diff --git a/nfq/nfqws.c b/nfq/nfqws.c
index 7a9debe..bec9b4e 100644
--- a/nfq/nfqws.c
+++ b/nfq/nfqws.c
@@ -851,7 +851,7 @@ static unsigned int hash_jen(const void *data,unsigned int len)
 static void exithelp(void)
 {
 	printf(
-		" @<config_file>\t\t\t\t\t; read file for options. must be the only argument. other options are ignored.\n\n"
+		" @<config_file>|$<config_file>\t\t\t; read file for options. must be the only argument. other options are ignored.\n\n"
 		" --debug=0|1|syslog|@<filename>\n"
 #ifdef __linux__
 		" --qnum=<nfqueue_number>\n"
@@ -1070,7 +1070,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	}
 #endif
 
-	if (argc>=2 && argv[1][0]=='@')
+	if (argc>=2 && (argv[1][0]=='@' || argv[1][0]=='$'))
 	{
 		config_from_file(argv[1]+1);
 		argv=params.wexp.we_wordv;
diff --git a/tpws/tpws.c b/tpws/tpws.c
index 6f125d2..27d04c9 100644
--- a/tpws/tpws.c
+++ b/tpws/tpws.c
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ static int get_default_ttl(void)
 static void exithelp(void)
 {
 	printf(
-		" @<config_file>\t\t\t\t; read file for options. must be the only argument. other options are ignored.\n\n"
+		" @<config_file>|$<config_file>\t\t; read file for options. must be the only argument. other options are ignored.\n\n"
 		" --bind-addr=<v4_addr>|<v6_addr>\t; for v6 link locals append %%interface_name\n"
 		" --bind-iface4=<interface_name>\t\t; bind to the first ipv4 addr of interface\n"
 		" --bind-iface6=<interface_name>\t\t; bind to the first ipv6 addr of interface\n"
@@ -426,7 +426,7 @@ void parse_params(int argc, char *argv[])
 	dp = &dpl->dp;
 	dp->n = ++desync_profile_count;
 
-	if (argc>=2 && argv[1][0]=='@')
+	if (argc>=2 && (argv[1][0]=='@' || argv[1][0]=='$'))
 	{
 		config_from_file(argv[1]+1);
 		argv=params.wexp.we_wordv;