diff --git a/src/mergerfs.cpp b/src/mergerfs.cpp
index 8b82f1f8..5c823455 100644
--- a/src/mergerfs.cpp
+++ b/src/mergerfs.cpp
@@ -406,7 +406,6 @@ main(int    argc_,
   app.add_option("branches",branches)
     //    ->delimiter(':')
     ->expected(-1)
-    ->required()
     ;
 
   app.add_option("mountpoint",mountpoint)