diff --git a/src/goto-cc/armcc_cmdline.cpp b/src/goto-cc/armcc_cmdline.cpp
index d0a16ac95a0..be1d2c19c67 100644
--- a/src/goto-cc/armcc_cmdline.cpp
+++ b/src/goto-cc/armcc_cmdline.cpp
@@ -11,8 +11,14 @@ Author: Daniel Kroening
 
 #include "armcc_cmdline.h"
 
+#include <util/optional.h>
+#include <util/prefix.h>
+
+#include <algorithm>
 #include <cstring>
 #include <iostream>
+#include <string>
+#include <vector>
 
 /// parses the command line options into a cmdlinet
 /// \par parameters: argument count, argument strings
@@ -195,7 +201,8 @@ static const char *options_no_arg[]=
   nullptr
 };
 
-static const char *options_with_prefix[]=
+// clang-format off
+static const std::vector<std::string> options_with_prefix
 {
   "--project=",
   "--workdir=",
@@ -241,11 +248,10 @@ static const char *options_with_prefix[]=
   "--configure_sysroot=",
   "--configure_cpp_headers=",
   "--configure_extra_includes=",
-  "--configure_extra_libraries=",
-  nullptr
+  "--configure_extra_libraries="
 };
 
-static const char *options_with_arg[]=
+static const std::vector<std::string> options_with_arg
 {
   // goto-cc specific
   "--verbosity",
@@ -261,9 +267,21 @@ static const char *options_with_arg[]=
   "-Warmcc,",
   "-o",
   "--cpu",
-  "--apcs",
-  nullptr
+  "--apcs"
 };
+// clang-format on
+
+optionalt<std::string>
+prefix_in_list(const std::string &option, const std::vector<std::string> &list)
+{
+  const auto found =
+    std::find_if(list.cbegin(), list.cend(), [&](const std::string &argument) {
+      return has_prefix(argument, option);
+    });
+  if(found == list.cend())
+    return {};
+  return {*found};
+}
 
 bool armcc_cmdlinet::parse(int argc, const char **argv)
 {
@@ -277,35 +295,34 @@ bool armcc_cmdlinet::parse(int argc, const char **argv)
     }
 
     // it starts with - and it isn't "-"
-
-    std::string prefix;
+    optionalt<std::string> prefix;
 
     if(in_list(argv[i], options_no_arg))
     {
       // options that don't have any arguments
       set(argv[i]);
     }
-    else if(prefix_in_list(argv[i], options_with_arg, prefix))
+    else if((prefix = prefix_in_list(argv[i], options_with_arg)))
     {
       // options that have a separated _or_ concatenated argument
-      if(strlen(argv[i])>prefix.size()) // concatenated?
-        set(prefix, std::string(argv[i], prefix.size(), std::string::npos));
+      if(strlen(argv[i]) > prefix->size()) // Concatenated.
+        set(*prefix, std::string(argv[i], prefix->size(), std::string::npos));
       else
       {
         // Separated.
         if(i!=argc-1) // Guard against end of command line.
         {
-          set(prefix, argv[i+1]);
+          set(*prefix, argv[i + 1]);
           i++;
         }
         else
-          set(prefix, "");
+          set(*prefix, "");
       }
     }
-    else if(prefix_in_list(argv[i], options_with_prefix, prefix))
+    else if((prefix = prefix_in_list(argv[i], options_with_prefix)))
     {
       // options that have a concatenated argument
-      set(prefix, std::string(argv[i], prefix.size(), std::string::npos));
+      set(*prefix, std::string(argv[i], prefix->size(), std::string::npos));
     }
     else
     { // unrecognized option
diff --git a/src/goto-cc/goto_cc_cmdline.cpp b/src/goto-cc/goto_cc_cmdline.cpp
index 52fd45b5d7e..e10469e33f9 100644
--- a/src/goto-cc/goto_cc_cmdline.cpp
+++ b/src/goto-cc/goto_cc_cmdline.cpp
@@ -13,10 +13,11 @@ Date:   April 2010
 
 #include "goto_cc_cmdline.h"
 
-#include <cstring>
+#include <algorithm>
 #include <cassert>
-#include <iostream>
 #include <cstdio>
+#include <cstring>
+#include <iostream>
 
 #include <util/invariant.h>
 #include <util/prefix.h>
@@ -46,23 +47,6 @@ bool goto_cc_cmdlinet::in_list(const char *option, const char **list)
   return false;
 }
 
-bool goto_cc_cmdlinet::prefix_in_list(
-  const char *option,
-  const char **list,
-  std::string &prefix)
-{
-  for(std::size_t i=0; list[i]!=nullptr; i++)
-  {
-    if(strncmp(option, list[i], strlen(list[i]))==0)
-    {
-      prefix=std::string(list[i]);
-      return true;
-    }
-  }
-
-  return false;
-}
-
 std::size_t goto_cc_cmdlinet::get_optnr(const std::string &opt_string)
 {
   optionalt<std::size_t> optnr;
@@ -134,3 +118,11 @@ void goto_cc_cmdlinet::add_infile_arg(const std::string &arg)
     fclose(tmp);
   }
 }
+
+bool goto_cc_cmdlinet::have_infile_arg() const
+{
+  return std::any_of(
+    parsed_argv.cbegin(), parsed_argv.cend(), [](const argt &arg) {
+      return arg.is_infile_name;
+    });
+}
diff --git a/src/goto-cc/goto_cc_cmdline.h b/src/goto-cc/goto_cc_cmdline.h
index 65faa1d413b..e446de32352 100644
--- a/src/goto-cc/goto_cc_cmdline.h
+++ b/src/goto-cc/goto_cc_cmdline.h
@@ -26,11 +26,6 @@ class goto_cc_cmdlinet:public cmdlinet
 
   static bool in_list(const char *option, const char **list);
 
-  static bool prefix_in_list(
-    const char *option,
-    const char **list,
-    std::string &prefix);
-
   // never fails, will add if not found
   std::size_t get_optnr(const std::string &option);
 
@@ -68,14 +63,7 @@ class goto_cc_cmdlinet:public cmdlinet
   typedef std::list<argt> parsed_argvt;
   parsed_argvt parsed_argv;
 
-  bool have_infile_arg() const
-  {
-    for(parsed_argvt::const_iterator
-        it=parsed_argv.begin(); it!=parsed_argv.end(); it++)
-      if(it->is_infile_name)
-        return true;
-    return false;
-  }
+  bool have_infile_arg() const;
 
   std::string stdin_file;
 
diff --git a/src/goto-cc/goto_cc_mode.h b/src/goto-cc/goto_cc_mode.h
index 6dbad84d3ce..1bf2b9dd6b7 100644
--- a/src/goto-cc/goto_cc_mode.h
+++ b/src/goto-cc/goto_cc_mode.h
@@ -21,10 +21,10 @@ Date: June 2006
 class goto_cc_modet:public messaget
 {
 public:
-  virtual int main(int argc, const char **argv);
+  int main(int argc, const char **argv);
   virtual int doit()=0;
   virtual void help_mode()=0;
-  virtual void help();
+  void help();
   virtual void usage_error();
 
   goto_cc_modet(
diff --git a/unit/CMakeLists.txt b/unit/CMakeLists.txt
index 6372702081a..bcc7f37fc08 100644
--- a/unit/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/unit/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ target_link_libraries(
         testing-utils
         ansi-c
         solvers
+        goto-cc-lib
         goto-checker
         goto-programs
         goto-instrument-lib
diff --git a/unit/Makefile b/unit/Makefile
index d3625d05fa8..246c090bca7 100644
--- a/unit/Makefile
+++ b/unit/Makefile
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ SRC += analyses/ai/ai.cpp \
        big-int/big-int.cpp \
        compound_block_locations.cpp \
        get_goto_model_from_c_test.cpp \
+       goto-cc/armcc_cmdline.cpp \
        goto-checker/report_util/is_property_less_than.cpp \
        goto-instrument/cover_instrument.cpp \
        goto-instrument/cover/cover_only.cpp \
@@ -162,6 +163,8 @@ testing-utils-clean:
 BMC_DEPS =../src/cbmc/c_test_input_generator$(OBJEXT) \
           ../src/cbmc/cbmc_languages$(OBJEXT) \
           ../src/cbmc/cbmc_parse_options$(OBJEXT) \
+          ../src/goto-cc/armcc_cmdline$(OBJEXT) \
+          ../src/goto-cc/goto_cc_cmdline$(OBJEXT) \
           ../src/goto-instrument/source_lines$(OBJEXT) \
           ../src/goto-instrument/cover$(OBJEXT) \
           ../src/goto-instrument/cover_basic_blocks$(OBJEXT) \
diff --git a/unit/goto-cc/armcc_cmdline.cpp b/unit/goto-cc/armcc_cmdline.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e9d9ec4f154
--- /dev/null
+++ b/unit/goto-cc/armcc_cmdline.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+/// \file
+/// Unit tests of src/goto-cc/armcc_cmdline.cpp
+/// \author Diffblue Ltd.
+
+#include <testing-utils/use_catch.h>
+
+#include <util/optional.h>
+
+#include <string>
+#include <vector>
+
+optionalt<std::string>
+prefix_in_list(const std::string &option, const std::vector<std::string> &list);
+
+static const std::vector<std::string> test_list{"spam", "eggs", "and", "ham"};
+
+TEST_CASE("prefix_in_list exact match", "[core][armcc_cmdline][prefix_in_list]")
+{
+  REQUIRE(*prefix_in_list("spam", test_list) == "spam");
+  REQUIRE(*prefix_in_list("ham", test_list) == "ham");
+}
+
+TEST_CASE(
+  "prefix_in_list match prefix",
+  "[core][armcc_cmdline][prefix_in_list]")
+{
+  REQUIRE(*prefix_in_list("sp", test_list) == "spam");
+  REQUIRE(*prefix_in_list("ha", test_list) == "ham");
+}
+
+TEST_CASE("prefix_in_list unmatched", "[core][armcc_cmdline][prefix_in_list]")
+{
+  REQUIRE_FALSE(prefix_in_list("foobar", test_list));
+}
diff --git a/unit/goto-cc/module_dependencies.txt b/unit/goto-cc/module_dependencies.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d670dd22445
--- /dev/null
+++ b/unit/goto-cc/module_dependencies.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+goto-cc
+testing-utils
+util