diff --git a/nvm.sh b/nvm.sh
index ad6e630..eb03559 100755
--- a/nvm.sh
+++ b/nvm.sh
@@ -1557,19 +1557,27 @@ nvm() {
       local PROVIDED_VERSION
       local NVM_USE_SILENT
       NVM_USE_SILENT=0
-      if [ "$2" = '--silent' ]; then
-        NVM_USE_SILENT=1
+      shift # remove "use"
+      while [ $# -ne 0 ]
+      do
+        case "$1" in
+          --silent) NVM_USE_SILENT=1 ;;
+          *)
+            if [ -n "$1" ]; then
+              PROVIDED_VERSION="$1"
+            fi
+          ;;
+        esac
         shift
-      fi
+      done
 
-      if [ $# -eq 1 ]; then
+      if [ -z "$PROVIDED_VERSION" ]; then
         nvm_rc_version
         if [ -n "$NVM_RC_VERSION" ]; then
           PROVIDED_VERSION="$NVM_RC_VERSION"
           VERSION="$(nvm_version "$PROVIDED_VERSION")"
         fi
       else
-        PROVIDED_VERSION="$2"
         VERSION="$(nvm_match_version "$PROVIDED_VERSION")"
       fi
 
diff --git "a/test/fast/Running \"nvm use iojs\" uses latest io.js version" "b/test/fast/Running \"nvm use iojs\" uses latest io.js version"
index 97c45eb..edee505 100755
--- "a/test/fast/Running \"nvm use iojs\" uses latest io.js version"	
+++ "b/test/fast/Running \"nvm use iojs\" uses latest io.js version"	
@@ -23,8 +23,16 @@ EXPECTED_OUTPUT=''
 [ "_$OUTPUT" = "_$EXPECTED_OUTPUT" ] \
   || die "'nvm use --silent foo' did not output '$EXPECTED_OUTPUT'; got '$OUTPUT'"
 
+OUTPUT="$(nvm use foo --silent 2>&1)"
+EXPECTED_OUTPUT=''
+[ "_$OUTPUT" = "_$EXPECTED_OUTPUT" ] \
+  || die "'nvm use foo --silent' did not output '$EXPECTED_OUTPUT'; got '$OUTPUT'"
+
 EXIT_CODE="$(nvm use --silent foo 2>/dev/null ; echo $?)"
 [ "_$EXIT_CODE" = "_8" ] || die "Expected exit code 8 from 'nvm use --silent foo'; got $EXIT_CODE"
 
+EXIT_CODE="$(nvm use foo --silent 2>/dev/null ; echo $?)"
+[ "_$EXIT_CODE" = "_8" ] || die "Expected exit code 8 from 'nvm use foo --silent'; got $EXIT_CODE"
+
 cleanup;