For the emacs server we have command-switch-alist and command-line-functions: http://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/elisp/Command_002dLine-Arguments.html Why not apply that to emacsclient's "unrecognized" arguments? // It could also solve this and alike(and it'l be useful for my personal needs too): http://emacs.1067599.n5.nabble.com/PATCH-add-emacsclient-support-to-open-with-file-linum-syntax-tp383378.html