diff --git a/plugins/available/base.plugin.bash b/plugins/available/base.plugin.bash
index 837d7536..aa35a708 100644
--- a/plugins/available/base.plugin.bash
+++ b/plugins/available/base.plugin.bash
@@ -80,8 +80,8 @@ function mkcd ()
     example '$ mkcd foo'
     example '$ mkcd /tmp/img/photos/large'
     group 'base'
-    mkdir -p "$*"
-    cd "$*"
+    mkdir -p -- "$*"
+    cd -- "$*"
 }
 
 function lsgrep ()
diff --git a/test/plugins/base.plugin.bats b/test/plugins/base.plugin.bats
index 2216040b..3b21ca7f 100755
--- a/test/plugins/base.plugin.bats
+++ b/test/plugins/base.plugin.bats
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ load ../../plugins/available/base.plugin
 }
 
 @test 'plugins base: pickfrom()' {
-  mkdir -p $BASH_IT_ROOT
   stub_file="${BASH_IT_ROOT}/stub_file"
   printf "l1\nl2\nl3" > $stub_file
   run pickfrom $stub_file
@@ -35,8 +34,21 @@ load ../../plugins/available/base.plugin
   [[ $output == l? ]]
 }
 
+@test 'plugins base: mkcd()' {
+  cd "${BASH_IT_ROOT}"
+  run mkcd -dir_with_dash
+  assert_success
+}
+
+@test 'plugins base: lsgrep()' {
+  for i in 1 2 3; do mkdir -p "${BASH_IT_TEST_DIR}/${i}"; done
+  cd $BASH_IT_TEST_DIR
+  run lsgrep 2
+  assert_success
+  assert_equal 2 $output
+}
+
 @test 'plugins base: buf()' {
-  mkdir -p $BASH_IT_ROOT
   declare -r file="${BASH_IT_ROOT}/file"
   touch $file
   run buf $file
diff --git a/test/test_helper.bash b/test/test_helper.bash
index 850b6161..71b3a16c 100644
--- a/test/test_helper.bash
+++ b/test/test_helper.bash
@@ -13,8 +13,12 @@ if [ "$BASH_IT_ROOT" != "${BASH_IT_TEST_DIR}/root" ]; then
   export BASH_IT=$BASH_IT_TEST_DIR
 fi
 
+setup() {
+  mkdir -p -- "${BASH_IT_ROOT}"
+}
+
 teardown() {
-  rm -rf "$BASH_IT_TEST_DIR"
+  rm -rf "${BASH_IT_TEST_DIR}"
 }
 
 assert() {