diff --git a/src/usage_parser.rs b/src/usage_parser.rs
index b8344265e90..933ad81a26f 100644
--- a/src/usage_parser.rs
+++ b/src/usage_parser.rs
@@ -52,14 +52,12 @@ impl<'a> UsageParser<'a> {
         loop {
             debugln!("iter; pos={};", self.pos);
             self.stop_at(token);
-            if self.pos < self.usage.len() {
-                if let Some(c) = self.usage.chars().nth(self.pos) {
-                    match c {
-                        '-' => self.short_or_long(&mut arg),
-                        '.' => self.multiple(&mut arg),
-                        '\'' => self.help(&mut arg),
-                        _ => self.name(&mut arg),
-                    }
+            if let Some(&c) = self.usage.as_bytes().get(self.pos) {
+                match c {
+                    b'-' => self.short_or_long(&mut arg),
+                    b'.' => self.multiple(&mut arg),
+                    b'\'' => self.help(&mut arg),
+                    _ => self.name(&mut arg),
                 }
             } else {
                 break;
@@ -113,17 +111,12 @@ impl<'a> UsageParser<'a> {
     }
 
     fn stop_at<F>(&mut self, f: F)
-        where F: Fn(u32) -> bool
+        where F: Fn(u8) -> bool
     {
         debugln!("fn=stop_at;");
         self.start = self.pos;
-        for c in self.usage[self.start..].chars() {
-            if f(c as u32) {
-                self.pos += 1;
-                continue;
-            }
-            break;
-        }
+        self.pos += self.usage[self.start..].bytes()
+                        .take_while(|&b| f(b) ).count();
     }
 
     fn short_or_long(&mut self, arg: &mut Arg<'a, 'a>) {
@@ -204,28 +197,27 @@ impl<'a> UsageParser<'a> {
 }
 
 #[inline]
-fn name_end(b: u32) -> bool {
+fn name_end(b: u8) -> bool {
     // 93(]), 62(>)
-    b > b']' as u32 || b < b'>' as u32 || (b > b'>' as u32 && b < b']' as u32)
+    b > b']' || b < b'>' || (b > b'>' && b < b']')
 }
 
 #[inline]
-fn token(b: u32) -> bool {
+fn token(b: u8) -> bool {
     // 39('), 45(-), 46(.), 60(<), 91([)
-    b < 39 || b > 91 || (b > 46 && b < 91 && b != b'<' as u32) || (b > 39 && b < 45)
+    b < 39 || b > 91 || (b > 46 && b < 91 && b != b'<') || (b > 39 && b < 45)
 }
 
 #[inline]
-fn long_end(b: u32) -> bool {
+fn long_end(b: u8) -> bool {
     // 39('), 46(.), 60(<), 61(=), 91([)
-    (b < 39 && (b > 13 && b != b' ' as u32)) || b > 91 || (b > 61 && b < 91) ||
+    (b < 39 && (b > 13 && b != b' ')) || b > 91 || (b > 61 && b < 91) ||
     (b > 39 && b < 60 && b != 46)
 }
 
 #[inline]
-fn help_start(b: u32) -> bool {
-    // 39(')
-    b < 39 || b > 39
+fn help_start(b: u8) -> bool {
+    b != b'\''
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]
@@ -1220,4 +1212,17 @@ mod test {
         assert!(c.val_names.is_none());
         assert!(c.num_vals.is_none());
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn nonascii() {
+        let a = Arg::from_usage("<ASCII> 'bø'");
+        assert_eq!(a.name, "ASCII");
+        assert_eq!(a.help, Some("bø"));
+        let a = Arg::from_usage("<bø> 'ASCII'");
+        assert_eq!(a.name, "bø");
+        assert_eq!(a.help, Some("ASCII"));
+        let a = Arg::from_usage("<bø> 'bø'");
+        assert_eq!(a.name, "bø");
+        assert_eq!(a.help, Some("bø"));
+    }
 }