diff --git a/docs/help.md b/docs/help.md
index 6bd512e6..9ae8d571 100644
--- a/docs/help.md
+++ b/docs/help.md
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ Usage: llm prompt [OPTIONS] [PROMPT]
   Documentation: https://llm.datasette.io/en/stable/usage.html
 
 Options:
-  --system TEXT               System prompt to use
+  -s, --system TEXT           System prompt to use
   -m, --model TEXT            Model to use
   -t, --template TEXT         Template to use
   -p, --param <TEXT TEXT>...  Parameters for template
diff --git a/docs/usage.md b/docs/usage.md
index e4f99b82..8b418f8a 100644
--- a/docs/usage.md
+++ b/docs/usage.md
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ This pattern of using `$(command)` inside a double quoted string is a useful way
 
 ## System prompts
 
-You can use `--system '...'` to set a system prompt.
+You can use `-s/--system '...'` to set a system prompt.
 
     llm 'SQL to calculate total sales by month' \
       --system 'You are an exaggerated sentient cheesecake that knows SQL and talks about cheesecake a lot'
@@ -60,4 +60,4 @@ You can use `--system '...'` to set a system prompt.
 This is useful for piping content to standard input, for example:
 
     curl -s 'https://simonwillison.net/2023/May/15/per-interpreter-gils/' | \
-      llm --system 'Suggest topics for this post as a JSON array'
+      llm -s 'Suggest topics for this post as a JSON array'
diff --git a/llm/cli.py b/llm/cli.py
index b1e0bc99..54f5d2ec 100644
--- a/llm/cli.py
+++ b/llm/cli.py
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ def cli():
 
 @cli.command(name="prompt")
 @click.argument("prompt", required=False)
-@click.option("--system", help="System prompt to use")
+@click.option("-s", "--system", help="System prompt to use")
 @click.option("model_id", "-m", "--model", help="Model to use")
 @click.option("-t", "--template", help="Template to use")
 @click.option(
diff --git a/tests/test_templates.py b/tests/test_templates.py
index 02f43d43..6fc44c06 100644
--- a/tests/test_templates.py
+++ b/tests/test_templates.py
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ def test_templates_prompt_save(templates_path, args, expected_prompt, expected_e
         ),
         (
             "boo",
-            ["--system", "s"],
+            ["-s", "s"],
             None,
             None,
             "Error: Cannot use -t/--template and --system together",