diff --git a/packages/angular/cli/models/parser.ts b/packages/angular/cli/models/parser.ts
index 91082430d3b6..9cba5e6355de 100644
--- a/packages/angular/cli/models/parser.ts
+++ b/packages/angular/cli/models/parser.ts
@@ -54,6 +54,8 @@ function _coerceType(str: string | undefined, type: OptionType, v?: Value): Valu
     case OptionType.Number:
       if (str === undefined) {
         return 0;
+      } else if (str === '') {
+        return undefined;
       } else if (Number.isFinite(+str)) {
         return +str;
       } else {
@@ -269,10 +271,6 @@ export function parseArguments(args: string[], options: Option[] | null): Argume
   const errors: string[] = [];
 
   for (let arg = args.shift(); arg !== undefined; arg = args.shift()) {
-    if (!arg) {
-      break;
-    }
-
     if (arg == '--') {
       // If we find a --, we're done.
       leftovers.push(...args);
@@ -285,6 +283,12 @@ export function parseArguments(args: string[], options: Option[] | null): Argume
       // Argument is of form -abcdef.  Starts at 1 because we skip the `-`.
       for (let i = 1; i < arg.length; i++) {
         const flag = arg[i];
+        // If the next character is an '=', treat it as a long flag.
+        if (arg[i + 1] == '=') {
+          const f = '--' + flag + arg.slice(i + 1);
+          _assignOption(f, args, options, parsedOptions, positionals, leftovers, ignored, errors);
+          break;
+        }
         // Treat the last flag as `--a` (as if full flag but just one letter). We do this in
         // the loop because it saves us a check to see if the arg is just `-`.
         if (i == arg.length - 1) {
@@ -306,6 +310,8 @@ export function parseArguments(args: string[], options: Option[] | null): Argume
   }
 
   // Deal with positionals.
+  // TODO(hansl): this is by far the most complex piece of code in this file. Try to refactor it
+  //   simpler.
   if (positionals.length > 0) {
     let pos = 0;
     for (let i = 0; i < positionals.length;) {
@@ -315,10 +321,11 @@ export function parseArguments(args: string[], options: Option[] | null): Argume
 
       // We do this with a found flag because more than 1 option could have the same positional.
       for (const option of options) {
-        // If any option has this positional and no value, we need to remove it.
+        // If any option has this positional and no value, AND fit the type, we need to remove it.
         if (option.positional === pos) {
-          if (parsedOptions[option.name] === undefined) {
-            parsedOptions[option.name] = positionals[i];
+          const coercedValue = _coerce(positionals[i], option, parsedOptions[option.name]);
+          if (parsedOptions[option.name] === undefined && coercedValue !== undefined) {
+            parsedOptions[option.name] = coercedValue;
             found = true;
           } else {
             incrementI = false;
diff --git a/packages/angular/cli/models/parser_spec.ts b/packages/angular/cli/models/parser_spec.ts
index 88de630a2ddd..dbec3d2712d6 100644
--- a/packages/angular/cli/models/parser_spec.ts
+++ b/packages/angular/cli/models/parser_spec.ts
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ describe('parseArguments', () => {
     { name: 'arr', aliases: [ 'a' ], type: OptionType.Array, description: '' },
     { name: 'p1', positional: 0, aliases: [], type: OptionType.String, description: '' },
     { name: 'p2', positional: 1, aliases: [], type: OptionType.String, description: '' },
+    { name: 'p3', positional: 2, aliases: [], type: OptionType.Number, description: '' },
     { name: 't1', aliases: [], type: OptionType.Boolean,
       types: [OptionType.Boolean, OptionType.String], description: '' },
     { name: 't2', aliases: [], type: OptionType.Boolean,
@@ -35,6 +36,7 @@ describe('parseArguments', () => {
   const tests: { [test: string]: Partial<Arguments> | ['!!!', Partial<Arguments>, string[]] } = {
     '--bool': { bool: true },
     '--bool=1': ['!!!', {}, ['--bool=1']],
+    '--bool  ': { bool: true, p1: '' },
     '-- --bool=1': { '--': ['--bool=1'] },
     '--bool=yellow': ['!!!', {}, ['--bool=yellow']],
     '--bool=true': { bool: true },
@@ -62,12 +64,21 @@ describe('parseArguments', () => {
     'val1 --num=1 val2': { num: 1, p1: 'val1', p2: 'val2' },
     '--p1=val1 --num=1 val2': { num: 1, p1: 'val1', p2: 'val2' },
     '--p1=val1 --num=1 --p2=val2 val3': { num: 1, p1: 'val1', p2: 'val2', '--': ['val3'] },
-    '--bool val1 --etc --num val2 --v': { bool: true, num: 0, p1: 'val1', p2: 'val2',
-                                          '--': ['--etc', '--v'] },
+    '--bool val1 --etc --num val2 --v': [
+      '!!!',
+      { bool: true, p1: 'val1', p2: 'val2', '--': ['--etc', '--v'] },
+      ['--num' ],
+    ],
+    '--bool val1 --etc --num=1 val2 --v': { bool: true, num: 1, p1: 'val1', p2: 'val2',
+                                            '--': ['--etc', '--v'] },
     '--arr=a --arr=b --arr c d': { arr: ['a', 'b', 'c'], p1: 'd' },
     '--arr=1 --arr --arr c d': { arr: ['1', '', 'c'], p1: 'd' },
     '--arr=1 --arr --arr c d e': { arr: ['1', '', 'c'], p1: 'd', p2: 'e' },
     '--str=1': { str: '1' },
+    '--str=': { str: '' },
+    '--str ': { str: '' },
+    '--str  ': { str: '', p1: '' },
+    '--str    ': { str: '', p1: '', p2: '', '--': [''] },
     '--hello-world=1': { helloWorld: '1' },
     '--hello-bool': { helloBool: true },
     '--helloBool': { helloBool: true },
@@ -75,7 +86,9 @@ describe('parseArguments', () => {
     '--noHelloBool': { helloBool: false },
     '--noBool': { bool: false },
     '-b': { bool: true },
+    '-b=true': { bool: true },
     '-sb': { bool: true, str: '' },
+    '-s=b': { str: 'b' },
     '-bs': { bool: true, str: '' },
     '--t1=true': { t1: true },
     '--t1': { t1: true },
@@ -114,12 +127,13 @@ describe('parseArguments', () => {
     '--e3': { e3: true },
     '--e3 true': { e3: true },
     '--e3=true': { e3: true },
+    'a b c 1': { p1: 'a', p2: 'b', '--': ['c', '1'] },
   };
 
   Object.entries(tests).forEach(([str, expected]) => {
     it(`works for ${str}`, () => {
       try {
-        const actual = parseArguments(str.split(/\s+/), options);
+        const actual = parseArguments(str.split(' '), options);
 
         expect(Array.isArray(expected)).toBe(false);
         expect(actual).toEqual(expected as Arguments);