diff --git a/docs/reference/commands.md b/docs/reference/commands.md
index e0a38bec61..c418d08330 100644
--- a/docs/reference/commands.md
+++ b/docs/reference/commands.md
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ The following option flags can be used with any of the CLI commands:
   | `--root` | `-r` | string | Override project root directory (defaults to working directory).
   | `--silent` | `-s` | boolean | Suppress log output.
   | `--env` | `-e` | string | The environment (and optionally namespace) to work against
-  | `--loglevel` | `-log` | `error` `warn` `info` `verbose` `debug` `silly`  | Set logger level.
+  | `--loglevel` | `-l` | `error` `warn` `info` `verbose` `debug` `silly`  | Set logger level.
   | `--output` | `-o` | `json` `yaml`  | Output command result in specified format (note: disables progress logging).
 
 ### garden build
diff --git a/src/cli/cli.ts b/src/cli/cli.ts
index 85e61179ae..f572a1ab72 100644
--- a/src/cli/cli.ts
+++ b/src/cli/cli.ts
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ export const GLOBAL_OPTIONS = {
   }),
   env: new EnvironmentOption(),
   loglevel: new ChoicesParameter({
-    alias: "log",
+    alias: "l",
     choices: enumToArray(LogLevel),
     help: "Set logger level.",
     defaultValue: LogLevel[LogLevel.info],
@@ -300,6 +300,15 @@ export class GardenCli {
 }
 
 export async function run(): Promise<void> {
-  const cli = new GardenCli()
-  return cli.parse().then(result => shutdown(result.code))
+  let code
+  try {
+    const cli = new GardenCli()
+    const result = await cli.parse()
+    code = result.code
+  } catch (err) {
+    console.log(err)
+    code = 1
+  } finally {
+    shutdown(code)
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/cli/helpers.ts b/src/cli/helpers.ts
index 8743a1edcd..bcff60e7c6 100644
--- a/src/cli/helpers.ts
+++ b/src/cli/helpers.ts
@@ -88,8 +88,14 @@ export function falsifyConflictingParams(argv, params: ParameterValues<any>): Fa
 }
 
 // Sywac specific transformers and helpers
-export function getOptionSynopsis(key: string, param: Parameter<any>): string {
-  return param.alias ? `-${param.alias}, --${key}` : `--${key}`
+export function getOptionSynopsis(key: string, { alias }: Parameter<any>): string {
+  if (alias && alias.length > 1) {
+    throw new InternalError("Option aliases can only be a single character", {
+      optionName: key,
+      alias,
+    })
+  }
+  return alias ? `-${alias}, --${key}` : `--${key}`
 }
 
 export function getArgSynopsis(key: string, param: Parameter<any>) {