diff --git a/src/cuda/rtc/compilation_options.hpp b/src/cuda/rtc/compilation_options.hpp
index bdf21576..b195d9d2 100644
--- a/src/cuda/rtc/compilation_options.hpp
+++ b/src/cuda/rtc/compilation_options.hpp
@@ -470,11 +470,8 @@ class compilation_options_t<cuda_cpp> final :
 	}
 };
 
-
 namespace detail_ {
 
-inline const char* true_or_false(bool b) { return b ? "true" : "false"; }
-
 template <typename Delimiter>
 struct opt_start_t {
 	bool      ever_used;
@@ -497,17 +494,17 @@ MarshalTarget& operator<<(MarshalTarget& mt, detail_::opt_start_t<Delimiter>& op
 	return mt;
 }
 
+
 /**
- * Use the left-shift operator (<<) to render a delimited sequence of
+ * Uses the streaming/left-shift operator (<<) to render a delimited sequence of
  * command-line-argument-like options (with or without a value as relevant)
- * into some target entity - which could be a buffer or a more complex
- * structure.
- *
+ * into some target entity - which could be a buffer of chars or a more complex
+ * structure like @ref marshalled_options_t.
  */
 template <typename MarshalTarget, typename Delimiter>
 void process(
 	const compilation_options_t<ptx>& opts, MarshalTarget& marshalled, Delimiter delimiter,
-	bool need_delimited_after_every_option = false)
+	bool need_delimiter_after_last_option = false)
 {
 	detail_::opt_start_t<Delimiter> opt_start { delimiter };
 	// TODO: Consider taking an option to be verbose in specifying compilation flags, and setting option values
@@ -581,7 +578,7 @@ void process(
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (need_delimited_after_every_option) {
+	if (need_delimiter_after_last_option) {
 		marshalled << opt_start; // If no options were marshalled, this does nothing
 	}
 }
@@ -589,7 +586,7 @@ void process(
 template <typename MarshalTarget, typename Delimiter>
 void process(
 	const compilation_options_t<cuda_cpp>& opts, MarshalTarget& marshalled, Delimiter delimiter,
-	bool need_delimited_after_every_option = false)
+	bool need_delimiter_after_last_option = false)
 {
 	detail_::opt_start_t<Delimiter> opt_start { delimiter };
 	if (opts.generate_relocatable_device_code)  { marshalled << opt_start << "--relocatable-device-code=true";      }
@@ -675,7 +672,7 @@ void process(
 		marshalled << opt_start << extra_opt;
 	}
 
-	if (need_delimited_after_every_option) {
+	if (need_delimiter_after_last_option) {
 		marshalled << opt_start; // If no options were marshalled, this does nothing
 	}
 }
@@ -685,8 +682,8 @@ inline marshalled_options_t marshal(const compilation_options_t<Kind>& opts)
 {
 	marshalled_options_t mo;
 	// TODO: Can we easily determine the max number of options here?
-	constexpr bool need_delimiter_after_every_option { true };
-	process(opts, mo, detail_::optend, need_delimiter_after_every_option);
+	constexpr bool need_delimiter_after_last_option { true };
+	process(opts, mo, marshalled_options_t::advance_gadget{}, need_delimiter_after_last_option);
 	return mo;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/cuda/rtc/detail/marshalled_options.hpp b/src/cuda/rtc/detail/marshalled_options.hpp
index 6c491f6d..e2500fd1 100644
--- a/src/cuda/rtc/detail/marshalled_options.hpp
+++ b/src/cuda/rtc/detail/marshalled_options.hpp
@@ -14,6 +14,19 @@ namespace cuda {
 
 namespace rtc {
 
+namespace detail_ {
+
+// These two structs are streamed to a marshalled options object (see below)
+// to indicate the start of a new option or the conclusion of all options,
+// respectively
+
+template <typename Delimiter> struct opt_start_t;
+
+template<typename T>
+struct is_marshalling_control : ::std::false_type {};
+
+} // namespace detail_
+
 /**
  * This class is necessary for realizing everything we need from
  * the marshalled options: Easy access using an array of pointers,
@@ -24,6 +37,8 @@ class marshalled_options_t {
 public:
 	using size_type = size_t;
 
+	struct advance_gadget {}; /// triggers an advance() when streamed into an object of this class
+
 	marshalled_options_t()
 	{
 		option_positions.push_back(0);
@@ -49,14 +64,13 @@ class marshalled_options_t {
 		return oss.tellp() == 0;
 	}
 
-	template <typename T>
+	template <typename T, typename = ::cuda::detail_::enable_if_t<not detail_::is_marshalling_control<typename ::std::decay<T>::type>::value>>
 	marshalled_options_t& operator<<(T&& x)
 	{
 		oss << x;
 		return *this;
 	}
 
-	// TODO: Make a similar "stream manipulator"?
 	marshalled_options_t& advance()
 	{
 		oss << '\0';
@@ -75,16 +89,19 @@ class marshalled_options_t {
 	}
 };
 
+inline marshalled_options_t& operator<< (marshalled_options_t& mo, marshalled_options_t::advance_gadget)
+{
+	mo.advance();
+	return mo;
+}
+
 namespace detail_ {
 
-inline void optend() { }
+template<> struct is_marshalling_control<marshalled_options_t::advance_gadget> : ::std::true_type {};
 
-} // namespace detail_
+template<typename Delimiter>
+struct is_marshalling_control<opt_start_t<Delimiter>> : ::std::true_type {};
 
-inline marshalled_options_t& operator<< (marshalled_options_t& mo, decltype(detail_::optend))
-{
-	mo.advance();
-	return mo;
 }
 
 } // namespace rtc