diff --git a/src/settings/Argument.h b/src/settings/Argument.h
index 6626ba35d..c697fdb45 100644
--- a/src/settings/Argument.h
+++ b/src/settings/Argument.h
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ namespace storm {
              * @return The value of the argument.
              */
 			T const& getArgumentValue() const {
-                STORM_LOG_THROW(this->getHasBeenSet() || this->getHasDefaultValue(), storm::exceptions::IllegalFunctionCallException, "Unable to retrieve value of argument, because it was neither set nor specifies a default value.");
+                STORM_LOG_THROW(this->getHasBeenSet() || this->getHasDefaultValue(), storm::exceptions::IllegalFunctionCallException, "Unable to retrieve value of argument '" << this->getName() << "', because it was neither set nor specifies a default value.");
                 if (this->getHasBeenSet()) {
                     return this->argumentValue;
                 } else {
diff --git a/src/settings/modules/GeneralSettings.cpp b/src/settings/modules/GeneralSettings.cpp
index fb3f89352..45d3b58a6 100644
--- a/src/settings/modules/GeneralSettings.cpp
+++ b/src/settings/modules/GeneralSettings.cpp
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ namespace storm {
             const std::string GeneralSettings::transitionRewardsOptionName = "transrew";
             const std::string GeneralSettings::stateRewardsOptionName = "staterew";
             const std::string GeneralSettings::counterexampleOptionName = "counterexample";
+            const std::string GeneralSettings::counterexampleOptionShortName = "cex";
             const std::string GeneralSettings::dontFixDeadlockOptionName = "nofixdl";
             const std::string GeneralSettings::dontFixDeadlockOptionShortName = "ndl";
             const std::string GeneralSettings::timeoutOptionName = "timeout";
@@ -69,7 +70,7 @@ namespace storm {
                 this->addOption(storm::settings::OptionBuilder(moduleName, ltlFileOptionName, false, "Specifies the LTL formulas that are to be checked on the model.")
                                 .addArgument(storm::settings::ArgumentBuilder::createStringArgument("filename", "The file from which to read the LTL formulas.").addValidationFunctionString(storm::settings::ArgumentValidators::existingReadableFileValidator()).build()).build());
                 this->addOption(storm::settings::OptionBuilder(moduleName, counterexampleOptionName, false, "Generates a counterexample for the given PRCTL formulas if not satisfied by the model")
-                                .addArgument(storm::settings::ArgumentBuilder::createStringArgument("filename", "The name of the file to which the counterexample is to be written.").build()).build());
+                                .addArgument(storm::settings::ArgumentBuilder::createStringArgument("filename", "The name of the file to which the counterexample is to be written.").setDefaultValueString("-").setIsOptional(true).build()).setShortName(counterexampleOptionShortName).build());
                 
                 this->addOption(storm::settings::OptionBuilder(moduleName, transitionRewardsOptionName, "", "If given, the transition rewards are read from this file and added to the explicit model. Note that this requires the model to be given as an explicit model (i.e., via --" + explicitOptionName + ").")
                                 .addArgument(storm::settings::ArgumentBuilder::createStringArgument("filename", "The file from which to read the transition rewards.").addValidationFunctionString(storm::settings::ArgumentValidators::existingReadableFileValidator()).build()).build());
diff --git a/src/settings/modules/GeneralSettings.h b/src/settings/modules/GeneralSettings.h
index e37030385..10e4aa77d 100644
--- a/src/settings/modules/GeneralSettings.h
+++ b/src/settings/modules/GeneralSettings.h
@@ -341,6 +341,7 @@ namespace storm {
                 static const std::string transitionRewardsOptionName;
                 static const std::string stateRewardsOptionName;
                 static const std::string counterexampleOptionName;
+                static const std::string counterexampleOptionShortName;
                 static const std::string dontFixDeadlockOptionName;
                 static const std::string dontFixDeadlockOptionShortName;
                 static const std::string timeoutOptionName;