diff --git a/packages/purgecss/__tests__/cli.test.ts b/packages/purgecss/__tests__/cli.test.ts
index d1b6132e..2a28dfdd 100644
--- a/packages/purgecss/__tests__/cli.test.ts
+++ b/packages/purgecss/__tests__/cli.test.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ describe("PurgeCSS CLI", () => {
   const testFolder = path.resolve(__dirname, "./test_examples/cli/simple/");
   it("should print the correct output", async () => {
     const response = await asyncExec(
-      `${purgeCSSExecutable} --content ${testFolder}/src/content.html ${testFolder}/src/*.js --css ${testFolder}/src/style.css`
+      `${purgeCSSExecutable} --content ${testFolder}/src/content.html ${testFolder}/src/*.js --css ${testFolder}/src/style.css --safelist className`
     );
     const result = JSON.parse(response.stdout);
     expect(result[0].css).toBe(".hello {\n  color: red;\n}\n");
diff --git a/packages/purgecss/bin/purgecss.js b/packages/purgecss/bin/purgecss.js
index 23d408e0..9da3c584 100755
--- a/packages/purgecss/bin/purgecss.js
+++ b/packages/purgecss/bin/purgecss.js
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ const {
   default: PurgeCSS,
   defaultOptions,
   setOptions,
+  standardizeSafelist,
 } = require("../lib/purgecss");
 
 async function writeCSSToFile(filePath, css) {
@@ -57,7 +58,8 @@ const run = async () => {
   if (program.keyframes) options.keyframes = program.keyframes;
   if (program.rejected) options.rejected = program.rejected;
   if (program.variables) options.variables = program.variables;
-  if (program.safelist) options.safelist = program.safelist;
+  if (program.safelist)
+    options.safelist = standardizeSafelist(program.safelist);
   if (program.blocklist) options.blocklist = program.blocklist;
 
   const purged = await new PurgeCSS().purge(options);