diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4372b8b..57b39bd 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -100,7 +100,9 @@ m/83696968'/<app>'/<n>'
   to one tool. Each key type's number is spelled the way BIP-85 spells its own
   RSA application (`828365` is the ASCII codes of `R`, `S`, `A` written out):
   SSH is `838372` (`S` `S` `H`), age is `657169` (`A` `G` `E`).
-- `n` is the key index: flag `--index` / `-n`, default `0`.
+- `n` is the key index, a decimal number: flag `--index` / `-n`, default `0`. A
+  leading zero is still decimal (`-n 010` is index 10); a base prefix, an
+  underscore or a sign (`0x10`, `1_0`, `+1`) is refused.
 
 ## Giving it the mnemonic
 
diff --git a/internal/cli/cli_test.go b/internal/cli/cli_test.go
index 0b29adc..8113091 100644
--- a/internal/cli/cli_test.go
+++ b/internal/cli/cli_test.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package cli_test
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
+	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
@@ -106,6 +107,56 @@ func TestAnIndexWithNoHardenedChildIsRefused(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Empty(t, out)
 }
 
+func TestAnIndexWithALeadingZeroIsDecimal(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Setenv(mnemonic.Variable, example())
+
+	line := run(t, "ssh", "pub", "-n", "010")
+	require.Equal(t, run(t, "ssh", "pub", "-n", "10"), line)
+	require.True(t,
+		strings.HasSuffix(strings.TrimSpace(line), " keyfunc/ssh/10"),
+	)
+}
+
+// The mnemonic command in these runs fails, so a refusal naming the
+// flag shows that the number was refused before the mnemonic was
+// looked for.
+func TestAnIndexThatIsNotDecimalDigitsIsRefused(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	for _, index := range []string{"0x10", "1_0", "+1", "-1", ""} {
+		t.Run(index, func(t *testing.T) {
+			t.Parallel()
+
+			out, err := execute(t,
+				"ssh", "pub", "-n", index, "--mnemonic-command", "exit 1",
+			)
+			require.ErrorIs(t, err, strconv.ErrSyntax)
+			require.ErrorContains(t, err, "--index")
+			require.Empty(t, out)
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+// Neither a command group nor --version reads the index, so these
+// show that it is refused while the flags are parsed.
+func TestAnIndexNotInDecimalIsRefusedBeforeAnyCommandRuns(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	for _, args := range [][]string{
+		{"ssh", "-n", "0x10"},
+		{"-n", "0x10", "--version"},
+	} {
+		t.Run(strings.Join(args, " "), func(t *testing.T) {
+			t.Parallel()
+
+			out, err := execute(t, args...)
+			require.ErrorIs(t, err, strconv.ErrSyntax)
+			require.ErrorContains(t, err, "--index")
+			require.Empty(t, out)
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 func TestTheMnemonicCommandIsUsed(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Setenv(mnemonic.Variable, "")
 
@@ -138,6 +189,22 @@ func TestALengthTheToolDoesNotOfferIsRefused(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Empty(t, out)
 }
 
+func TestTheWordCountIsDecimal(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Setenv(mnemonic.Variable, example())
+
+	words := strings.Fields(run(t, "mnemonic", "--words", "012"))
+	require.Len(t, words, twelve)
+
+	// As for the index, the failing mnemonic command shows that the
+	// number was refused first.
+	out, err := execute(t,
+		"mnemonic", "--words", "0x18", "--mnemonic-command", "exit 1",
+	)
+	require.ErrorIs(t, err, strconv.ErrSyntax)
+	require.ErrorContains(t, err, "--words")
+	require.Empty(t, out)
+}
+
 // run executes the tool with the given arguments and returns what it
 // wrote to standard output.
 func run(t *testing.T, args ...string) string {
diff --git a/internal/cli/mnemonic/mnemonic.go b/internal/cli/mnemonic/mnemonic.go
index 8c33332..05fdcea 100644
--- a/internal/cli/mnemonic/mnemonic.go
+++ b/internal/cli/mnemonic/mnemonic.go
@@ -31,8 +31,9 @@ func Command() *cobra.Command {
 		},
 	}
 
-	cmd.Flags().Uint32(
-		"words", childmnemonic.DefaultWords,
+	words := options.Decimal(childmnemonic.DefaultWords)
+	cmd.Flags().Var(
+		&words, "words",
 		"how long the child mnemonic is: 12, 18 or 24 words",
 	)
 
diff --git a/internal/cli/options/options.go b/internal/cli/options/options.go
index 5d454ec..c008541 100644
--- a/internal/cli/options/options.go
+++ b/internal/cli/options/options.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ package options
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"strconv"
 
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 	"sneak.berlin/go/keyfunc/internal/mnemonic"
@@ -16,8 +17,8 @@ func Add(cmd *cobra.Command) {
 		"mnemonic-command", "",
 		"shell command whose output is the mnemonic",
 	)
-	cmd.PersistentFlags().Uint32P(
-		"index", "n", 0,
+	cmd.PersistentFlags().VarP(
+		new(Decimal), "index", "n",
 		"which key to derive",
 	)
 }
@@ -41,3 +42,33 @@ func Mnemonic(cmd *cobra.Command) (string, error) {
 
 	return mnemonic.Read(cmd.Context(), command)
 }
+
+// Decimal is a flag value for a number written in decimal digits only.
+// The flag library's own uint32 flags read 010 as octal 8 and also
+// take 0x10 or 1_0.
+type Decimal uint32
+
+// String returns the number in decimal digits.
+func (d *Decimal) String() string {
+	return strconv.FormatUint(uint64(*d), 10)
+}
+
+// Set reads text as a decimal number that fits in 32 bits: a leading
+// zero is still decimal, and a base prefix, an underscore or a sign is
+// refused.
+func (d *Decimal) Set(text string) error {
+	number, err := strconv.ParseUint(text, 10, 32)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	*d = Decimal(number)
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+// Type is what --help shows as the flag's type, and what GetUint32
+// checks before it reads the value back.
+func (d *Decimal) Type() string {
+	return "uint32"
+}