diff --git a/frontends/src/jp/arg_tools.py b/frontends/src/jp/arg_tools.py
index 93ab018f..5cee77e1 100644
--- a/frontends/src/jp/arg_tools.py
+++ b/frontends/src/jp/arg_tools.py
@@ -47,14 +47,19 @@ def get_use_args(host, args, use, verbose=False, parser=None):
     @param use(dict[str, str]): arguments to fill if found in parser
     @param verbose(bool): if True a message will be displayed when argument is used or not
     @param parser(argparse.ArgumentParser): parser to use
+    @return (tuple[list[str],list[str]]): 2 args lists:
+        - parser args, i.e. given args corresponding to parsers
+        - use args, i.e. generated args from use
     """
+    # FIXME: positional args are not handled correclty
+    #        if there is more that one, the position is not corrected
     if parser is None:
         parser = host.parser
 
     # we check not optional args to see if there
     # is a corresonding parser
     # else USE args would not work correctly (only for current parser)
-    cmd_args = []
+    parser_args = []
     for arg in args:
         if arg.startswith('-'):
             break
@@ -62,11 +67,11 @@ def get_use_args(host, args, use, verbose=False, parser=None):
             parser = get_cmd_choices(arg, parser)
         except exceptions.NotFound:
             break
-        cmd_args.append(arg)
+        parser_args.append(arg)
 
-    # we remove command args
-    # they'll be in returned list (use_args)
-    del args[:len(cmd_args)]
+    # post_args are remaning given args,
+    # without the ones corresponding to parsers
+    post_args = args[len(parser_args):]
 
     opt_args = []
     pos_args = []
@@ -90,4 +95,4 @@ def get_use_args(host, args, use, verbose=False, parser=None):
             else:
                 opt_args.append(action.option_strings[0])
                 opt_args.append(value)
-    return cmd_args + opt_args + pos_args
+    return parser_args, opt_args + pos_args + post_args
diff --git a/frontends/src/jp/cmd_pubsub.py b/frontends/src/jp/cmd_pubsub.py
index 0697583c..c184014c 100644
--- a/frontends/src/jp/cmd_pubsub.py
+++ b/frontends/src/jp/cmd_pubsub.py
@@ -683,12 +683,14 @@ class Search(base.CommandBase):
                        'node': metadata[u'node'],
                        'item': item_elt.get('id'),
                        }
-                args = arg_tools.get_use_args(self.host,
-                                              self.args.command,
-                                              use,
-                                              verbose=self.host.verbosity > 1
-                                              )
-                cmd_args = sys.argv[0:1] + args + self.args.command
+                # we need to send a copy of self.args.command
+                # else it would be modified
+                parser_args, use_args = arg_tools.get_use_args(self.host,
+                    self.args.command,
+                    use,
+                    verbose=self.host.verbosity > 1
+                    )
+                cmd_args = sys.argv[0:1] + parser_args + use_args
             else:
                 cmd_args = self.args.command
 
diff --git a/frontends/src/jp/cmd_shell.py b/frontends/src/jp/cmd_shell.py
index 9feb92fb..99052875 100644
--- a/frontends/src/jp/cmd_shell.py
+++ b/frontends/src/jp/cmd_shell.py
@@ -182,13 +182,13 @@ class Shell(base.CommandBase, cmd.Cmd):
         args = self.parse_args(args)
         # args may be modified by use_args
         # to remove subparsers from it
-        use_args = arg_tools.get_use_args(self.host,
+        parser_args, use_args = arg_tools.get_use_args(self.host,
                                           args,
                                           self.use,
                                           verbose=self.verbose,
                                           parser=self._cur_parser
                                           )
-        cmd_args = self.path + use_args + args
+        cmd_args = self.path + parser_args + use_args
         self.run_cmd(cmd_args)
 
     def do_use(self, args):