diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 2fc0a3f..ac6d0bc 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ table:
 
 ```
 
-markdown.compile(markdown_text,flag,flag,flag)
+markdown.compile(markdown_text,flags)
 
 
 ```
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ Example:
 
 ```
 
-markdown.compile(markdown_text,"extrafootnote","toc","notables")
+markdown.compile(markdown_text,{"extrafootnote","toc","notables"})
 
 ```
 
diff --git a/discount3.c b/discount3.c
index fd88a40..930f068 100644
--- a/discount3.c
+++ b/discount3.c
@@ -61,17 +61,25 @@ static int compile(lua_State *L) {
     MMIOT *doc; 
     mkd_flag_t *flags = mkd_flags();
     char *body = NULL, *toc = NULL, *css = NULL;
-    int body_size, toc_size, css_size, i, argc;
+    int body_size, toc_size, css_size;
 
     size_t input_size;
     const char *input = luaL_checklstring(L, 1, &input_size);
     luaL_argcheck(L, input_size < INT_MAX, 1, "string too long");
-
-    for (i = 2, argc = lua_gettop(L); i <= argc; i++) {      
-       mkd_set_flag_num(flags, option_codes[luaL_checkoption(L, i, NULL, options)]);
+    
+    if (lua_gettop(L) >= 2) {
+		luaL_argcheck(L, lua_istable(L, 2), 2, "second argument must be a table");
+		lua_pushvalue(L, 2);
+		lua_pushnil(L);
+		while (lua_next(L, -2) != 0) {
+			mkd_set_flag_num(flags, option_codes[luaL_checkoption(L,  -1, NULL, options)]);
+			lua_pop(L, 1); 
+			}
+		lua_pop(L, 1);
     }
 
     doc = mkd_string(input, (int) input_size, flags);
+    
     if (unlikely(doc == NULL)) {
         lua_pushnil(L);
         lua_pushstring(L, "mkd_string() returned NULL");
diff --git a/discount3.o b/discount3.o
index 3c26f7f..9417704 100644
Binary files a/discount3.o and b/discount3.o differ
diff --git a/discount3.so b/discount3.so
index bae3ef8..fab6042 100755
Binary files a/discount3.so and b/discount3.so differ
diff --git a/test.lua b/test.lua
index b0636ad..a14b358 100644
--- a/test.lua
+++ b/test.lua
@@ -25,13 +25,13 @@ do
 end
 
 do
-    local doc = assert(compile("", "toc"))
+    local doc = assert(compile("", {"toc"}))
     assert(doc.body == "")
     assert(not doc.index)
 end
 
 do
-    local doc = assert(compile("# Heading", "toc"))
+    local doc = assert(compile("# Heading", {"toc"}))
     assert(doc.body)
     assert(doc.index)
     print(doc.index)