diff --git a/functions.cc b/functions.cc
index b5c44af789dec6935a906e85ed666601f752dfb0..bd5cb1273c23980fdac63a2be8d78ff564dc3575 100644
--- a/functions.cc
+++ b/functions.cc
@@ -96,9 +96,13 @@ namespace Utilities {
   }
 
   ostream& operator<<(ostream &os, const BaseOption& o) {
-    return os << 
-      "\t" << o.key() << 
-      "\t" << o.help_text();
+    string test=o.help_text();
+    if ((test.length()>=1) && (test[0]=='~')) {
+      test[0]=' ';
+      return os << "\t" << o.key() << test;
+    } else {
+      return os << "\t" << o.key() << "\t" << o.help_text();
+    }
   }
 
 }