diff --git a/source3/utils/smbcontrol.c b/source3/utils/smbcontrol.c
index 40892ba1c0e..2b682d98601 100644
--- a/source3/utils/smbcontrol.c
+++ b/source3/utils/smbcontrol.c
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ static void usage(BOOL doexit)
 {
 	int i;
 	if (doexit) {
-		printf("Usage: smbcontrol -i\n");
+		printf("Usage: smbcontrol -i -s configfile\n");
 		printf("       smbcontrol <destination> <message-type> <parameters>\n\n");
 	} else {
 		printf("<destination> <message-type> <parameters>\n\n");
@@ -380,23 +380,26 @@ static BOOL do_command(char *dest, char *msg_name, char **params)
 	TimeInit();
 	setup_logging(argv[0],True);
 	
-	lp_load(servicesf,False,False,False);
-
-	if (!message_init()) exit(1);
-
 	if (argc < 2) usage(True);
 
-	while ((opt = getopt(argc, argv,"i")) != EOF) {
+	while ((opt = getopt(argc, argv,"is:")) != EOF) {
 		switch (opt) {
 		case 'i':
 			interactive = True;
 			break;
+		case 's':
+			pstrcpy(servicesf, optarg);
+			break;
 		default:
 			printf("Unknown option %c (%d)\n", (char)opt, opt);
 			usage(True);
 		}
 	}
 
+	lp_load(servicesf,False,False,False);
+
+	if (!message_init()) exit(1);
+
 	argc -= optind;
 	argv = &argv[optind];