diff --git a/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json b/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
index fa7186f..bca8d96 100644
--- a/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
+++ b/.devcontainer/devcontainer.json
@@ -1,12 +1,16 @@
 {
     "name": "twurl dev container",
-    "dockerFile": "Dockerfile",
-    "context": "..",
+    "dockerComposeFile": "./docker-compose.yml",
+    "service": "twurl",
     "workspaceFolder": "/usr/src/app",
     "settings": {
-        "terminal.integrated.shell.linux": "/bin/bash"
+        "terminal.integrated.profiles.linux": {
+            "bash": {
+                "path": "bash",
+                "args": ["-l"]
+            }
+        }
     },
-    "shutdownAction": "none",
     "extensions": [
 		"rebornix.Ruby"
 	]
diff --git a/.devcontainer/docker-compose.yml b/.devcontainer/docker-compose.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..652a66a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.devcontainer/docker-compose.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+version: "3"
+services:
+  twurl:
+    build:
+        context: ..
+        dockerfile: ./.devcontainer/Dockerfile
+    command: /bin/sh -c "while sleep 1000; do :; done"
+    volumes:
+        - ../:/usr/src/app
diff --git a/lib/twurl/aliases_controller.rb b/lib/twurl/aliases_controller.rb
index 6d9ebc0..4dd6b96 100644
--- a/lib/twurl/aliases_controller.rb
+++ b/lib/twurl/aliases_controller.rb
@@ -15,9 +15,13 @@ def dispatch
         end
       when 1
         if options.path
-          OAuthClient.rcfile.alias(options.subcommands.first, options.path)
+          if Twurl::CLI::SUPPORTED_COMMANDS.include?(options.subcommands.first)
+            raise Exception, "ERROR: '#{options.subcommands.first}' is reserved for commands. Please use different alias name."
+          else
+            OAuthClient.rcfile.alias(options.subcommands.first, options.path)
+          end
         else
-          CLI.puts NO_PATH_PROVIDED_MESSAGE
+          raise Exception, NO_PATH_PROVIDED_MESSAGE
         end
       end
     end
diff --git a/lib/twurl/app_only_oauth_client.rb b/lib/twurl/app_only_oauth_client.rb
index a84b5c0..bd3133f 100644
--- a/lib/twurl/app_only_oauth_client.rb
+++ b/lib/twurl/app_only_oauth_client.rb
@@ -57,12 +57,9 @@ def set_http_client_options(http)
       http.set_debug_output(Twurl.options.debug_output_io) if Twurl.options.trace
       http.read_timeout = http.open_timeout = Twurl.options.timeout || 60
       http.open_timeout = Twurl.options.connection_timeout if Twurl.options.connection_timeout
-      # Only override if Net::HTTP support max_retries (since Ruby >= 2.5)
-      http.max_retries = 0 if http.respond_to?(:max_retries=)
-      if Twurl.options.ssl?
-        http.use_ssl     = true
-        http.verify_mode = OpenSSL::SSL::VERIFY_NONE
-      end
+      http.max_retries = 0
+      http.use_ssl     = true
+      http.verify_mode = OpenSSL::SSL::VERIFY_NONE
       http
     end
 
diff --git a/lib/twurl/cli.rb b/lib/twurl/cli.rb
index 60b01db..ad26a0a 100644
--- a/lib/twurl/cli.rb
+++ b/lib/twurl/cli.rb
@@ -6,8 +6,6 @@ class CLI
     PROTOCOL_PATTERN       = /^\w+:\/\//
     README                 = File.dirname(__FILE__) + '/../../README.md'
     @output              ||= STDOUT
-    class NoPathFound < Exception
-    end
 
     class << self
       attr_accessor :output
@@ -15,8 +13,8 @@ class << self
       def run(args)
         begin
           options = parse_options(args)
-        rescue NoPathFound => e
-          exit
+        rescue Twurl::Exception => exception
+          abort(exception.message)
         end
         dispatch(options)
       end
@@ -80,7 +78,6 @@ def parse_options(args)
             headers
             host
             quiet
-            disable_ssl
             request_method
             help
             version
@@ -98,11 +95,11 @@ def parse_options(args)
         begin
           arguments               = option_parser.parse!(args)
         rescue OptionParser::InvalidOption
-          CLI.puts "ERROR: undefined option"
-          exit
+          raise Exception "ERROR: undefined option"
+        rescue Twurl::Exception
+          raise
         rescue
-          CLI.puts "ERROR: invalid argument"
-          exit
+          raise Exception "ERROR: invalid argument"
         end
         Twurl.options.command     = extract_command!(arguments)
         Twurl.options.path        = extract_path!(arguments)
@@ -110,7 +107,7 @@ def parse_options(args)
         
         if Twurl.options.command == DEFAULT_COMMAND and Twurl.options.path.nil? and Twurl.options.args.empty?
           CLI.puts option_parser
-          raise NoPathFound, "No path found"
+          raise Exception, "No path found"
         end
 
         Twurl.options
@@ -172,7 +169,7 @@ def extract_path!(arguments)
 
         def escape_params(params)
           CGI::parse(params).map do |key, value|
-            "#{CGI.escape key}=#{CGI.escape value.first}"
+            "#{CGI.escape(key)}=#{CGI.escape(value.first)}"
           end.join("&")
         end
     end
@@ -234,12 +231,12 @@ def trace
 
       def data
         on('-d', '--data [data]', 'Sends the specified data in a POST request to the HTTP server.') do |data|
-          if options.args.count { |item| /content-type: (.*)/i.match(item) } > 0
-            options.data[data] = nil
+          if options.args.count { |item| /^content-type:\s+application\/json/i.match(item) } > 0
+            options.json_data = true
+            options.data = data
           else
-            data.split('&').each do |pair|
-              key, value = pair.split('=', 2)
-              options.data[key] = value
+            CGI.parse(data).each_pair do |key, value|
+              options.data[key] = value.first
             end
           end
         end
@@ -247,9 +244,13 @@ def data
 
       def raw_data
         on('-r', '--raw-data [data]', 'Sends the specified data as it is in a POST request to the HTTP server.') do |data|
-          CGI::parse(data).each_pair do |key, value|
-            options.data[key] = value.first
+          if options.raw_data
+            raise Exception, "ERROR: can't specify '-r' option more than once"
+          elsif options.args.include?('-d') || options.args.include?('--data')
+            raise Exception, "ERROR: can't use '-r' and '-d' options together"
           end
+          options.raw_data = true
+          options.data = data
         end
       end
 
@@ -277,12 +278,6 @@ def quiet
         end
       end
 
-      def disable_ssl
-        on('-U', '--no-ssl', 'Disable SSL (default: SSL is enabled)') do |use_ssl|
-          options.protocol = 'http'
-        end
-      end
-
       def request_method
         on('-X', '--request-method [method]', 'Request method (default: GET)') do |request_method|
           options.request_method = request_method.downcase
@@ -298,7 +293,7 @@ def help
 
       def version
         on_tail("-v", "--version", "Show version") do
-          CLI.puts Version
+          CLI.puts "twurl version: #{Version}\nplatform: #{RUBY_ENGINE} #{RUBY_VERSION} (#{RUBY_PLATFORM})"
           exit
         end
       end
@@ -374,10 +369,6 @@ def base_url
       "#{protocol}://#{host}"
     end
 
-    def ssl?
-      protocol == 'https'
-    end
-
     def debug_output_io
       super || STDERR
     end
diff --git a/lib/twurl/oauth_client.rb b/lib/twurl/oauth_client.rb
index 482f90c..c87226b 100644
--- a/lib/twurl/oauth_client.rb
+++ b/lib/twurl/oauth_client.rb
@@ -162,16 +162,20 @@ def build_request_from_options(options, &block)
 
         request.body = multipart_body.join
         request.content_type = "multipart/form-data, boundary=\"#{boundary}\""
-      elsif request.content_type && options.data
-        request.body = options.data.keys.first
+      elsif options.json_data
+        request.body = options.data
       elsif options.data
-        request.content_type = "application/x-www-form-urlencoded"
-        if options.data.length == 1 && options.data.values.first == nil
-          request.body = options.data.keys.first
+        request.content_type = "application/x-www-form-urlencoded" unless request.content_type
+        if options.raw_data
+          request.body = options.data
         else
-          request.body = options.data.map do |key, value|
-            "#{key}=#{CGI.escape value}"
-          end.join("&")
+          begin
+            request.body = options.data.map do |key, value|
+              "#{key}" + (value.nil? ? "" : "=#{CGI.escape(value)}")
+            end.join("&")
+          rescue
+            raise Exception, "ERROR: failed to parse POST request body"
+          end
         end
       end
       request
@@ -202,7 +206,11 @@ def exchange_credentials_for_access_token
     def perform_pin_authorize_workflow
       @request_token = consumer.get_request_token
       CLI.puts("Go to #{generate_authorize_url} and paste in the supplied PIN")
-      pin = STDIN.gets
+      begin
+        pin = STDIN.gets.chomp
+      rescue SystemExit, Interrupt
+        raise Exception, "Operation cancelled"
+      end
       access_token = @request_token.get_access_token(:oauth_verifier => pin.chomp)
       {:oauth_token => access_token.token, :oauth_token_secret => access_token.secret}
     end
@@ -212,7 +220,7 @@ def generate_authorize_url
       params = request['Authorization'].sub(/^OAuth\s+/, '').split(/,\s+/).map { |p|
         k, v = p.split('=')
         v =~ /"(.*?)"/
-        "#{k}=#{CGI::escape($1)}"
+        "#{k}=#{CGI.escape($1)}"
       }.join('&')
       "#{Twurl.options.base_url}#{request.path}?#{params}"
     end
@@ -260,12 +268,9 @@ def configure_http!
       consumer.http.set_debug_output(Twurl.options.debug_output_io) if Twurl.options.trace
       consumer.http.read_timeout = consumer.http.open_timeout = Twurl.options.timeout || 60
       consumer.http.open_timeout = Twurl.options.connection_timeout if Twurl.options.connection_timeout
-      # Only override if Net::HTTP support max_retries (since Ruby >= 2.5)
-      consumer.http.max_retries = 0 if consumer.http.respond_to?(:max_retries=)
-      if Twurl.options.ssl?
-        consumer.http.use_ssl     = true
-        consumer.http.verify_mode = OpenSSL::SSL::VERIFY_NONE
-      end
+      consumer.http.max_retries = 0
+      consumer.http.use_ssl     = true
+      consumer.http.verify_mode = OpenSSL::SSL::VERIFY_NONE
     end
 
     def consumer
diff --git a/lib/twurl/request_controller.rb b/lib/twurl/request_controller.rb
index cc81f13..b3e9c70 100644
--- a/lib/twurl/request_controller.rb
+++ b/lib/twurl/request_controller.rb
@@ -22,11 +22,11 @@ def perform_request
         }
       }
     rescue URI::InvalidURIError
-      CLI.puts INVALID_URI_MESSAGE
+      raise Exception, INVALID_URI_MESSAGE
     rescue Net::ReadTimeout
-      CLI.puts READ_TIMEOUT_MESSAGE
+      raise Exception, READ_TIMEOUT_MESSAGE
     rescue Net::OpenTimeout
-      CLI.puts OPEN_TIMEOUT_MESSAGE
+      raise Exception, OPEN_TIMEOUT_MESSAGE
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/test/alias_controller_test.rb b/test/alias_controller_test.rb
index 3dda3a1..f896e6d 100644
--- a/test/alias_controller_test.rb
+++ b/test/alias_controller_test.rb
@@ -41,13 +41,15 @@ def test_when_alias_and_value_are_provided_they_are_added
     controller.dispatch
   end
 
-  def test_when_no_path_is_provided_nothing_happens
+  def test_error_if_no_path_is_provided
     options.subcommands = ['a']
     assert_nil options.path
 
-    mock(Twurl::CLI).puts(Twurl::AliasesController::NO_PATH_PROVIDED_MESSAGE).times(1)
+    e = assert_raises Twurl::Exception do
+      controller = Twurl::AliasesController.new(client, options)
+      controller.dispatch
+    end
 
-    controller = Twurl::AliasesController.new(client, options)
-    controller.dispatch
+    assert_equal Twurl::AliasesController::NO_PATH_PROVIDED_MESSAGE, e.message
   end
 end
diff --git a/test/cli_options_test.rb b/test/cli_options_test.rb
index 53c3aa8..5db43ec 100644
--- a/test/cli_options_test.rb
+++ b/test/cli_options_test.rb
@@ -7,17 +7,8 @@ def setup
   end
 
   def test_base_url_is_built_from_protocol_and_host
-    options.protocol = 'http'
-    options.host     = 'api.twitter.com'
+    options = Twurl::CLI.parse_options(['-H', 'ads-api.twitter.com'])
 
-    assert_equal 'http://api.twitter.com', options.base_url
-  end
-
-  def test_ssl_is_enabled_if_the_protocol_is_https
-    options.protocol = 'http'
-    assert !options.ssl?
-
-    options.protocol = 'https'
-    assert options.ssl?
+    assert_equal 'https://ads-api.twitter.com', options.base_url
   end
 end
diff --git a/test/cli_test.rb b/test/cli_test.rb
index 7d6fcb3..34830c6 100644
--- a/test/cli_test.rb
+++ b/test/cli_test.rb
@@ -26,9 +26,10 @@ def test_unsupported_command_specified_sets_default_command
   module PathParsingTests
     def test_missing_path_throws_no_path_found
       stub(Twurl::CLI).puts
-      assert_raises Twurl::CLI::NoPathFound do
+      e = assert_raises Twurl::Exception do
         Twurl::CLI.parse_options([])
       end
+      assert_equal 'No path found', e.message
     end
 
     def test_uri_params_are_encoded
@@ -124,17 +125,12 @@ def test_extracting_an_empty_key_value_pair
   include DataParsingTests
 
   module RawDataParsingTests
-    def test_extracting_a_single_key_value_pair
-      options = Twurl::CLI.parse_options([TEST_PATH, '-r', 'key=value'])
-      assert_equal({'key' => 'value'}, options.data)
+    def test_raw_data_option_should_not_use_parser
+      options = Twurl::CLI.parse_options([TEST_PATH, '-r', 'key=foo%26bar'])
+      assert_equal('key=foo%26bar', options.data)
 
-      options = Twurl::CLI.parse_options([TEST_PATH, '--raw-data', 'key=value'])
-      assert_equal({'key' => 'value'}, options.data)
-    end
-
-    def test_with_special_to_url_characters_in_value
-      options = Twurl::CLI.parse_options([TEST_PATH, '-r', 'key=a+%26%26+b+%2B%2B+c'])
-      assert_equal({'key' => 'a && b ++ c'}, options.data)
+      options = Twurl::CLI.parse_options([TEST_PATH, '--raw-data', 'key=foo%26bar'])
+      assert_equal('key=foo%26bar', options.data)
     end
 
     def test_passing_data_and_no_explicit_request_method_defaults_request_method_to_post
@@ -144,26 +140,19 @@ def test_passing_data_and_no_explicit_request_method_defaults_request_method_to_
 
     def test_passing_data_and_an_explicit_request_method_uses_the_specified_method
       options = Twurl::CLI.parse_options([TEST_PATH, '-r', 'key=value', '-X', 'DELETE'])
-      assert_equal({'key' => 'value'}, options.data)
       assert_equal 'delete', options.request_method
     end
 
-    def test_multiple_pairs_when_option_is_specified_multiple_times_on_command_line_collects_all
-      options = Twurl::CLI.parse_options([TEST_PATH, '-r', 'key=value', '-d', 'another=pair'])
-      assert_equal({'key' => 'value', 'another' => 'pair'}, options.data)
-    end
-
-    def test_multiple_pairs_separated_by_ampersand_are_all_captured
-      options = Twurl::CLI.parse_options([TEST_PATH, '-r', 'key=value+%26+value&another=pair'])
-      assert_equal({'key' => 'value & value', 'another' => 'pair'}, options.data)
+    def test_error_when_option_is_specified_multiple_times
+      assert_raises Twurl::Exception do
+        Twurl::CLI.parse_options([TEST_PATH, '-r', 'key1=value1', '-r', 'key2=value2'])
+      end
     end
 
-    def test_extracting_an_empty_key_value_pair
-      options = Twurl::CLI.parse_options([TEST_PATH, '-r', 'key='])
-      assert_equal({'key' => ''}, options.data)
-
-      options = Twurl::CLI.parse_options([TEST_PATH, '--raw-data', 'key='])
-      assert_equal({'key' => ''}, options.data)
+    def test_error_when_option_is_specified_with_data_option
+      assert_raises Twurl::Exception do
+        Twurl::CLI.parse_options([TEST_PATH, '-r', 'key1=value1', '-d', 'key2=value2'])
+      end
     end
   end
   include RawDataParsingTests
@@ -184,21 +173,6 @@ def test_multiple_headers_when_option_is_specified_multiple_times_on_command_lin
   end
   include HeaderParsingTests
 
-  module SSLDisablingTests
-    def test_ssl_is_on_by_default
-      options = Twurl::CLI.parse_options([TEST_PATH])
-      assert options.ssl?
-    end
-
-    def test_passing_no_ssl_option_disables_ssl
-      ['-U', '--no-ssl'].each do |switch|
-        options = Twurl::CLI.parse_options([TEST_PATH, switch])
-        assert !options.ssl?
-      end
-    end
-  end
-  include SSLDisablingTests
-
   module HostOptionTests
     def test_not_specifying_host_sets_it_to_the_default
       options = Twurl::CLI.parse_options([TEST_PATH])
diff --git a/test/oauth_client_test.rb b/test/oauth_client_test.rb
index 6d86c05..84bf1ab 100644
--- a/test/oauth_client_test.rb
+++ b/test/oauth_client_test.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 require File.dirname(__FILE__) + '/test_helper'
 
 class Twurl::OAuthClient::AbstractOAuthClientTest < Minitest::Test
+  TEST_PATH = '/1.1/url/does/not/matter.json'
+
   attr_reader :client, :options
   def setup
     Twurl::OAuthClient.instance_variable_set(:@rcfile, nil)
@@ -199,10 +201,7 @@ def test_request_is_made_using_request_method_and_path_and_data_in_options
 
   def test_content_type_is_not_overridden_if_set_and_data_in_options
     client = Twurl::OAuthClient.test_exemplar
-
-    options.request_method = 'post'
-    options.data           = { '{ "foo": "bar" }' => nil }
-    options.headers        = { 'Content-Type' => 'application/json' }
+    options = Twurl::CLI.parse_options([TEST_PATH, '-d', '{ "foo": "bar" }', '-A', 'Content-Type: application/json'])
 
     mock(client.consumer.http).request(
       satisfy { |req| req.is_a?(Net::HTTP::Post) && req.content_type == 'application/json' }
@@ -213,9 +212,7 @@ def test_content_type_is_not_overridden_if_set_and_data_in_options
 
   def test_content_type_is_set_to_form_encoded_if_not_set_and_data_in_options
     client = Twurl::OAuthClient.test_exemplar
-
-    options.request_method = 'post'
-    options.data           = { '{ "foo": "bar" }' => nil }
+    options = Twurl::CLI.parse_options([TEST_PATH, '-d', 'foo=bar'])
 
     mock(client.consumer.http).request(
       satisfy { |req| req.is_a?(Net::HTTP::Post) && req.content_type == 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded' }
@@ -224,6 +221,21 @@ def test_content_type_is_set_to_form_encoded_if_not_set_and_data_in_options
     client.perform_request_from_options(options)
   end
 
+  def test_post_body_is_parsed_and_escaped_properly_through_request_builder
+    client = Twurl::OAuthClient.test_exemplar
+    options = Twurl::CLI.parse_options([TEST_PATH, '-d', 'foo=text%26text'])
+
+    mock(client.consumer.http).request(
+      satisfy { |req|
+        req.is_a?(Net::HTTP::Post) &&
+        req.content_type == 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded' &&
+        req.body == 'foo=text%26text'
+      }
+    )
+
+    client.perform_request_from_options(options)
+  end
+
   def test_user_agent_request_header_is_set
     client = Twurl::OAuthClient.test_exemplar
     expected_ua_string = "twurl version: #{Twurl::Version} platform: #{RUBY_ENGINE} #{RUBY_VERSION} (#{RUBY_PLATFORM})"
diff --git a/test/request_controller_test.rb b/test/request_controller_test.rb
index 0133005..9720575 100644
--- a/test/request_controller_test.rb
+++ b/test/request_controller_test.rb
@@ -69,9 +69,12 @@ def test_request_response_is_json_formatted
   end
 
   def test_invalid_or_unspecified_urls_report_error
-    mock(Twurl::CLI).puts(Twurl::RequestController::INVALID_URI_MESSAGE).times(1)
     mock(client).perform_request_from_options(options).times(1) { raise URI::InvalidURIError }
 
-    controller.perform_request
+    e = assert_raises Twurl::Exception do
+      controller.perform_request
+    end
+
+    assert_equal Twurl::RequestController::INVALID_URI_MESSAGE, e.message
   end
 end