diff --git a/cli-plugins/examples/helloworld/main.go b/cli-plugins/examples/helloworld/main.go
index 9a511591ec..cbe015937f 100644
--- a/cli-plugins/examples/helloworld/main.go
+++ b/cli-plugins/examples/helloworld/main.go
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ func main() {
 			},
 		}
 
+		var who string
 		cmd := &cobra.Command{
 			Use:   "helloworld",
 			Short: "A basic Hello World plugin for tests",
@@ -41,9 +42,11 @@ func main() {
 			// hook.
 			PersistentPreRunE: plugin.PersistentPreRunE,
 			Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
-				fmt.Fprintln(dockerCli.Out(), "Hello World!")
+				fmt.Fprintf(dockerCli.Out(), "Hello %s!\n", who)
 			},
 		}
+		flags := cmd.Flags()
+		flags.StringVar(&who, "who", "World", "Who are we addressing?")
 
 		cmd.AddCommand(goodbye, apiversion)
 		return cmd
diff --git a/cmd/docker/docker.go b/cmd/docker/docker.go
index 1ebf30a89d..74fab46dcc 100644
--- a/cmd/docker/docker.go
+++ b/cmd/docker/docker.go
@@ -32,6 +32,16 @@ func newDockerCommand(dockerCli *command.DockerCli) *cobra.Command {
 		SilenceUsage:     true,
 		SilenceErrors:    true,
 		TraverseChildren: true,
+		FParseErrWhitelist: cobra.FParseErrWhitelist{
+			// UnknownFlags ignores any unknown
+			// --arguments on the top-level docker command
+			// only. This is necessary to allow passing
+			// --arguments to plugins otherwise
+			// e.g. `docker plugin --foo` is caught here
+			// in the monolithic CLI and `foo` is reported
+			// as an unknown argument.
+			UnknownFlags: true,
+		},
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 			if len(args) == 0 {
 				return command.ShowHelp(dockerCli.Err())(cmd, args)
diff --git a/e2e/cli-plugins/run_test.go b/e2e/cli-plugins/run_test.go
index d16bf3bb8b..e12c51025d 100644
--- a/e2e/cli-plugins/run_test.go
+++ b/e2e/cli-plugins/run_test.go
@@ -144,6 +144,18 @@ func TestRunGoodSubcommand(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 }
 
+// TestRunGoodArgument ensures correct behaviour when running a valid plugin with an `--argument`.
+func TestRunGoodArgument(t *testing.T) {
+	run, cleanup := prepare(t)
+	defer cleanup()
+
+	res := icmd.RunCmd(run("helloworld", "--who", "Cleveland"))
+	res.Assert(t, icmd.Expected{
+		ExitCode: 0,
+		Out:      "Hello Cleveland!",
+	})
+}
+
 // TestHelpGoodSubcommand ensures correct behaviour when invoking help on a
 // valid plugin subcommand. A global argument is included to ensure it does not
 // interfere.
diff --git a/e2e/cli-plugins/testdata/docker-help-helloworld.golden b/e2e/cli-plugins/testdata/docker-help-helloworld.golden
index e7252bf2d0..6ff36bc64e 100644
--- a/e2e/cli-plugins/testdata/docker-help-helloworld.golden
+++ b/e2e/cli-plugins/testdata/docker-help-helloworld.golden
@@ -1,8 +1,11 @@
 
-Usage:	docker helloworld COMMAND
+Usage:	docker helloworld [OPTIONS] COMMAND
 
 A basic Hello World plugin for tests
 
+Options:
+      --who string   Who are we addressing? (default "World")
+
 Commands:
   apiversion  Print the API version of the server
   goodbye     Say Goodbye instead of Hello