diff --git a/builtin-notes.c b/builtin-notes.c
index e5046b98ed..2c7351e1e5 100644
--- a/builtin-notes.c
+++ b/builtin-notes.c
@@ -19,13 +19,54 @@
 #include "string-list.h"
 
 static const char * const git_notes_usage[] = {
+	"git notes [--ref <notes_ref>] [list [<object>]]",
+	"git notes [--ref <notes_ref>] add [-f] [-m <msg> | -F <file> | (-c | -C) <object>] [<object>]",
+	"git notes [--ref <notes_ref>] copy [-f] <from-object> <to-object>",
+	"git notes [--ref <notes_ref>] append [-m <msg> | -F <file> | (-c | -C) <object>] [<object>]",
+	"git notes [--ref <notes_ref>] edit [<object>]",
+	"git notes [--ref <notes_ref>] show [<object>]",
+	"git notes [--ref <notes_ref>] remove [<object>]",
+	"git notes [--ref <notes_ref>] prune",
+	NULL
+};
+
+static const char * const git_notes_list_usage[] = {
 	"git notes [list [<object>]]",
-	"git notes add [-f] [-m <msg> | -F <file> | (-c | -C) <object>] [<object>]",
-	"git notes copy [-f] <from-object> <to-object>",
-	"git notes append [-m <msg> | -F <file> | (-c | -C) <object>] [<object>]",
+	NULL
+};
+
+static const char * const git_notes_add_usage[] = {
+	"git notes add [<options>] [<object>]",
+	NULL
+};
+
+static const char * const git_notes_copy_usage[] = {
+	"git notes copy [<options>] <from-object> <to-object>",
+	"git notes copy --stdin [<from-object> <to-object>]...",
+	NULL
+};
+
+static const char * const git_notes_append_usage[] = {
+	"git notes append [<options>] [<object>]",
+	NULL
+};
+
+static const char * const git_notes_edit_usage[] = {
 	"git notes edit [<object>]",
+	NULL
+};
+
+static const char * const git_notes_show_usage[] = {
 	"git notes show [<object>]",
+	NULL
+};
+
+static const char * const git_notes_remove_usage[] = {
 	"git notes remove [<object>]",
+	NULL
+};
+
+static const char * const git_notes_prune_usage[] = {
 	"git notes prune",
 	NULL
 };
@@ -281,7 +322,6 @@ int commit_notes(struct notes_tree *t, const char *msg)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-
 combine_notes_fn *parse_combine_notes_fn(const char *v)
 {
 	if (!strcasecmp(v, "overwrite"))
@@ -436,42 +476,364 @@ int notes_copy_from_stdin(int force, const char *rewrite_cmd)
 	return ret;
 }
 
-int cmd_notes(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
+static struct notes_tree *init_notes_check(const char *subcommand)
 {
 	struct notes_tree *t;
-	unsigned char object[20], from_obj[20], new_note[20];
-	const unsigned char *note;
-	const char *object_ref;
-	char logmsg[100];
+	init_notes(NULL, NULL, NULL, 0);
+	t = &default_notes_tree;
 
-	int list = 0, add = 0, copy = 0, append = 0, edit = 0, show = 0,
-	    remove = 0, prune = 0, force = 0, from_stdin = 0;
-	int given_object = 0, i = 1, retval = 0;
-	struct msg_arg msg = { 0, 0, STRBUF_INIT };
-	const char *rewrite_cmd = NULL;
-	const char *override_notes_ref = NULL;
+	if (prefixcmp(t->ref, "refs/notes/"))
+		die("Refusing to %s notes in %s (outside of refs/notes/)",
+		    subcommand, t->ref);
+	return t;
+}
+
+static int list(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
+{
+	struct notes_tree *t;
+	unsigned char object[20];
+	const unsigned char *note;
+	int retval = -1;
+	struct option options[] = {
+		OPT_END()
+	};
+
+	if (argc)
+		argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, options,
+				     git_notes_list_usage, 0);
+
+	if (1 < argc) {
+		error("too many parameters");
+		usage_with_options(git_notes_list_usage, options);
+	}
+
+	t = init_notes_check("list");
+	if (argc) {
+		if (get_sha1(argv[0], object))
+			die("Failed to resolve '%s' as a valid ref.", argv[0]);
+		note = get_note(t, object);
+		if (note) {
+			puts(sha1_to_hex(note));
+			retval = 0;
+		} else
+			retval = error("No note found for object %s.",
+				       sha1_to_hex(object));
+	} else
+		retval = for_each_note(t, 0, list_each_note, NULL);
+
+	free_notes(t);
+	return retval;
+}
+
+static int add(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
+{
+	int retval = 0, force = 0;
+	const char *object_ref;
+	struct notes_tree *t;
+	unsigned char object[20], new_note[20];
+	char logmsg[100];
+	const unsigned char *note;
+	struct msg_arg msg = { 0, 0, STRBUF_INIT };
+	struct option options[] = {
+		{ OPTION_CALLBACK, 'm', "message", &msg, "MSG",
+			"note contents as a string", PARSE_OPT_NONEG,
+			parse_msg_arg},
+		{ OPTION_CALLBACK, 'F', "file", &msg, "FILE",
+			"note contents in a file", PARSE_OPT_NONEG,
+			parse_file_arg},
+		{ OPTION_CALLBACK, 'c', "reedit-message", &msg, "OBJECT",
+			"reuse and edit specified note object", PARSE_OPT_NONEG,
+			parse_reedit_arg},
+		{ OPTION_CALLBACK, 'C', "reuse-message", &msg, "OBJECT",
+			"reuse specified note object", PARSE_OPT_NONEG,
+			parse_reuse_arg},
+		OPT_BOOLEAN('f', "force", &force, "replace existing notes"),
+		OPT_END()
+	};
+
+	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, options, git_notes_add_usage,
+			     0);
+
+	if (1 < argc) {
+		error("too many parameters");
+		usage_with_options(git_notes_add_usage, options);
+	}
+
+	object_ref = argc ? argv[0] : "HEAD";
+
+	if (get_sha1(object_ref, object))
+		die("Failed to resolve '%s' as a valid ref.", object_ref);
+
+	t = init_notes_check("add");
+	note = get_note(t, object);
+
+	if (note) {
+		if (!force) {
+			retval = error("Cannot add notes. Found existing notes "
+				       "for object %s. Use '-f' to overwrite "
+				       "existing notes", sha1_to_hex(object));
+			goto out;
+		}
+		fprintf(stderr, "Overwriting existing notes for object %s\n",
+			sha1_to_hex(object));
+	}
+
+	create_note(object, &msg, 0, note, new_note);
+
+	if (is_null_sha1(new_note))
+		remove_note(t, object);
+	else
+		add_note(t, object, new_note, combine_notes_overwrite);
+
+	snprintf(logmsg, sizeof(logmsg), "Notes %s by 'git notes %s'",
+		 is_null_sha1(new_note) ? "removed" : "added", "add");
+	commit_notes(t, logmsg);
+out:
+	free_notes(t);
+	strbuf_release(&(msg.buf));
+	return retval;
+}
+
+static int copy(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
+{
+	int retval = 0, force = 0, from_stdin = 0;
+	const unsigned char *from_note, *note;
+	const char *object_ref;
+	unsigned char object[20], from_obj[20];
+	struct notes_tree *t;
+	const char *rewrite_cmd = NULL;
 	struct option options[] = {
-		OPT_GROUP("Notes options"),
-		OPT_CALLBACK('m', "message", &msg, "MSG",
-			     "note contents as a string", parse_msg_arg),
-		OPT_CALLBACK('F', "file", &msg, "FILE",
-			     "note contents in a file", parse_file_arg),
-		OPT_CALLBACK('c', "reedit-message", &msg, "OBJECT",
-			   "reuse and edit specified note object", parse_reedit_arg),
-		OPT_CALLBACK('C', "reuse-message", &msg, "OBJECT",
-			   "reuse specified note object", parse_reuse_arg),
 		OPT_BOOLEAN('f', "force", &force, "replace existing notes"),
 		OPT_BOOLEAN(0, "stdin", &from_stdin, "read objects from stdin"),
+		OPT_STRING(0, "for-rewrite", &rewrite_cmd, "command",
+			   "load rewriting config for <command> (implies "
+			   "--stdin)"),
+		OPT_END()
+	};
+
+	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, options, git_notes_copy_usage,
+			     0);
+
+	if (from_stdin || rewrite_cmd) {
+		if (argc) {
+			error("too many parameters");
+			usage_with_options(git_notes_copy_usage, options);
+		} else {
+			return notes_copy_from_stdin(force, rewrite_cmd);
+		}
+	}
+
+	if (2 < argc) {
+		error("too many parameters");
+		usage_with_options(git_notes_copy_usage, options);
+	}
+
+	if (get_sha1(argv[0], from_obj))
+		die("Failed to resolve '%s' as a valid ref.", argv[0]);
+
+	object_ref = 1 < argc ? argv[1] : "HEAD";
+
+	if (get_sha1(object_ref, object))
+		die("Failed to resolve '%s' as a valid ref.", object_ref);
+
+	t = init_notes_check("copy");
+	note = get_note(t, object);
+
+	if (note) {
+		if (!force) {
+			retval = error("Cannot copy notes. Found existing "
+				       "notes for object %s. Use '-f' to "
+				       "overwrite existing notes",
+				       sha1_to_hex(object));
+			goto out;
+		}
+		fprintf(stderr, "Overwriting existing notes for object %s\n",
+			sha1_to_hex(object));
+	}
+
+	from_note = get_note(t, from_obj);
+	if (!from_note) {
+		retval = error("Missing notes on source object %s. Cannot "
+			       "copy.", sha1_to_hex(from_obj));
+		goto out;
+	}
+
+	add_note(t, object, from_note, combine_notes_overwrite);
+	commit_notes(t, "Notes added by 'git notes copy'");
+out:
+	free_notes(t);
+	return retval;
+}
+
+static int append_edit(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
+{
+	const char *object_ref;
+	struct notes_tree *t;
+	unsigned char object[20], new_note[20];
+	const unsigned char *note;
+	char logmsg[100];
+	const char * const *usage;
+	struct msg_arg msg = { 0, 0, STRBUF_INIT };
+	struct option options[] = {
+		{ OPTION_CALLBACK, 'm', "message", &msg, "MSG",
+			"note contents as a string", PARSE_OPT_NONEG,
+			parse_msg_arg},
+		{ OPTION_CALLBACK, 'F', "file", &msg, "FILE",
+			"note contents in a file", PARSE_OPT_NONEG,
+			parse_file_arg},
+		{ OPTION_CALLBACK, 'c', "reedit-message", &msg, "OBJECT",
+			"reuse and edit specified note object", PARSE_OPT_NONEG,
+			parse_reedit_arg},
+		{ OPTION_CALLBACK, 'C', "reuse-message", &msg, "OBJECT",
+			"reuse specified note object", PARSE_OPT_NONEG,
+			parse_reuse_arg},
+		OPT_END()
+	};
+	int edit = !strcmp(argv[0], "edit");
+
+	usage = edit ? git_notes_edit_usage : git_notes_append_usage;
+	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, options, usage,
+			     PARSE_OPT_KEEP_ARGV0);
+
+	if (2 < argc) {
+		error("too many parameters");
+		usage_with_options(usage, options);
+	}
+
+	if (msg.given && edit)
+		fprintf(stderr, "The -m/-F/-c/-C options have been deprecated "
+			"for the 'edit' subcommand.\n"
+			"Please use 'git notes add -f -m/-F/-c/-C' instead.\n");
+
+	object_ref = 1 < argc ? argv[1] : "HEAD";
+
+	if (get_sha1(object_ref, object))
+		die("Failed to resolve '%s' as a valid ref.", object_ref);
+
+	t = init_notes_check(argv[0]);
+	note = get_note(t, object);
+
+	create_note(object, &msg, !edit, note, new_note);
+
+	if (is_null_sha1(new_note))
+		remove_note(t, object);
+	else
+		add_note(t, object, new_note, combine_notes_overwrite);
+
+	snprintf(logmsg, sizeof(logmsg), "Notes %s by 'git notes %s'",
+		 is_null_sha1(new_note) ? "removed" : "added", argv[0]);
+	commit_notes(t, logmsg);
+	free_notes(t);
+	strbuf_release(&(msg.buf));
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static int show(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
+{
+	const char *object_ref;
+	struct notes_tree *t;
+	unsigned char object[20];
+	const unsigned char *note;
+	int retval;
+	struct option options[] = {
+		OPT_END()
+	};
+
+	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, options, git_notes_show_usage,
+			     0);
+
+	if (1 < argc) {
+		error("too many parameters");
+		usage_with_options(git_notes_show_usage, options);
+	}
+
+	object_ref = argc ? argv[0] : "HEAD";
+
+	if (get_sha1(object_ref, object))
+		die("Failed to resolve '%s' as a valid ref.", object_ref);
+
+	t = init_notes_check("show");
+	note = get_note(t, object);
+
+	if (!note)
+		retval = error("No note found for object %s.",
+			       sha1_to_hex(object));
+	else {
+		const char *show_args[3] = {"show", sha1_to_hex(note), NULL};
+		retval = execv_git_cmd(show_args);
+	}
+	free_notes(t);
+	return retval;
+}
+
+static int remove_cmd(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
+{
+	struct option options[] = {
+		OPT_END()
+	};
+	const char *object_ref;
+	struct notes_tree *t;
+	unsigned char object[20];
+
+	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, options,
+			     git_notes_remove_usage, 0);
+
+	if (1 < argc) {
+		error("too many parameters");
+		usage_with_options(git_notes_remove_usage, options);
+	}
+
+	object_ref = argc ? argv[0] : "HEAD";
+
+	if (get_sha1(object_ref, object))
+		die("Failed to resolve '%s' as a valid ref.", object_ref);
+
+	t = init_notes_check("remove");
+
+	fprintf(stderr, "Removing note for object %s\n", sha1_to_hex(object));
+	remove_note(t, object);
+
+	commit_notes(t, "Notes removed by 'git notes remove'");
+	free_notes(t);
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static int prune(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
+{
+	struct notes_tree *t;
+	struct option options[] = {
+		OPT_END()
+	};
+
+	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, options, git_notes_prune_usage,
+			     0);
+
+	if (argc) {
+		error("too many parameters");
+		usage_with_options(git_notes_prune_usage, options);
+	}
+
+	t = init_notes_check("prune");
+
+	prune_notes(t);
+	commit_notes(t, "Notes removed by 'git notes prune'");
+	free_notes(t);
+	return 0;
+}
+
+int cmd_notes(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
+{
+	int result;
+	const char *override_notes_ref = NULL;
+	struct option options[] = {
 		OPT_STRING(0, "ref", &override_notes_ref, "notes_ref",
 			   "use notes from <notes_ref>"),
-		OPT_STRING(0, "for-rewrite", &rewrite_cmd, "command",
-			   "load rewriting config for <command> (implies --stdin)"),
 		OPT_END()
 	};
 
 	git_config(git_default_config, NULL);
-
-	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, options, git_notes_usage, 0);
+	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, options, git_notes_usage,
+			     PARSE_OPT_STOP_AT_NON_OPTION);
 
 	if (override_notes_ref) {
 		struct strbuf sb = STRBUF_INIT;
@@ -486,169 +848,24 @@ int cmd_notes(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		strbuf_release(&sb);
 	}
 
-	if (argc && !strcmp(argv[0], "list"))
-		list = 1;
-	else if (argc && !strcmp(argv[0], "add"))
-		add = 1;
-	else if (argc && !strcmp(argv[0], "copy"))
-		copy = 1;
-	else if (argc && !strcmp(argv[0], "append"))
-		append = 1;
-	else if (argc && !strcmp(argv[0], "edit"))
-		edit = 1;
-	else if (argc && !strcmp(argv[0], "show"))
-		show = 1;
-	else if (argc && !strcmp(argv[0], "remove"))
-		remove = 1;
-	else if (argc && !strcmp(argv[0], "prune"))
-		prune = 1;
-	else if (!argc) {
-		list = 1; /* Default to 'list' if no other subcommand given */
-		i = 0;
-	}
-
-	if (list + add + copy + append + edit + show + remove + prune != 1)
-		usage_with_options(git_notes_usage, options);
-
-	if (msg.given && !(add || append || edit)) {
-		error("cannot use -m/-F/-c/-C options with %s subcommand.",
-		      argv[0]);
+	if (argc < 1 || !strcmp(argv[0], "list"))
+		result = list(argc, argv, prefix);
+	else if (!strcmp(argv[0], "add"))
+		result = add(argc, argv, prefix);
+	else if (!strcmp(argv[0], "copy"))
+		result = copy(argc, argv, prefix);
+	else if (!strcmp(argv[0], "append") || !strcmp(argv[0], "edit"))
+		result = append_edit(argc, argv, prefix);
+	else if (!strcmp(argv[0], "show"))
+		result = show(argc, argv, prefix);
+	else if (!strcmp(argv[0], "remove"))
+		result = remove_cmd(argc, argv, prefix);
+	else if (!strcmp(argv[0], "prune"))
+		result = prune(argc, argv, prefix);
+	else {
+		result = error("Unknown subcommand: %s", argv[0]);
 		usage_with_options(git_notes_usage, options);
 	}
 
-	if (msg.given && edit) {
-		fprintf(stderr, "The -m/-F/-c/-C options have been deprecated "
-			"for the 'edit' subcommand.\n"
-			"Please use 'git notes add -f -m/-F/-c/-C' instead.\n");
-	}
-
-	if (force && !(add || copy)) {
-		error("cannot use -f option with %s subcommand.", argv[0]);
-		usage_with_options(git_notes_usage, options);
-	}
-
-	if (!copy && rewrite_cmd) {
-		error("cannot use --for-rewrite with %s subcommand.", argv[0]);
-		usage_with_options(git_notes_usage, options);
-	}
-	if (!copy && from_stdin) {
-		error("cannot use --stdin with %s subcommand.", argv[0]);
-		usage_with_options(git_notes_usage, options);
-	}
-
-	if (copy) {
-		const char *from_ref;
-		if (from_stdin || rewrite_cmd) {
-			if (argc > 1) {
-				error("too many parameters");
-				usage_with_options(git_notes_usage, options);
-			} else {
-				return notes_copy_from_stdin(force, rewrite_cmd);
-			}
-		}
-		if (argc < 3) {
-			error("too few parameters");
-			usage_with_options(git_notes_usage, options);
-		}
-		from_ref = argv[i++];
-		if (get_sha1(from_ref, from_obj))
-			die("Failed to resolve '%s' as a valid ref.", from_ref);
-	}
-
-	given_object = argc > i;
-	object_ref = given_object ? argv[i++] : "HEAD";
-
-	if (argc > i || (prune && given_object)) {
-		error("too many parameters");
-		usage_with_options(git_notes_usage, options);
-	}
-
-	if (get_sha1(object_ref, object))
-		die("Failed to resolve '%s' as a valid ref.", object_ref);
-
-	init_notes(NULL, NULL, NULL, 0);
-	t = &default_notes_tree;
-
-	if (prefixcmp(t->ref, "refs/notes/"))
-		die("Refusing to %s notes in %s (outside of refs/notes/)",
-		    argv[0], t->ref);
-
-	note = get_note(t, object);
-
-	/* list command */
-
-	if (list) {
-		if (given_object) {
-			if (note) {
-				puts(sha1_to_hex(note));
-				goto end;
-			}
-		} else {
-			retval = for_each_note(t, 0, list_each_note, NULL);
-			goto end;
-		}
-	}
-
-	/* show command */
-
-	if ((list || show) && !note) {
-		error("No note found for object %s.", sha1_to_hex(object));
-		retval = 1;
-		goto end;
-	} else if (show) {
-		const char *show_args[3] = {"show", sha1_to_hex(note), NULL};
-		retval = execv_git_cmd(show_args);
-		goto end;
-	}
-
-	/* add/append/edit/remove/prune command */
-
-	if ((add || copy) && note) {
-		if (!force) {
-			error("Cannot %s notes. Found existing notes for object"
-			      " %s. Use '-f' to overwrite existing notes",
-			      argv[0], sha1_to_hex(object));
-			retval = 1;
-			goto end;
-		}
-		fprintf(stderr, "Overwriting existing notes for object %s\n",
-			sha1_to_hex(object));
-	}
-
-	if (remove) {
-		msg.given = 1;
-		msg.use_editor = 0;
-		strbuf_reset(&(msg.buf));
-	}
-
-	if (prune) {
-		hashclr(new_note);
-		prune_notes(t);
-		goto commit;
-	} else if (copy) {
-		const unsigned char *from_note = get_note(t, from_obj);
-		if (!from_note) {
-			error("Missing notes on source object %s. Cannot copy.",
-			      sha1_to_hex(from_obj));
-			retval = 1;
-			goto end;
-		}
-		hashcpy(new_note, from_note);
-	} else
-		create_note(object, &msg, append, note, new_note);
-
-	if (is_null_sha1(new_note))
-		remove_note(t, object);
-	else
-		add_note(t, object, new_note, combine_notes_overwrite);
-
-commit:
-	snprintf(logmsg, sizeof(logmsg), "Notes %s by 'git notes %s'",
-		 is_null_sha1(new_note) ? "removed" : "added", argv[0]);
-	commit_notes(t, logmsg);
-
-end:
-	free_notes(t);
-	strbuf_release(&(msg.buf));
-	return retval;
+	return result ? 1 : 0;
 }
diff --git a/t/t3301-notes.sh b/t/t3301-notes.sh
index aeec90a8e9..5b262114f3 100755
--- a/t/t3301-notes.sh
+++ b/t/t3301-notes.sh
@@ -377,6 +377,17 @@ test_expect_success 'append to existing note with "git notes append"' '
 	test_cmp expect output
 '
 
+cat > expect_list << EOF
+c18dc024e14f08d18d14eea0d747ff692d66d6a3 1584215f1d29c65e99c6c6848626553fdd07fd75
+c9c6af7f78bc47490dbf3e822cf2f3c24d4b9061 268048bfb8a1fb38e703baceb8ab235421bf80c5
+4b6ad22357cc8a1296720574b8d2fbc22fab0671 bd1753200303d0a0344be813e504253b3d98e74d
+EOF
+
+test_expect_success '"git notes list" does not expand to "git notes list HEAD"' '
+	git notes list > output &&
+	test_cmp expect_list output
+'
+
 test_expect_success 'appending empty string does not change existing note' '
 	git notes append -m "" &&
 	git notes show > output &&