diff --git a/src/baseloop.cpp b/src/baseloop.cpp
index c03cbc01..7bb2bed3 100644
--- a/src/baseloop.cpp
+++ b/src/baseloop.cpp
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ std::string BaseLoop::decodeMessage(const std::string& data)
 
 	case get:
 		if (cmd.size() < 3) {
-			result << "format: type class cmd [sub]";
+			result << "format: get class cmd (sub)";
 			break;
 		}
 
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ std::string BaseLoop::decodeMessage(const std::string& data)
 
 	case set:
 		if (cmd.size() != 4) {
-			result << "format: type class cmd value";
+			result << "format: set class cmd value";
 			break;
 		}
 
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ std::string BaseLoop::decodeMessage(const std::string& data)
 
 	case cyc:
 		if (cmd.size() < 3) {
-			result << "format: type class cmd [sub]";
+			result << "format: cyc class cmd (sub)";
 			break;
 		}
 
@@ -200,12 +200,22 @@ std::string BaseLoop::decodeMessage(const std::string& data)
 		break;
 
 	case dump:
+		if (cmd.size() < 2) {
+			result << "format: dump on|off";
+			break;
+		}
+
 		if (cmd[1] == "on")  m_ebusloop->dump(true);
 		if (cmd[1] == "off") m_ebusloop->dump(false);
 		result << "done";
 		break;
 
 	case log:
+		if (cmd.size() < 2) {
+			result << "format: log error|event|trace|debug";
+			break;
+		}
+
 		if (cmd[1] == "error") L.getSink(0)->setLevel(error);
 		if (cmd[1] == "event") L.getSink(0)->setLevel(event);
 		if (cmd[1] == "trace") L.getSink(0)->setLevel(trace);
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 241e1ba7..b3d0e48f 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -84,11 +84,11 @@ void define_args()
 		  "\tlog file name (default: /var/log/ebus-daemon.log)",
 		  Appl::type_string, Appl::opt_mandatory);
 
-	A.addItem("p_area", Appl::Param(all), "", "logarea",
+	A.addItem("p_logarea", Appl::Param(all), "", "logarea",
 		  "\tlogging area (bas=1, net=2, bus=4, cyc=8, default: all=15)",
 		  Appl::type_int, Appl::opt_mandatory);
 
-	A.addItem("p_level", Appl::Param(trace), "", "loglevel",
+	A.addItem("p_loglevel", Appl::Param(trace), "", "loglevel",
 		  "\tlogging level (error=0, event=1, default: trace=2, debug=3)\n",
 		  Appl::type_int, Appl::opt_mandatory);
 
@@ -196,13 +196,13 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
 
 	// make me Daemon
 	if (A.getParam<bool>("p_foreground") == true) {
-		L += new LogConsole(A.getParam<int>("p_area"),
-				    static_cast<const Level>(A.getParam<int>("p_level")),
+		L += new LogConsole(A.getParam<int>("p_logarea"),
+				    static_cast<const Level>(A.getParam<int>("p_loglevel")),
 				    "logConsole");
 	} else {
 		D.run("/var/run/ebus-daemon.pid");
-		L += new LogFile(A.getParam<int>("p_area"),
-				 static_cast<const Level>(A.getParam<int>("p_level")),
+		L += new LogFile(A.getParam<int>("p_logarea"),
+				 static_cast<const Level>(A.getParam<int>("p_loglevel")),
 				 "logFile", A.getParam<const char*>("p_logfile"));
 	}