diff --git a/man/pam_systemd_home.xml b/man/pam_systemd_home.xml
index 066a038655..c1a4dc7f97 100644
--- a/man/pam_systemd_home.xml
+++ b/man/pam_systemd_home.xml
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ lennart@zeta$ cp -av /etc/skel ~/Areas/versuch1</programlisting>
     <literal>lennart%versuch1</literal> when prompted for a user name), or via
     <citerefentry><refentrytitle>run0</refentrytitle><manvolnum>1</manvolnum></citerefentry>:</para>
 
-    <programlisting>lennart@zeta$ run0 -a versuch1</programlisting>
+    <programlisting>lennart@zeta$ run0 --area=versuch1</programlisting>
   </refsect1>
 
   <refsect1>
diff --git a/man/run0.xml b/man/run0.xml
index d853e2d463..5ad91240d5 100644
--- a/man/run0.xml
+++ b/man/run0.xml
@@ -267,7 +267,6 @@
       </varlistentry>
 
       <varlistentry>
-        <term><option>-a <replaceable>AREA</replaceable></option></term>
         <term><option>--area=<replaceable>AREA</replaceable></option></term>
 
         <listitem><para>Controls the "area" of the target account to log into. Areas are secondary home
diff --git a/src/run/run.c b/src/run/run.c
index 002874d282..44949d0bcf 100644
--- a/src/run/run.c
+++ b/src/run/run.c
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ static int help_sudo_mode(void) {
                "     --shell-prompt-prefix=PREFIX Set $SHELL_PROMPT_PREFIX\n"
                "     --lightweight=BOOLEAN        Control whether to register a session with service manager\n"
                "                                  or without\n"
-               "  -a --area=AREA                  Home area to log into\n"
+               "     --area=AREA                  Home area to log into\n"
                "\nSee the %s for details.\n",
                program_invocation_short_name,
                ansi_highlight(),
@@ -829,6 +829,7 @@ static int parse_argv_sudo_mode(int argc, char *argv[]) {
                 ARG_PIPE,
                 ARG_SHELL_PROMPT_PREFIX,
                 ARG_LIGHTWEIGHT,
+                ARG_AREA,
                 ARG_VIA_SHELL,
         };
 
@@ -858,7 +859,7 @@ static int parse_argv_sudo_mode(int argc, char *argv[]) {
                 { "pipe",                no_argument,       NULL, ARG_PIPE                },
                 { "shell-prompt-prefix", required_argument, NULL, ARG_SHELL_PROMPT_PREFIX },
                 { "lightweight",         required_argument, NULL, ARG_LIGHTWEIGHT         },
-                { "area",                required_argument, NULL, 'a'                     },
+                { "area",                required_argument, NULL, ARG_AREA                },
                 {},
         };
 
@@ -870,7 +871,7 @@ static int parse_argv_sudo_mode(int argc, char *argv[]) {
         /* Resetting to 0 forces the invocation of an internal initialization routine of getopt_long()
          * that checks for GNU extensions in optstring ('-' or '+' at the beginning). */
         optind = 0;
-        while ((c = getopt_long(argc, argv, "+hVu:g:D:a:i", options, NULL)) >= 0)
+        while ((c = getopt_long(argc, argv, "+hVu:g:D:i", options, NULL)) >= 0)
 
                 switch (c) {
 
@@ -976,7 +977,7 @@ static int parse_argv_sudo_mode(int argc, char *argv[]) {
                                 return r;
                         break;
 
-                case 'a':
+                case ARG_AREA:
                         /* We allow an empty --area= specification to allow logging into the primary home directory */
                         if (!isempty(optarg) && !filename_is_valid(optarg))
                                 return log_error_errno(SYNTHETIC_ERRNO(EINVAL), "Invalid area name, refusing: %s", optarg);
diff --git a/test/units/TEST-46-HOMED.sh b/test/units/TEST-46-HOMED.sh
index f7aadf38b5..e69323df53 100755
--- a/test/units/TEST-46-HOMED.sh
+++ b/test/units/TEST-46-HOMED.sh
@@ -697,17 +697,17 @@ run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest ln -s
 test "$(run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest sh -c 'echo $HOME')" = "/home/subareatest"
 test "$(run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest sh -c 'echo x$XDG_AREA')" = "x"
 test "$(run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest sh -c 'echo $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR')" = "/run/user/$(id -u subareatest)"
-test "$(run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest -a furb sh -c 'echo $HOME')" = "/home/subareatest/Areas/furb"
-test "$(run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest -a furb sh -c 'echo $XDG_AREA')" = "furb"
-test "$(run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest -a furb sh -c 'echo $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR')" = "/run/user/$(id -u subareatest)/Areas/furb"
+test "$(run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest --area=furb sh -c 'echo $HOME')" = "/home/subareatest/Areas/furb"
+test "$(run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest --area=furb sh -c 'echo $XDG_AREA')" = "furb"
+test "$(run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest --area=furb sh -c 'echo $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR')" = "/run/user/$(id -u subareatest)/Areas/furb"
 
 PASSWORD=quux homectl update subareatest --default-area=molb
 test "$(run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest sh -c 'echo $HOME')" = "/home/subareatest/Areas/molb"
 test "$(run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest sh -c 'echo $XDG_AREA')" = "molb"
 test "$(run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest sh -c 'echo $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR')" = "/run/user/$(id -u subareatest)/Areas/molb"
-test "$(run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest -a furb sh -c 'echo $HOME')" = "/home/subareatest/Areas/furb"
-test "$(run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest -a furb sh -c 'echo $XDG_AREA')" = "furb"
-test "$(run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest -a furb sh -c 'echo $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR')" = "/run/user/$(id -u subareatest)/Areas/furb"
+test "$(run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest --area=furb sh -c 'echo $HOME')" = "/home/subareatest/Areas/furb"
+test "$(run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest --area=furb sh -c 'echo $XDG_AREA')" = "furb"
+test "$(run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest --area=furb sh -c 'echo $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR')" = "/run/user/$(id -u subareatest)/Areas/furb"
 
 # Install a PK rule that allows 'subareatest' user to invoke run0 without password, just for testing
 cat >/usr/share/polkit-1/rules.d/subareatest.rules <<'EOF'
@@ -720,24 +720,24 @@ polkit.addRule(function(action, subject) {
 EOF
 
 # Test "recursive" operation
-test "$(run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest -a furb run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest -a molb sh -c 'echo $HOME')" = "/home/subareatest/Areas/molb"
-test "$(run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest -a furb run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest -a molb sh -c 'echo $XDG_AREA')" = "molb"
-test "$(run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest -a furb run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest -a molb sh -c 'echo $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR')" = "/run/user/$(id -u subareatest)/Areas/molb"
-test "$(run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest -a furb run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest -a molb run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest -a furb sh -c 'echo $HOME')" = "/home/subareatest/Areas/furb"
-test "$(run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest -a furb run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest -a molb run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest -a furb sh -c 'echo $XDG_AREA')" = "furb"
-test "$(run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest -a furb run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest -a molb run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest -a furb sh -c 'echo $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR')" = "/run/user/$(id -u subareatest)/Areas/furb"
+test "$(run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest --area=furb run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest --area=molb sh -c 'echo $HOME')" = "/home/subareatest/Areas/molb"
+test "$(run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest --area=furb run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest --area=molb sh -c 'echo $XDG_AREA')" = "molb"
+test "$(run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest --area=furb run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest --area=molb sh -c 'echo $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR')" = "/run/user/$(id -u subareatest)/Areas/molb"
+test "$(run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest --area=furb run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest --area=molb run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest --area=furb sh -c 'echo $HOME')" = "/home/subareatest/Areas/furb"
+test "$(run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest --area=furb run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest --area=molb run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest --area=furb sh -c 'echo $XDG_AREA')" = "furb"
+test "$(run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest --area=furb run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest --area=molb run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest --area=furb sh -c 'echo $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR')" = "/run/user/$(id -u subareatest)/Areas/furb"
 
 # Test symlinked area
 mkdir -p /home/srub
 chown subareatest:subareatest /home/srub
-test "$(run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest -a srub sh -c 'echo $HOME')" = "/home/srub"
-test "$(run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest -a srub sh -c 'echo $XDG_AREA')" = "srub"
-test "$(run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest -a srub sh -c 'echo $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR')" = "/run/user/$(id -u subareatest)/Areas/srub"
+test "$(run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest --area=srub sh -c 'echo $HOME')" = "/home/srub"
+test "$(run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest --area=srub sh -c 'echo $XDG_AREA')" = "srub"
+test "$(run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest --area=srub sh -c 'echo $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR')" = "/run/user/$(id -u subareatest)/Areas/srub"
 
 # Verify that login into an area not owned by target user will be redirected to main area
-test "$(run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest -a root sh -c 'echo $HOME')" = "/home/subareatest"
-test "$(run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest -a root sh -c 'echo x$XDG_AREA')" = "x"
-test "$(run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest -a root sh -c 'echo $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR')" = "/run/user/$(id -u subareatest)"
+test "$(run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest --area=root sh -c 'echo $HOME')" = "/home/subareatest"
+test "$(run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest --area=root sh -c 'echo x$XDG_AREA')" = "x"
+test "$(run0 --property=SetCredential=pam.authtok.systemd-run0:quux -u subareatest --area=root sh -c 'echo $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR')" = "/run/user/$(id -u subareatest)"
 
 systemctl stop user@"$(id -u subareatest)".service