = False
-        oa = ostr.split(":")
-        na = oa[:2]
-        for opt in oa[2:]:
+        for opt in perms.split(":"):
             if re.match("c[^,]", opt):
                 mod = True
                 na.append("c," + opt[1:])
diff --git a/copyparty/authsrv.py b/copyparty/authsrv.py
index 3c786df6..c3fdfa1f 100644
--- a/copyparty/authsrv.py
+++ b/copyparty/authsrv.py
@@ -310,6 +310,12 @@ class VFS(object):
                 yield f
 
 
+if WINDOWS:
+    re_vol = re.compile(r"^([a-zA-Z]:[\\/][^:]*|[^:]*):([^:]*):(.*)$")
+else:
+    re_vol = re.compile(r"^([^:]*):([^:]*):(.*)$")
+
+
 class AuthSrv(object):
     """verifies users against given paths"""
 
@@ -319,11 +325,6 @@ class AuthSrv(object):
         self.warn_anonwrite = warn_anonwrite
         self.line_ctr = 0
 
-        if WINDOWS:
-            self.re_vol = re.compile(r"^([a-zA-Z]:[\\/][^:]*|[^:]*):([^:]*):(.*)$")
-        else:
-            self.re_vol = re.compile(r"^([^:]*):([^:]*):(.*)$")
-
         self.mutex = threading.Lock()
         self.reload()
 
@@ -453,7 +454,7 @@ class AuthSrv(object):
             # list of src:dst:permset:permset:...
             # permset is <rwmd>[,username][,username] or <c>,<flag>[=args]
             for v_str in self.args.v:
-                m = self.re_vol.match(v_str)
+                m = re_vol.match(v_str)
                 if not m:
                     raise Exception("invalid -v argument: [{}]".format(v_str))
 
diff --git a/copyparty/broker_mpw.py b/copyparty/broker_mpw.py
index 658ce56b..a5d14878 100644
--- a/copyparty/broker_mpw.py
+++ b/copyparty/broker_mpw.py
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 # coding: utf-8
 from __future__ import print_function, unicode_literals
-from copyparty.authsrv import AuthSrv
 
 import sys
 import signal
@@ -9,6 +8,7 @@ import threading
 from .broker_util import ExceptionalQueue
 from .httpsrv import HttpSrv
 from .util import FAKE_MP
+from copyparty.authsrv import AuthSrv
 
 
 class MpWorker(object):