diff --git a/lib/optimist.rb b/lib/optimist.rb
index 9aa8962..2172ccc 100644
--- a/lib/optimist.rb
+++ b/lib/optimist.rb
@@ -245,7 +245,8 @@ def parse(cmdline = ARGV)
     @specs.each do |sym, opts|
       required[sym] = true if opts.required?
       vals[sym] = opts.default
-      vals[sym] = [] if opts.multi && !opts.default # multi arguments default to [], not nil
+      vals[sym] = [] if opts.multi && !opts.default && !opts.flag? # multi arguments default to [], not nil
+      vals[sym] = 0 if opts.multi && !opts.default && opts.flag? # multi argument flags default to 0 because they return a count
     end
 
     resolve_default_short_options!
@@ -283,6 +284,11 @@ def parse(cmdline = ARGV)
       # The block returns the number of parameters taken.
       num_params_taken = 0
 
+      if @specs[sym].multi? && @specs[sym].flag?
+        given_args[sym][:params][0] ||= 0
+        given_args[sym][:params][0] += 1
+      end
+
       unless params.empty?
         if @specs[sym].single_arg?
           given_args[sym][:params] << params[0, 1]  # take the first parameter
@@ -765,6 +771,7 @@ def initialize
   end
   def flag? ; true ; end
   def parse(_paramlist, neg_given)
+    return _paramlist[0] if @multi_given
     return(self.name.to_s =~ /^no_/ ? neg_given : !neg_given)
   end
 end
diff --git a/test/optimist/parser_test.rb b/test/optimist/parser_test.rb
index fbb3b4a..6a0a5fc 100644
--- a/test/optimist/parser_test.rb
+++ b/test/optimist/parser_test.rb
@@ -565,19 +565,19 @@ def test_short_options_with_multiple_options
     assert_equal [], @p.leftovers
   end
 
-  def test_short_options_with_multiple_options_does_not_affect_flags_type
+  def test_short_options_with_multiple_options_flag_types_get_counted
     @p.opt :xarg, "desc", :short => "-x", :type => :flag, :multi => true
 
     opts = @p.parse %w(-x a)
-    assert_equal true, opts[:xarg]
+    assert_equal 1, opts[:xarg]
     assert_equal %w(a), @p.leftovers
 
     opts = @p.parse %w(-x a -x b)
-    assert_equal true, opts[:xarg]
+    assert_equal 2, opts[:xarg]
     assert_equal %w(a b), @p.leftovers
 
     opts = @p.parse %w(-xx a -x b)
-    assert_equal true, opts[:xarg]
+    assert_equal 3, opts[:xarg]
     assert_equal %w(a b), @p.leftovers
   end
 
@@ -1116,12 +1116,18 @@ def test_accepts_arguments_with_spaces
     assert_equal 0, @p.leftovers.size
   end
 
-  def test_multi_args_default_to_empty_array
-    @p.opt :arg1, "arg", :multi => true
+  def test_multi_args_with_specified_type_defaults_to_empty_array
+    @p.opt :arg1, "arg", :type => :string, :multi => true
     opts = @p.parse []
     assert_equal [], opts[:arg1]
   end
 
+  def test_multi_args_with_type_flag_defaults_to_zero
+    @p.opt :arg1, "arg", :multi => true
+    opts = @p.parse []
+    assert_equal 0, opts[:arg1]
+  end
+
   def test_simple_interface_handles_help
     assert_stdout(/Options:/) do
       assert_raises(SystemExit) do