diff --git a/src/tito/builder.py b/src/tito/builder.py
index dcbe616..86191d1 100644
--- a/src/tito/builder.py
+++ b/src/tito/builder.py
@@ -84,10 +84,10 @@ class Builder(object):
 
         # Allow a builder arg to override the test setting passed in, used by
         # releasers in their config sections.
-        if 'test' in args:
+        if args and 'test' in args:
             self.test = True
 
-        if 'options' in kwargs:
+        if kwargs and 'options' in kwargs:
             print("WARNING: 'options' no longer a supported builder "
                     "constructor argument.")
 
diff --git a/src/tito/distributionbuilder.py b/src/tito/distributionbuilder.py
index c4a1833..561bcf9 100644
--- a/src/tito/distributionbuilder.py
+++ b/src/tito/distributionbuilder.py
@@ -13,9 +13,9 @@ class DistributionBuilder(UpstreamBuilder):
       Patch1: foo-1.2.13-2-to-foo-1.2.13-3-sat.patch
     """
     def __init__(self, name=None, version=None, tag=None, build_dir=None,
-            pkg_config=None, global_config=None, user_config=None, options=None, args=None):
+            pkg_config=None, global_config=None, user_config=None, args=None, **kwargs):
         UpstreamBuilder.__init__(self, name, version, tag, build_dir, pkg_config,
-                global_config, user_config, options)
+                global_config, user_config, args, **kwargs)
         self.patch_files = []
 
     def patch_upstream(self):