diff --git a/tools/semver_git_tag b/tools/semver_git_tag
index 8a3cb1e..61790b9 100755
--- a/tools/semver_git_tag
+++ b/tools/semver_git_tag
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 # CONSTANTS
 
+COMMAND=''
 NOVERIFY=false
 
 # FUNCTIONS
@@ -16,15 +17,15 @@ function parse_options {
 		case "$1" in
 		--major | -M)
 			shift 1
-			ret='major'
+			COMMAND='major'
 			;;
 		--minor | -m)
 			shift 1
-			ret='minor'
+			COMMAND='minor'
 			;;
 		--patch | -p)
 			shift 1
-			ret='patch'
+			COMMAND='patch'
 			;;
 		--no-verify)
 			shift 1
@@ -45,32 +46,6 @@ function parse_options {
 	done
 }
 
-function setCommand {
-	#arg1 input, #arg2 return value
-	declare -n ret=$2
-
-	case $1 in
-	-M | --major)
-		ret='major'
-		;;
-	-m | --minor)
-		ret='minor'
-		;;
-	-p | --patch)
-		ret='patch'
-		;;
-	--help)
-		usage
-		;;
-	*) # unknown option
-		echo
-		echo 'unknown option, quitting'
-		echo
-		usage
-		;;
-	esac
-}
-
 function extra_options {
 	extra=""
 	[[ $NOVERIFY == true ]] && extra="$extra --no-verify"
@@ -137,16 +112,16 @@ if [[ $VERSION != '0.0.0' ]]; then
 	fi
 fi
 
+parse_options $*
+
 COMMAND="${1:-ask}"
-if [[ $COMMAND == 'ask' ]]; then
+if [[ -z $COMMAND ]]; then
 	echo -n "Press 'M' for Major, 'm' for minor, 'p' for patch ? "
 	read -rn1 input
 	echo
 	COMMAND="-$input"
 fi
 
-parse_options $*
-
 case $COMMAND in
 "major")
 	let "MAJOR++"
@@ -160,6 +135,9 @@ case $COMMAND in
 "patch")
 	let "PATCH++"
 	;;
+*)
+	echo >&2 "unknown COMMAND=$COMMAND" && exit 3
+	;;
 esac
 
 echo "show TAG"