diff --git a/fio.c b/fio.c
index 778749d..c33f786 100644
--- a/fio.c
+++ b/fio.c
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
 #include "verify.h"
 #include "diskutil.h"
 #include "cgroup.h"
+#include "profile.h"
 
 unsigned long page_mask;
 unsigned long page_size;
@@ -1653,6 +1654,9 @@
 	if (parse_options(argc, argv))
 		return 1;
 
+	if (exec_profile && load_profile(exec_profile))
+		return 1;
+
 	if (!thread_number)
 		return 0;
 
diff --git a/fio.h b/fio.h
index 91a28b4..23e007b 100644
--- a/fio.h
+++ b/fio.h
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 #include "ioengine.h"
 #include "iolog.h"
 #include "helpers.h"
+#include "options.h"
 
 #ifdef FIO_HAVE_GUASI
 #include <guasi.h>
@@ -539,7 +540,7 @@
 extern void td_fill_rand_seeds(struct thread_data *);
 extern void add_job_opts(const char **);
 #define FIO_GETOPT_JOB		0x89988998
-#define FIO_NR_OPTIONS		512
+#define FIO_NR_OPTIONS		(FIO_MAX_OPTS + 128)
 
 /*
  * ETA/status stuff
diff --git a/init.c b/init.c
index c0ce431..acebb7d 100644
--- a/init.c
+++ b/init.c
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 FILE *f_out = NULL;
 FILE *f_err = NULL;
 char *job_section = NULL;
+char *exec_profile = NULL;
 
 int write_bw_log = 0;
 int read_only = 0;
@@ -1114,8 +1115,7 @@
 			job_section = strdup(optarg);
 			break;
 		case 'p':
-			if (load_profile(optarg))
-				do_exit++;
+			exec_profile = strdup(optarg);
 			break;
 		case FIO_GETOPT_JOB: {
 			const char *opt = l_opts[lidx].name;
@@ -1204,6 +1204,8 @@
 	if (!thread_number) {
 		if (dump_cmdline)
 			return 0;
+		if (exec_profile)
+			return 0;
 
 		log_err("No jobs defined(s)\n\n");
 		usage(argv[0]);
diff --git a/options.c b/options.c
index 6cfd80d..da9d0be 100644
--- a/options.c
+++ b/options.c
@@ -16,8 +16,6 @@
 #include "lib/fls.h"
 #include "options.h"
 
-static FLIST_HEAD(ext_opt_list);
-
 /*
  * Check if mmap/mmaphuge has a :/foo/bar/file at the end. If so, return that.
  */
@@ -736,7 +734,7 @@
 /*
  * Map of job/command line options
  */
-static struct fio_option options[] = {
+static struct fio_option options[FIO_MAX_OPTS] = {
 	{
 		.name	= "description",
 		.type	= FIO_OPT_STR_STORE,
@@ -1774,8 +1772,6 @@
 void fio_options_dup_and_init(struct option *long_options)
 {
 	struct fio_option *o;
-	struct ext_option *eo;
-	struct flist_head *n;
 	unsigned int i;
 
 	options_init(options);
@@ -1792,13 +1788,6 @@
 		o++;
 		assert(i < FIO_NR_OPTIONS);
 	}
-
-	flist_for_each(n, &ext_opt_list) {
-		eo = flist_entry(n, struct ext_option, list);
-		add_to_lopt(&long_options[i], &eo->o);
-		i++;
-		assert(i < FIO_NR_OPTIONS);
-	}
 }
 
 struct fio_keyword {
@@ -1955,7 +1944,7 @@
 
 	for (ret = 0, i = 0; i < num_opts; i++) {
 		opts[i] = fio_keyword_replace(opts[i]);
-		ret |= parse_option(opts[i], options, &ext_opt_list, td);
+		ret |= parse_option(opts[i], options, td);
 	}
 
 	return ret;
@@ -1963,7 +1952,7 @@
 
 int fio_cmd_option_parse(struct thread_data *td, const char *opt, char *val)
 {
-	return parse_cmd_option(opt, val, options, &ext_opt_list, td);
+	return parse_cmd_option(opt, val, options, td);
 }
 
 void fio_fill_default_options(struct thread_data *td)
@@ -1973,7 +1962,7 @@
 
 int fio_show_option_help(const char *opt)
 {
-	return show_cmd_help(options, &ext_opt_list, opt);
+	return show_cmd_help(options, opt);
 }
 
 static void __options_mem(struct thread_data *td, int alloc)
@@ -2027,23 +2016,31 @@
 	return kb_base;
 }
 
-void register_ext_option(struct ext_option *eopt)
+int add_option(struct fio_option *o)
 {
-	dprint(FD_PARSE, "register option '%s'\n", eopt->o.name);
-	option_init(&eopt->o);
-	flist_add_tail(&eopt->list, &ext_opt_list);
+	struct fio_option *__o;
+	int opt_index = 0;
+
+	__o = options;
+	while (__o->name) {
+		opt_index++;
+		__o++;
+	}
+
+	memcpy(&options[opt_index], o, sizeof(*o));
+	return 0;
 }
 
-void prune_profile_options(const char *prof_name)
+void invalidate_profile_options(const char *prof_name)
 {
-	struct ext_option *eo;
-	struct flist_head *n, *tmp;
+	struct fio_option *o;
 
-	flist_for_each_safe(n, tmp, &ext_opt_list) {
-		eo = flist_entry(n, struct ext_option, list);
-		if (strcmp(eo->prof_name, prof_name))
-			continue;
-		flist_del(&eo->list);
-		free(eo);
+	o = options;
+	while (o->name) {
+		if (o->prof_name && !strcmp(o->prof_name, prof_name)) {
+			o->type = FIO_OPT_INVALID;
+			o->prof_name = NULL;
+		}
+		o++;
 	}
 }
diff --git a/options.h b/options.h
index 96c81a1..cf823fc 100644
--- a/options.h
+++ b/options.h
@@ -1,18 +1,15 @@
 #ifndef FIO_OPTION_H
 #define FIO_OPTION_H
 
+#define FIO_MAX_OPTS		512
+
 #include "parse.h"
 #include "flist.h"
 
 #define td_var_offset(var)	((size_t) &((struct thread_options *)0)->var)
 
-struct ext_option {
-	struct flist_head list;
-	const char *prof_name;
-	struct fio_option o;
-};
-
-void register_ext_option(struct ext_option *);
-void prune_profile_options(const char *);
+int add_option(struct fio_option *);
+void invalidate_profile_options(const char *);
+extern char *exec_profile;
 
 #endif
diff --git a/parse.c b/parse.c
index 9c0965f..98e623a 100644
--- a/parse.c
+++ b/parse.c
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@
 static void show_option_help(struct fio_option *o, FILE *out)
 {
 	const char *typehelp[] = {
+		"invalid",
 		"string (opt=bla)",
 		"string with possible k/m/g postfix (opt=4k)",
 		"string with time postfix (opt=10s)",
@@ -86,6 +87,7 @@
 		"integer value (opt=100)",
 		"boolean value (opt=1)",
 		"no argument (opt)",
+		"deprecated",
 	};
 
 	if (o->alias)
@@ -93,6 +95,8 @@
 
 	fprintf(out, "%20s: %s\n", "type", typehelp[o->type]);
 	fprintf(out, "%20s: %s\n", "default", o->def ? o->def : "no default");
+	if (o->prof_name)
+		fprintf(out, "%20s: only for profile '%s'\n", "valid", o->prof_name);
 	show_option_range(o, stdout);
 	show_option_values(o);
 }
@@ -265,26 +269,14 @@
 }
 
 static struct fio_option *find_option(struct fio_option *options,
-				      struct flist_head *eops, const char *opt)
+				      const char *opt)
 {
-	struct flist_head *n;
 	struct fio_option *o;
 
 	for (o = &options[0]; o->name; o++)
 		if (o_match(o, opt))
 			return o;
 
-	if (!eops)
-		return NULL;
-
-	flist_for_each(n, eops) {
-		struct ext_option *eopt;
-
-		eopt = flist_entry(n, struct ext_option, list);
-		if (o_match(&eopt->o, opt))
-			return &eopt->o;
-	}
-
 	return NULL;
 }
 
@@ -604,8 +596,7 @@
 }
 
 static struct fio_option *get_option(const char *opt,
-				     struct fio_option *options,
-				     struct flist_head *eops, char **post)
+				     struct fio_option *options, char **post)
 {
 	struct fio_option *o;
 	char *ret;
@@ -617,9 +608,9 @@
 		ret = (char *) opt;
 		(*post)++;
 		strip_blank_end(ret);
-		o = find_option(options, eops, ret);
+		o = find_option(options, ret);
 	} else {
-		o = find_option(options, eops, opt);
+		o = find_option(options, opt);
 		*post = NULL;
 	}
 
@@ -635,8 +626,8 @@
 	s1 = strdup(*((char **) p1));
 	s2 = strdup(*((char **) p2));
 
-	o1 = get_option(s1, fio_options, NULL, &foo);
-	o2 = get_option(s2, fio_options, NULL, &foo);
+	o1 = get_option(s1, fio_options, &foo);
+	o2 = get_option(s2, fio_options, &foo);
 
 	prio1 = prio2 = 0;
 	if (o1)
@@ -657,12 +648,11 @@
 }
 
 int parse_cmd_option(const char *opt, const char *val,
-		     struct fio_option *options, struct flist_head *eops,
-		     void *data)
+		     struct fio_option *options, void *data)
 {
 	struct fio_option *o;
 
-	o = find_option(options, eops, opt);
+	o = find_option(options, opt);
 	if (!o) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "Bad option <%s>\n", opt);
 		return 1;
@@ -729,8 +719,7 @@
 	return strdup(out);
 }
 
-int parse_option(const char *opt, struct fio_option *options,
-		 struct flist_head *ext_opt_list, void *data)
+int parse_option(const char *opt, struct fio_option *options, void *data)
 {
 	struct fio_option *o;
 	char *post, *tmp;
@@ -739,7 +728,7 @@
 	if (!tmp)
 		return 1;
 
-	o = get_option(tmp, options, ext_opt_list, &post);
+	o = get_option(tmp, options, &post);
 	if (!o) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "Bad option <%s>\n", tmp);
 		free(tmp);
@@ -852,11 +841,8 @@
 	} while (printed);
 }
 
-int show_cmd_help(struct fio_option *options, struct flist_head *ext_opts,
-		  const char *name)
+int show_cmd_help(struct fio_option *options, const char *name)
 {
-	struct flist_head *n;
-	struct ext_option *eo;
 	struct fio_option *o, *closest;
 	unsigned int best_dist;
 	int found = 0;
@@ -872,6 +858,8 @@
 
 		if (o->type == FIO_OPT_DEPRECATED)
 			continue;
+		if (!exec_profile && o->prof_name)
+			continue;
 
 		if (name) {
 			if (!strcmp(name, o->name) ||
@@ -891,7 +879,7 @@
 		if (show_all || match) {
 			found = 1;
 			if (match)
-				printf("%24s: %s\n", o->name, o->help);
+				printf("%20s: %s\n", o->name, o->help);
 			if (show_all) {
 				if (!o->parent)
 					print_option(o);
@@ -908,18 +896,6 @@
 	if (found)
 		return 0;
 
-	flist_for_each(n, ext_opts) {
-		eo = flist_entry(n, struct ext_option, list);
-		o = &eo->o;
-		if (!strcmp(name, o->name) ||
-		    (o->alias && !strcmp(name, o->alias))) {
-			printf("%20s: %s\n", o->name, o->help);
-			show_option_help(o, stdout);
-			printf("%20s: External, valid for '%s'\n", "Restriction", eo->prof_name);
-			return 0;
-		}
-	}
-
 	printf("No such command: %s", name);
 	if (closest) {
 		printf(" - showing closest match\n");
diff --git a/parse.h b/parse.h
index 5f602a3..8f7982a 100644
--- a/parse.h
+++ b/parse.h
@@ -7,7 +7,8 @@
  * Option types
  */
 enum fio_opt_type {
-	FIO_OPT_STR = 0,
+	FIO_OPT_INVALID = 0,
+	FIO_OPT_STR,
 	FIO_OPT_STR_VAL,
 	FIO_OPT_STR_VAL_TIME,
 	FIO_OPT_STR_STORE,
@@ -52,14 +53,15 @@
 	const struct value_pair posval[PARSE_MAX_VP];/* possible values */
 	const char *parent;		/* parent option */
 	int (*verify)(struct fio_option *, void *);
+	const char *prof_name;		/* only valid for specific profile */
 };
 
 typedef int (str_cb_fn)(void *, char *);
 
-extern int parse_option(const char *, struct fio_option *, struct flist_head *, void *);
+extern int parse_option(const char *, struct fio_option *, void *);
 extern void sort_options(char **, struct fio_option *, int);
-extern int parse_cmd_option(const char *t, const char *l, struct fio_option *, struct flist_head *, void *);
-extern int show_cmd_help(struct fio_option *, struct flist_head *, const char *);
+extern int parse_cmd_option(const char *t, const char *l, struct fio_option *, void *);
+extern int show_cmd_help(struct fio_option *, const char *);
 extern void fill_default_options(void *, struct fio_option *);
 extern void option_init(struct fio_option *);
 extern void options_init(struct fio_option *);
diff --git a/profile.c b/profile.c
index 44e6269..354b06d 100644
--- a/profile.c
+++ b/profile.c
@@ -31,34 +31,40 @@
 	return 1;
 }
 
-static void add_profile_options(struct profile_ops *ops)
+static int add_profile_options(struct profile_ops *ops)
 {
-	struct fio_option *fo;
-	struct ext_option *eo;
+	struct fio_option *o;
 	
 	if (!ops->options)
-		return;
+		return 0;
 
-	fo = ops->options;
-	while (fo->name) {
-		eo = malloc(sizeof(*eo));
-		eo->prof_name = ops->name;
-		memcpy(&eo->o, fo, sizeof(*fo));
-		register_ext_option(eo);
-		fo++;
+	o = ops->options;
+	while (o->name) {
+		o->prof_name = ops->name;
+		if (add_option(o))
+			return 1;
+		o++;
 	}
+
+	return 0;
 }
 
-void register_profile(struct profile_ops *ops)
+int register_profile(struct profile_ops *ops)
 {
+	int ret;
+
 	dprint(FD_PROFILE, "register profile '%s'\n", ops->name);
 	flist_add_tail(&ops->list, &profile_list);
-	add_profile_options(ops);
+	ret = add_profile_options(ops);
+	if (ret)
+		invalidate_profile_options(ops->name);
+
+	return ret;
 }
 
 void unregister_profile(struct profile_ops *ops)
 {
 	dprint(FD_PROFILE, "unregister profile '%s'\n", ops->name);
 	flist_del(&ops->list);
-	prune_profile_options(ops->name);
+	invalidate_profile_options(ops->name);
 }
diff --git a/profile.h b/profile.h
index 8ea77d9..dbfb9c2 100644
--- a/profile.h
+++ b/profile.h
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 	const char **cmdline;
 };
 
-void register_profile(struct profile_ops *);
+int register_profile(struct profile_ops *);
 void unregister_profile(struct profile_ops *);
 int load_profile(const char *);
 
diff --git a/profiles/tiobench.c b/profiles/tiobench.c
index 4bdcfa2..aba0785 100644
--- a/profiles/tiobench.c
+++ b/profiles/tiobench.c
@@ -92,7 +92,8 @@
 
 static void fio_init tiobench_register(void)
 {
-	register_profile(&tiobench_profile);
+	if (register_profile(&tiobench_profile))
+		log_err("fio: failed to register profile 'tiobench'\n");
 }
 
 static void fio_exit tiobench_unregister(void)