diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f5ed9d5..34e5d22 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ Positional arguments:
 Optional arguments:
   -c, --command COMMAND    Run a single command and exit
   -C, --core               Preset of settings to connect to Firebolt Core
-  -h, --host HOSTNAME      Hostname to connect to
+  -h, --host HOSTNAME      Hostname (and port) to connect to
   -d, --database DATABASE  Database name to use
   -f, --format FORMAT      Output format (e.g., TabSeparatedWithNames, PSQL, JSONLines_Compact, Vertical, ...)
   -e, --extra EXTRA        Extra settings in the form --extra <name>=<value>
diff --git a/src/args.rs b/src/args.rs
index be57c7b..1376826 100644
--- a/src/args.rs
+++ b/src/args.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 use gumdrop::Options;
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
-use std::collections::HashMap;
+use std::collections::BTreeMap;
 use std::fs;
 
 use crate::utils::{config_path, init_root_path};
@@ -30,12 +30,12 @@ pub struct Args {
     #[serde(skip_serializing, skip_deserializing)]
     pub core: bool,
 
-    #[options(help = "Hostname to connect to", meta = "HOSTNAME")]
+    #[options(help = "Hostname (and port) to connect to", meta = "HOSTNAME")]
     #[serde(default)]
     pub host: String,
 
     #[options(help = "Database name to use")]
-    #[serde(default)]
+    #[serde(skip_serializing, skip_deserializing)]
     pub database: String,
 
     #[options(help = "Output format (e.g., TabSeparatedWithNames, PSQL, JSONLines_Compact, Vertical, ...)")]
@@ -112,15 +112,27 @@ pub struct Args {
 }
 
 pub fn normalize_extras(extras: Vec<String>, encode: bool) -> Result<Vec<String>, Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
-    let x: HashMap<&str, String> = HashMap::from_iter(extras.iter().map(|e| {
+    let mut x: BTreeMap<String, String> = BTreeMap::new();
+
+    for e in &extras {
         let kv: Vec<&str> = e.split('=').collect();
         if kv.len() < 2 {
-            panic!("Cannot parse '{}': expected key=value format", e)
+            return Err(format!("Cannot parse '{}': expected key=value format", e).into());
         }
-        let value = kv[1..].join("=").to_string();
-        // uri encode params
-        (kv[0], if encode { urlencoding::encode(&value).into_owned() } else { value })
-    }));
+
+        let key = kv[0].to_string();
+        let value = kv[1..].join("=").trim().to_string();
+        let value = if value.starts_with('\'') && value.ends_with('\'') || value.starts_with('"') && value.ends_with('"') {
+            value[1..value.len() - 1].to_string()
+        } else {
+            value
+        };
+
+        let value = if encode { urlencoding::encode(&value).into_owned() } else { value };
+
+        x.insert(key, value);
+    }
+
     let mut new_extras: Vec<String> = vec![];
     for (key, value) in &x {
         new_extras.push(format!("{key}={value}"))
@@ -164,7 +176,6 @@ pub fn get_args() -> Result<Args, Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
 
     if args.update_defaults {
         args.host = args.host.or(default_host);
-        args.database = args.database.or(String::from("local_dev_db"));
         if args.core {
             args.format = args.format.or(String::from("PSQL"));
         } else {
@@ -179,11 +190,6 @@ pub fn get_args() -> Result<Args, Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
     args.concise = args.concise || defaults.concise;
     args.hide_pii = args.hide_pii || defaults.hide_pii;
 
-    args.database = args
-        .database
-        .or(args.core.then(|| String::from("firebolt")).unwrap_or(defaults.database))
-        .or(String::from("local_dev_db"));
-
     if args.core {
         args.host = args.host.or(String::from("localhost:3473"));
         args.jwt = String::from("");
@@ -313,4 +319,25 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(url.contains("param=value%20with%20spaces"));
         assert!(!url.contains("param=value%2520with%2520spaces")); // No double encoding
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_params_with_quotes() {
+        let extras = vec!["param1='value with spaces'".to_string(), "param2=\"value with spaces\"".to_string()];
+        let result = normalize_extras(extras, true).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(result[0], "param1=value%20with%20spaces");
+        assert_eq!(result[1], "param2=value%20with%20spaces");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_params_with_spaces() {
+        let extras = vec![
+            "param1=   value with spaces  ".to_string(),
+            "param2=  \"value with spaces\"  ".to_string(),
+            "param3=\"  value with spaces \"".to_string(),
+        ];
+        let result = normalize_extras(extras, true).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(result[0], "param1=value%20with%20spaces");
+        assert_eq!(result[1], "param2=value%20with%20spaces");
+        assert_eq!(result[2], "param3=%20%20value%20with%20spaces%20");
+    }
 }