diff --git a/packages/@vue/cli-plugin-e2e-nightwatch/__tests__/nightwatchPlugin.spec.js b/packages/@vue/cli-plugin-e2e-nightwatch/__tests__/nightwatchPlugin.spec.js
index 5d4f336805..23be9c826b 100644
--- a/packages/@vue/cli-plugin-e2e-nightwatch/__tests__/nightwatchPlugin.spec.js
+++ b/packages/@vue/cli-plugin-e2e-nightwatch/__tests__/nightwatchPlugin.spec.js
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ jest.setTimeout(process.env.APPVEYOR ? 300000 : 120000)
 const fs = require('fs-extra')
 const path = require('path')
 const create = require('@vue/cli-test-utils/createTestProject')
+const createServer = require('@vue/cli-test-utils/createServer')
 
 describe('nightwatch e2e plugin', () => {
   let project
@@ -34,6 +35,26 @@ describe('nightwatch e2e plugin', () => {
     ])
   })
 
+  test('should accept the --url cli option', async () => {
+    await project.run(`vue-cli-service build`)
+    const server = createServer({ root: path.join(project.dir, 'dist') })
+    await new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+      server.listen(8080, err => {
+        if (err) return reject(err)
+        resolve()
+      })
+    })
+    await project.run(`vue-cli-service test:e2e --headless --url http://127.0.0.1:8080/`)
+    server.close()
+
+    let results = await project.read('test_results.json')
+    results = JSON.parse(results)
+    expect(Object.keys(results.modules)).toEqual([
+      'test-with-pageobjects',
+      'test'
+    ])
+  })
+
   test('should run single test with custom nightwatch.json', async () => {
     await project.run(`vue-cli-service test:e2e --headless -t tests/e2e/specs/test.js`)
     let results = await project.read('test_results.json')
diff --git a/packages/@vue/cli-plugin-e2e-nightwatch/index.js b/packages/@vue/cli-plugin-e2e-nightwatch/index.js
index c06a7a0f3b..3f1c42e120 100644
--- a/packages/@vue/cli-plugin-e2e-nightwatch/index.js
+++ b/packages/@vue/cli-plugin-e2e-nightwatch/index.js
@@ -41,8 +41,10 @@ module.exports = (api, options) => {
       }
     }
 
-    const argsToRemove = ['url', 'mode', 'headless', 'use-selenium', 'parallel']
-    argsToRemove.forEach((toRemove) => removeArg(rawArgs, toRemove))
+    // remove args
+    ;['url', 'mode'].forEach(toRemove => removeArg(rawArgs, toRemove))
+    // remove flags
+    ;['headless', 'use-selenium', 'parallel'].forEach(toRemove => removeArg(rawArgs, toRemove, 0))
 
     return Promise.all([
       startDevServer(args, api),
@@ -169,11 +171,10 @@ function checkPath (source) {
 }
 
 function removeArg (rawArgs, argToRemove, offset = 1) {
-  const matchRE = new RegExp(`^--${argToRemove}$`)
+  const matchRE = new RegExp(`^--${argToRemove}`)
   const equalRE = new RegExp(`^--${argToRemove}=`)
-
-  const index = rawArgs.findIndex(arg => matchRE.test(arg))
-  if (index > -1) {
-    rawArgs.splice(index, offset + (equalRE.test(rawArgs[index]) ? 1 : 0))
+  const i = rawArgs.findIndex(arg => matchRE.test(arg))
+  if (i > -1) {
+    rawArgs.splice(i, offset + (equalRE.test(rawArgs[i]) ? 0 : 1))
   }
 }