diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index da61da7..54585a1 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ module.exports = function (args, opts) {
                     continue;
                 }
                 
-                if (j === 0 && /[A-Za-z]/.test(letters[j]) && next[0] === '=') {
+                if (/[A-Za-z]/.test(letters[j]) && next[0] === '=') {
                     setArg(letters[j], next.slice(1), arg);
                     broken = true;
                     break;
diff --git a/test/kv_short.js b/test/kv_short.js
index f3705c8..cb04b2a 100644
--- a/test/kv_short.js
+++ b/test/kv_short.js
@@ -22,9 +22,9 @@ test('short with embedded equals -k=a=b' , function (t) {
     t.deepEqual(argv, { k: 'a=b', _: [] });
 });
 
-test('short with later equals is not kv like -ab=c' , function (t) {
+test('short with later equals like -ab=c' , function (t) {
     t.plan(1);
     
     var argv = parse([ '-ab=c' ]);
-    t.deepEqual(argv, { a: true, b: '=c', _: [] });
+    t.deepEqual(argv, { a: true, b: 'c', _: [] });
 });