diff --git a/doc/bird.sgml b/doc/bird.sgml
index d08b0c17..1f494cce 100644
--- a/doc/bird.sgml
+++ b/doc/bird.sgml
@@ -132,7 +132,8 @@ options. The most important ones are:
 	log debugging information to given file instead of stderr.
 
 	<tag>-p</tag>
-	just parse the config file and exit.
+	just parse the config file and exit. Return value is zero if the config file is valid,
+	nonzero if there are some errors.
 
 	<tag>-s <m/name of communication socket/</tag>
 	use given filename for a  socket for communications with the client, default is <it/prefix/<file>/var/run/bird.ctl</file>.
diff --git a/sysdep/unix/main.c b/sysdep/unix/main.c
index 533754ea..6107b226 100644
--- a/sysdep/unix/main.c
+++ b/sysdep/unix/main.c
@@ -370,7 +370,7 @@ static char *opt_list = "c:dD:ps:";
 static void
 usage(void)
 {
-  fprintf(stderr, "Usage: bird [-c <config-file>] [-d] [-D <debug-file>] [-s <control-socket>]\n");
+  fprintf(stderr, "Usage: bird [-c <config-file>] [-d] [-D <debug-file>] [-p] [-s <control-socket>]\n");
   exit(1);
 }
 
@@ -434,7 +434,8 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
     log_init_debug("");
   log_init(debug_flag, 1);
 
-  test_old_bird(path_control_socket);
+  if (!parse_and_exit)
+    test_old_bird(path_control_socket);
 
   DBG("Initializing.\n");
   resource_init();