diff --git a/openair1/SIMULATION/NR_PHY/dlsim.c b/openair1/SIMULATION/NR_PHY/dlsim.c
index 74d4568b70..ac37c03336 100644
--- a/openair1/SIMULATION/NR_PHY/dlsim.c
+++ b/openair1/SIMULATION/NR_PHY/dlsim.c
@@ -336,7 +336,14 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 
   FILE *scg_fd=NULL;
 
-  while ((c = getopt(argc, argv, "f:hA:p:f:g:i:n:s:S:t:v:x:y:z:o:M:N:F:GR:d:PI:L:a:b:e:m:w:T:U:q:X:Y:Z:c")) != -1) {
+  while ((c = getopt(argc, argv, "--:f:hA:p:f:g:i:n:s:S:t:v:x:y:z:o:M:N:F:GR:d:PI:L:a:b:e:m:w:T:U:q:X:Y:Z:c")) != -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) {
     case 'f':
       scg_fd = fopen(optarg,"r");