diff --git a/cmd/cli.go b/cmd/cli.go
index 5d10203..8cb2979 100644
--- a/cmd/cli.go
+++ b/cmd/cli.go
@@ -35,12 +35,6 @@ func main() {
 	f.StringSliceP("class", "c", []string{}, "Network class of the DNS record to be queried (IN, CH, HS etc)")
 	f.StringSliceP("nameserver", "n", []string{}, "Address of the nameserver to send packets to")
 
-	// Protocol Options
-	f.BoolP("udp", "U", false, "Use the DNS protocol over UDP")
-	f.BoolP("tcp", "T", false, "Use the DNS protocol over TCP")
-	f.BoolP("doh", "H", false, "Use the DNS-over-HTTPS protocol")
-	f.BoolP("dot", "S", false, "Use the DNS-over-TLS")
-
 	// Resolver Options
 	f.Int("timeout", 5, "Sets the timeout for a query to T seconds. The default timeout is 5 seconds.")
 	f.Bool("search", false, "Use the search list provided in resolv.conf. It sets the `ndots` parameter as well unless overriden by `ndots` flag.")
diff --git a/cmd/help.go b/cmd/help.go
index 502f2fe..ec82139 100644
--- a/cmd/help.go
+++ b/cmd/help.go
@@ -34,12 +34,6 @@ var AppHelpTemplate = `{{ "NAME" | color "" "heading" }}:
   {{"-n, --nameserver=ADDR" | color "yellow" ""}}       Address of a specific nameserver to send queries to (9.9.9.9, 1.1.1.1 etc)
   {{"-c, --class=CLASS" | color "yellow" ""}}           Network class of the DNS record (IN, CH, HS etc)
 
-{{ "Protocol Options" | color "" "heading" }}:
-  {{"-U, --udp " | color "yellow" ""}}                  Send queries via DNS over UDP protocol
-  {{"-T, --tcp " | color "yellow" ""}}                  Send queries via DNS over TCP protocol
-  {{"-S, --dot " | color "yellow" ""}}                  Send queries via DNS over TLS (DoT) protocol
-  {{"-H, --doh" | color "yellow" ""}}                   Send queries via DNS over HTTPS (DoH) protocol
-
 {{ "Output Options" | color "" "heading" }}:
   {{"-J, --json " | color "yellow" ""}}                 Format the output as JSON
   {{"--color   " | color "yellow" ""}}                  Defaults to true. Set --color=false to disable colored output
diff --git a/cmd/hub.go b/cmd/hub.go
index a29de11..d6d72ed 100644
--- a/cmd/hub.go
+++ b/cmd/hub.go
@@ -25,10 +25,6 @@ type QueryFlags struct {
 	QTypes           []string      `koanf:"type"`
 	QClasses         []string      `koanf:"class"`
 	Nameservers      []string      `koanf:"nameserver"`
-	IsDOH            bool          `koanf:"doh"`
-	IsDOT            bool          `koanf:"dot"`
-	IsUDP            bool          `koanf:"udp"`
-	IsTCP            bool          `koanf:"tcp"`
 	UseIPv4          bool          `koanf:"ipv4"`
 	UseIPv6          bool          `koanf:"ipv6"`
 	DisplayTimeTaken bool          `koanf:"time"`
diff --git a/cmd/parse.go b/cmd/parse.go
index bd1d239..8afd4a1 100644
--- a/cmd/parse.go
+++ b/cmd/parse.go
@@ -28,9 +28,6 @@ func (hub *Hub) loadQueryArgs() error {
 // pattern it is considered to be a "query name".
 func (hub *Hub) loadFreeArgs() error {
 	for _, arg := range hub.FreeArgs {
-		if strings.HasPrefix(arg, "--") || strings.HasPrefix(arg, "-") {
-			continue
-		}
 		if strings.HasPrefix(arg, "@") {
 			hub.QueryFlags.Nameservers = append(hub.QueryFlags.Nameservers, strings.Trim(arg, "@"))
 		} else if _, ok := dns.StringToType[strings.ToUpper(arg)]; ok {
diff --git a/cmd/resolver.go b/cmd/resolver.go
index 1094df5..53b618f 100644
--- a/cmd/resolver.go
+++ b/cmd/resolver.go
@@ -19,6 +19,10 @@ const (
 	DefaultTLSPort = "853"
 	// DefaultUDPPort specifies the default port for a DNS server connecting over UDP
 	DefaultUDPPort = "53"
+	UDPResolver    = "udp"
+	DOHResolver    = "doh"
+	TCPResolver    = "tcp"
+	DOTResolver    = "dot"
 )
 
 // initResolver checks for various flags and initialises
@@ -26,7 +30,7 @@ const (
 func (hub *Hub) initResolver() error {
 	// for each nameserver, initialise the correct resolver
 	for _, ns := range hub.Nameservers {
-		if ns.Type == "doh" {
+		if ns.Type == DOHResolver {
 			hub.Logger.Debug("initiating DOH resolver")
 			rslvr, err := resolvers.NewDOHResolver(ns.Address, resolvers.DOHResolverOpts{
 				Timeout: hub.QueryFlags.Timeout * time.Second,
@@ -36,7 +40,7 @@ func (hub *Hub) initResolver() error {
 			}
 			hub.Resolver = append(hub.Resolver, rslvr)
 		}
-		if ns.Type == "tcp" {
+		if ns.Type == TCPResolver {
 			hub.Logger.Debug("initiating TCP resolver")
 			rslvr, err := resolvers.NewTCPResolver(ns.Address, resolvers.TCPResolverOpts{
 				IPv4Only: hub.QueryFlags.UseIPv4,
@@ -48,7 +52,7 @@ func (hub *Hub) initResolver() error {
 			}
 			hub.Resolver = append(hub.Resolver, rslvr)
 		}
-		if ns.Type == "udp" {
+		if ns.Type == UDPResolver {
 			hub.Logger.Debug("initiating UDP resolver")
 			rslvr, err := resolvers.NewUDPResolver(ns.Address, resolvers.UDPResolverOpts{
 				IPv4Only: hub.QueryFlags.UseIPv4,
@@ -80,13 +84,13 @@ func getDefaultServers() ([]Nameserver, error) {
 		// handle IPv6
 		if ip != nil && ip.To4() != nil {
 			ns := Nameserver{
-				Type:    "udp",
+				Type:    UDPResolver,
 				Address: fmt.Sprintf("%s:%s", s, cfg.Port),
 			}
 			servers = append(servers, ns)
 		} else {
 			ns := Nameserver{
-				Type:    "udp",
+				Type:    UDPResolver,
 				Address: fmt.Sprintf("[%s]:%s", s, cfg.Port),
 			}
 			servers = append(servers, ns)
@@ -98,7 +102,7 @@ func getDefaultServers() ([]Nameserver, error) {
 func initNameserver(n string) (Nameserver, error) {
 	// Instantiate a dumb UDP resolver as a fallback.
 	ns := Nameserver{
-		Type:    "udp",
+		Type:    UDPResolver,
 		Address: n,
 	}
 	u, err := url.Parse(n)
@@ -106,19 +110,19 @@ func initNameserver(n string) (Nameserver, error) {
 		return ns, err
 	}
 	if u.Scheme == "https" {
+		ns.Type = DOHResolver
 		ns.Address = u.String()
-		ns.Type = "doh"
 	}
 	if u.Scheme == "tcp" {
+		ns.Type = TCPResolver
 		if i := net.ParseIP(n); i != nil {
 			// if no port specified in nameserver, append defaults.
 			n = net.JoinHostPort(n, DefaultTLSPort)
 		}
 		ns.Address = u.String()
-		ns.Type = "tcp"
 	}
 	if u.Scheme == "udp" {
-		ns.Type = "udp"
+		ns.Type = UDPResolver
 		if u.Port() == "" {
 			ns.Address = net.JoinHostPort(u.Hostname(), DefaultUDPPort)
 		} else {