diff --git a/parse.go b/parse.go
index db15e5a..a82e377 100644
--- a/parse.go
+++ b/parse.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package arg
 
 import (
+	"encoding"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
@@ -445,9 +446,21 @@ func canParse(t reflect.Type) (parseable, boolean, multiple bool) {
 	return false, false, false
 }
 
+var textUnmarshalerType = reflect.TypeOf([]encoding.TextUnmarshaler{}).Elem()
+
 // isScalar returns true if the type can be parsed from a single string
-func isScalar(t reflect.Type) (bool, bool) {
-	return scalar.CanParse(t), t.Kind() == reflect.Bool
+func isScalar(t reflect.Type) (parseable, boolean bool) {
+	parseable = scalar.CanParse(t)
+	switch {
+	case t.Implements(textUnmarshalerType):
+		return parseable, false
+	case t.Kind() == reflect.Bool:
+		return parseable, true
+	case t.Kind() == reflect.Ptr && t.Elem().Kind() == reflect.Bool:
+		return parseable, true
+	default:
+		return parseable, false
+	}
 }
 
 // set a value from a string
diff --git a/parse_test.go b/parse_test.go
index 8779b6f..5e88700 100644
--- a/parse_test.go
+++ b/parse_test.go
@@ -33,46 +33,71 @@ func parse(cmdline string, dest interface{}) error {
 func TestString(t *testing.T) {
 	var args struct {
 		Foo string
+		Ptr *string
 	}
-	err := parse("--foo bar", &args)
+	err := parse("--foo bar --ptr baz", &args)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	assert.Equal(t, "bar", args.Foo)
+	assert.Equal(t, "baz", *args.Ptr)
+}
+
+func TestBool(t *testing.T) {
+	var args struct {
+		A bool
+		B bool
+		C *bool
+		D *bool
+	}
+	err := parse("--a --c", &args)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.True(t, args.A)
+	assert.False(t, args.B)
+	assert.True(t, *args.C)
+	assert.Nil(t, args.D)
 }
 
 func TestInt(t *testing.T) {
 	var args struct {
 		Foo int
+		Ptr *int
 	}
-	err := parse("--foo 7", &args)
+	err := parse("--foo 7 --ptr 8", &args)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	assert.EqualValues(t, 7, args.Foo)
+	assert.EqualValues(t, 8, *args.Ptr)
 }
 
 func TestUint(t *testing.T) {
 	var args struct {
 		Foo uint
+		Ptr *uint
 	}
-	err := parse("--foo 7", &args)
+	err := parse("--foo 7 --ptr 8", &args)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	assert.EqualValues(t, 7, args.Foo)
+	assert.EqualValues(t, 8, *args.Ptr)
 }
 
 func TestFloat(t *testing.T) {
 	var args struct {
 		Foo float32
+		Ptr *float32
 	}
-	err := parse("--foo 3.4", &args)
+	err := parse("--foo 3.4 --ptr 3.5", &args)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	assert.EqualValues(t, 3.4, args.Foo)
+	assert.EqualValues(t, 3.5, *args.Ptr)
 }
 
 func TestDuration(t *testing.T) {
 	var args struct {
 		Foo time.Duration
+		Ptr *time.Duration
 	}
-	err := parse("--foo 3ms", &args)
+	err := parse("--foo 3ms --ptr 4ms", &args)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	assert.Equal(t, 3*time.Millisecond, args.Foo)
+	assert.Equal(t, 4*time.Millisecond, *args.Ptr)
 }
 
 func TestInvalidDuration(t *testing.T) {