diff --git a/hack/man-page-checker b/hack/man-page-checker
index 28dc73f5..dceb1b77 100755
--- a/hack/man-page-checker
+++ b/hack/man-page-checker
@@ -99,6 +99,9 @@ function compare_usage() {
     from_man=$(sed  -E -e 's/^\[\*options\*\][[:space:]]*//' <<<"$from_man")
     from_help=$(sed -E -e 's/^\[command options\][[:space:]]*//'      <<<"$from_help")
 
+    # Constant strings in man page are '**foo**', in --help are 'foo'.
+    from_man=$(sed -E -e 's/\*\*([^*]+)\*\*/\1/g' <<<"$from_man")
+
     # Args in man page are '*foo*', in --help are 'FOO'. Convert all to
     # UPCASE simply because it stands out better to the eye.
     from_man=$(sed -E -e 's/_([a-z-]+)_/\U\1/g' <<<"$from_man")
@@ -121,7 +124,7 @@ for md in *.1.md;do
     # arguments are bracketed by single ones.
     #   E.g. '**skopeo copy** [*options*] _..._'
     # Get the command name, and confirm that it matches the md file name.
-    cmd=$(echo "$synopsis" | sed -E -e 's/(.*)\*\*.*/\1/' | tr -d \*)
+    cmd=$(echo "$synopsis" | sed -E -e 's/^\*\*([^*]+)\*\*.*/\1/' | tr -d \*)
     # Use sed, not tr, so we only replace the first dash: we want
     # skopeo-list-tags -> "skopeo list-tags", not "skopeo list tags"
     md_nodash=$(basename "$md" .1.md | sed -e 's/-/ /')