diff --git a/src/nimble.nim b/src/nimble.nim
index 8c38e0fc..8a667dcf 100644
--- a/src/nimble.nim
+++ b/src/nimble.nim
@@ -1393,7 +1393,7 @@ proc develop(options: var Options) =
     hasPackages = options.action.packages.len > 0
     hasPath = options.action.path.len > 0
     hasDevActions = options.action.devActions.len > 0
-    hasDevFile = options.action.developFile.len > 0
+    hasDevFile = options.developFile.len > 0
     withDependencies = options.action.withDependencies
 
   var
@@ -1427,12 +1427,12 @@ proc develop(options: var Options) =
       displayDetails(error)
 
   if currentDirPkgInfo.isLoaded and not hasDevFile:
-    options.action.developFile = developFileName
+    options.developFile = developFileName
 
-  if options.action.developFile.len > 0:
+  if options.developFile.len > 0:
     hasError = not updateDevelopFile(currentDirPkgInfo, options) or hasError
     if currentDirPkgInfo.isLoaded and
-       options.action.developFile == developFileName:
+       options.developFile == developFileName:
       # If we are updated package's develop file we have to update also
       # sync and paths files.
       updateSyncFile(currentDirPkgInfo, options)
diff --git a/src/nimblepkg/developfile.nim b/src/nimblepkg/developfile.nim
index f778d24b..f3742baa 100644
--- a/src/nimblepkg/developfile.nim
+++ b/src/nimblepkg/developfile.nim
@@ -692,7 +692,7 @@ proc updateDevelopFile*(dependentPkg: PackageInfo, options: Options): bool =
 
   options.assertDevelopActionIsSet
 
-  let developFile = options.action.developFile
+  let developFile = options.developFile
 
   var
     hasError = false
diff --git a/src/nimblepkg/options.nim b/src/nimblepkg/options.nim
index 3639ae30..41960457 100644
--- a/src/nimblepkg/options.nim
+++ b/src/nimblepkg/options.nim
@@ -48,6 +48,9 @@ type
     disableLockFile*: bool
     enableTarballs*: bool # Enable downloading of packages as tarballs from GitHub.
     task*: string # Name of the task that is getting ran
+    ## Whether to put in develop mode also the dependencies of the packages
+    ## listed in the develop command.
+    developFile*: string
     package*: string
       # For which package in the dependency tree the command should be executed.
       # If not provided by default it applies to the current directory package.
@@ -68,12 +71,12 @@ type
   Action* = object
     case typ*: ActionType
     of actionNil, actionList, actionPublish, actionTasks, actionCheck,
-       actionLock, actionSetup, actionClean: nil
+       actionSetup, actionClean: nil
     of actionSync:
       listOnly*: bool
     of actionRefresh:
       optionalURL*: string # Overrides default package list.
-    of actionInstall, actionPath, actionUninstall, actionDevelop, actionUpgrade:
+    of actionInstall, actionPath, actionUninstall, actionDevelop, actionUpgrade, actionLock:
       packages*: seq[PkgTuple] # Optional only for actionInstall
                                # and actionDevelop.
       passNimFlags*: seq[string]
@@ -81,9 +84,6 @@ type
       path*: string
       noRebuild*: bool
       withDependencies*: bool
-        ## Whether to put in develop mode also the dependencies of the packages
-        ## listed in the develop command.
-      developFile*: string
       global*: bool
     of actionSearch:
       search*: seq[string] # Search string.
@@ -126,8 +126,6 @@ Commands:
          [--withDependencies]     Puts in develop mode also the dependencies
                                   of the packages in the list or of the current
                                   directory package if the list is empty.
-         [--developFile]          Specifies the name of the develop file which
-                                  to be manipulated. If not present creates it.
          [-p, --path path]        Specifies the path whether the packages should
                                   be cloned.
          [-a, --add path]         Adds a package at given path to a specified
@@ -239,6 +237,8 @@ Nimble Options:
       --noSslCheck                Don't check SSL certificates.
       --lockFile                  Override the lock file name.
       --noLockfile                Ignore the lock file if present.
+      --developFile               Specifies the name of the develop file which
+                                  to be manipulated. If not present creates it.
       --useSystemNim              Use system nim and ignore nim from the lock
                                   file if any
 
@@ -537,6 +537,11 @@ proc parseFlag*(flag, val: string, result: var Options, kind = cmdLongOption) =
   of "package", "p": result.package = val
   of "lockfile": result.lockFileName = val
   of "usesystemnim": result.useSystemNim = true
+  of "developfile":
+    if result.developFile.len == 0:
+      result.developFile = val.normalizedPath
+    else:
+      raise nimbleError(multipleDevelopFileOptionsGivenMsg)
   else: isGlobalFlag = false
 
   var wasFlagHandled = true
@@ -617,11 +622,6 @@ proc parseFlag*(flag, val: string, result: var Options, kind = cmdLongOption) =
       result.action.withDependencies = true
     of "g", "global":
       result.action.global = true
-    of "developfile":
-      if result.action.developFile.len == 0:
-        result.action.developFile = val.normalizedPath
-      else:
-        raise nimbleError(multipleDevelopFileOptionsGivenMsg)
     else:
       wasFlagHandled = false
   of actionSync:
diff --git a/tests/tlockfile.nim b/tests/tlockfile.nim
index bc9a4864..078ef89c 100644
--- a/tests/tlockfile.nim
+++ b/tests/tlockfile.nim
@@ -728,3 +728,16 @@ requires "nim >= 1.5.1"
           let res = execNimbleYes("upgrade", fmt "{dep1PkgName}@#HEAD")
           check res.exitCode == QuitSuccess
           check defaultLockFileName.readFile.parseJson{$lfjkPackages}.keys.toSeq == @["dep1"]
+
+  test "can lock with --developFile argument":
+    cleanUp()
+    withPkgListFile:
+      initNewNimblePackage(mainPkgOriginRepoPath,  mainPkgRepoPath,
+                           @[dep1PkgName])
+      initNewNimblePackage(dep1PkgOriginRepoPath, dep1PkgRepoPath)
+      cd mainPkgRepoPath:
+        writeDevelopFile(developFileName, @[], @[dep1PkgRepoPath])
+        moveFile("nimble.develop", "other-name.develop")
+
+        let exitCode = execNimbleYes("lock", "--developFile=" & "other-name.develop").exitCode
+        check exitCode == QuitSuccess