Index: src/main/java/org/apache/maven/cli/MavenCli.java
===================================================================
--- src/main/java/org/apache/maven/cli/MavenCli.java	(revision 651606)
+++ src/main/java/org/apache/maven/cli/MavenCli.java	(working copy)
@@ -240,27 +240,33 @@
 
             if ( commandLine.hasOption( CLIManager.ACTIVATE_PROFILES ) )
             {
-                String profilesLine = commandLine.getOptionValue( CLIManager.ACTIVATE_PROFILES );
+                String [] profileOptionValues = commandLine.getOptionValues( CLIManager.ACTIVATE_PROFILES );
 
-                StringTokenizer profileTokens = new StringTokenizer( profilesLine, "," );
-
-                while ( profileTokens.hasMoreTokens() )
+                if ( profileOptionValues != null )
                 {
-                    String profileAction = profileTokens.nextToken().trim();
+                    for ( int i=0; i < profileOptionValues.length; ++i )
+                    {
+                        StringTokenizer profileTokens = new StringTokenizer( profileOptionValues[i], "," );
 
-                    if ( profileAction.startsWith( "-" ) )
-                    {
-                        profileManager.explicitlyDeactivate( profileAction.substring( 1 ) );
+                        while ( profileTokens.hasMoreTokens() )
+                        {
+                            String profileAction = profileTokens.nextToken().trim();
+
+                            if ( profileAction.startsWith( "-" ) )
+                            {
+                                profileManager.explicitlyDeactivate( profileAction.substring( 1 ) );
+                            }
+                            else if ( profileAction.startsWith( "+" ) )
+                            {
+                                profileManager.explicitlyActivate( profileAction.substring( 1 ) );
+                            }
+                            else
+                            {
+                                // TODO: deprecate this eventually!
+                                profileManager.explicitlyActivate( profileAction );
+                            }
+                        }
                     }
-                    else if ( profileAction.startsWith( "+" ) )
-                    {
-                        profileManager.explicitlyActivate( profileAction.substring( 1 ) );
-                    }
-                    else
-                    {
-                        // TODO: deprecate this eventually!
-                        profileManager.explicitlyActivate( profileAction );
-                    }
                 }
             }