diff --git a/tests/pressure-vessel/adverb.py b/tests/pressure-vessel/adverb.py
index 4b466ac88ffa7052c239415c0a753691fccee5da..a7ea5c8afb1560b42cb1a3c902ab08f3f59f2000 100755
--- a/tests/pressure-vessel/adverb.py
+++ b/tests/pressure-vessel/adverb.py
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ from testutils import (
 logger = logging.getLogger('test-adverb')
 
 
+EX_USAGE = 64
+
+
 class TestAdverb(BaseTest):
     def run_subprocess(
         self,
@@ -211,6 +214,26 @@ class TestAdverb(BaseTest):
             proc.wait()
             self.assertEqual(proc.returncode, 0)
 
+    def test_wrong_options(self) -> None:
+        for option in (
+            '--an-unknown-option',
+            '--pass-fd=-1',
+            '--shell=wrong',
+            '--terminal=wrong',
+        ):
+            proc = subprocess.Popen(
+                self.adverb + [
+                    option,
+                    '--',
+                    'sh', '-euc', 'exit 42',
+                ],
+                stdout=2,
+                stderr=2,
+                universal_newlines=True,
+            )
+            proc.wait()
+            self.assertEqual(proc.returncode, EX_USAGE)
+
     def tearDown(self) -> None:
         super().tearDown()