diff --git a/bin/vmail-aliases-del.sh b/bin/vmail-aliases-del.sh
index 1712881..8a3b04f 100755
--- a/bin/vmail-aliases-del.sh
+++ b/bin/vmail-aliases-del.sh
@@ -21,33 +21,6 @@ help()
   exit
 }
 
-dbcmd="mysql --defaults-extra-file=$MYSQL_CONNECTION_INFO_FILE"
-dbcmdopts="-e"
-dbquery="SELECT vm_aliases.alias, vm_mboxes.mbox, vm_domains.domain FROM vm_aliases, vm_mboxes, vm_domains WHERE vm_aliases.mbox_id = vm_mboxes.id AND vm_mboxes.domain_id = vm_domains.id"
-
-# check for and set alias search term(s)
-if [ -n "$1" ]; then
-  if [ $1 == "-h" ]; then
-    help
-  elif [[ ! $1 =~ ^- ]] ; then
-    searchterm=$1
-    shift
-    if [[ $searchterm =~ "@" ]] ; then
-      alias=${searchterm%@*}
-      domain=${searchterm##*@}
-      if ! vmail::validate_domain $domain; then
-        echo "ERROR: $searchterm is not a valid email address."
-        exit
-      fi
-    elif vmail::validate_domain $searchterm; then
-      domain=$searchterm
-    else
-      echo "ERROR: $searchterm is not a valid search term."
-      help
-    fi
-  fi
-fi
-
 # set any options that were passed
 while getopts "achs" opt; do
   case "${opt}" in
@@ -69,6 +42,35 @@ while getopts "achs" opt; do
   esac
 done
 
+dbcmd="mysql --defaults-extra-file=$MYSQL_CONNECTION_INFO_FILE"
+dbcmdopts="-e"
+dbquery="SELECT vm_aliases.alias, vm_mboxes.mbox, vm_domains.domain FROM vm_aliases, vm_mboxes, vm_domains WHERE vm_aliases.mbox_id = vm_mboxes.id AND vm_mboxes.domain_id = vm_domains.id"
+
+# check for and set alias search term(s)
+if [ -n "$1" ]; then
+  if [ $1 == "-h" ]; then
+    help
+  elif [[ ! $1 =~ ^- ]] ; then
+    searchterm=$1
+    shift
+    if [[ $searchterm =~ "@" ]] ; then
+      alias=${searchterm%@*}
+      domain=${searchterm##*@}
+      if ! vmail::validate_domain $domain; then
+        echo "ERROR: $searchterm is not a valid email address."
+        exit 1
+      fi
+    elif vmail::validate_domain $searchterm; then
+      domain=$searchterm
+    else
+      echo "ERROR: $searchterm is not a valid search term."
+      help
+    fi
+  fi
+fi
+
+
+
 # build query
 if [ -n "$domain" ]; then
   # add specific domain