diff --git a/openair1/SIMULATION/NR_PHY/ulsim.c b/openair1/SIMULATION/NR_PHY/ulsim.c
index 90f23c695c..e363b0c47d 100644
--- a/openair1/SIMULATION/NR_PHY/ulsim.c
+++ b/openair1/SIMULATION/NR_PHY/ulsim.c
@@ -223,7 +223,13 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
   /* initialize the sin-cos table */
   InitSinLUT();
 
-  while ((c = getopt(argc, argv, "a:b:c:d:ef:g:h:i:k:m:n:op:q:r:s:t:u:v:w:y:z:C:F:G:H:I:M:N:PR:S:T:U:L:ZW:E:X:")) != -1) {
+  while ((c = getopt(argc, argv, "--:a:b:c:d:ef:g:h:i:k:m:n:op:q:r:s:t:u:v:w:y:z:C:F:G:H:I:M:N:PR:S:T:U:L:ZW:E:X:")) != -1) {
+
+    /* ignore long options starting with '--' and their arguments that are handled by configmodule */
+    /* with this opstring getopt returns 1 for non-option arguments, refer to 'man 3 getopt' */
+    if (c == 1 || c == '-')
+      continue;
+
     printf("handling optarg %c\n",c);
     switch (c) {