diff --git a/src/cli/args.rs b/src/cli/args.rs
index 7cf037f..8e77f7f 100644
--- a/src/cli/args.rs
+++ b/src/cli/args.rs
@@ -44,10 +44,6 @@ pub struct CliArgs {
     /// Ouch and claps subcommands
     #[command(subcommand)]
     pub cmd: Subcommand,
-
-    /// Compression raw level as each algo has
-    #[arg(short = 'l', long)]
-    pub level: Option<i16>,
 }
 
 #[derive(Parser, PartialEq, Eq, Debug)]
@@ -63,6 +59,10 @@ pub enum Subcommand {
         /// The resulting file. Its extensions can be used to specify the compression formats
         #[arg(required = true, value_hint = ValueHint::FilePath)]
         output: PathBuf,
+
+        /// Compression raw level as each algo has
+        #[arg(short, long)]
+        level: Option<i16>,
     },
     /// Decompresses one or more files, optionally into another folder
     #[command(visible_alias = "d")]
diff --git a/src/commands/compress.rs b/src/commands/compress.rs
index 44eb9b1..71d6e46 100644
--- a/src/commands/compress.rs
+++ b/src/commands/compress.rs
@@ -45,40 +45,41 @@ pub fn compress_files(
                 // by default, ParCompress uses a default compression level of 3
                 // instead of the regular default that flate2 uses
                 gzp::par::compress::ParCompress::<gzp::deflate::Gzip>::builder()
-                    .compression_level(level.map_or_else(|| Default::default(), |l| gzp::Compression::new(l as u32)))
+                    .compression_level(level.map_or_else(Default::default, |l| gzp::Compression::new(l as u32)))
                     .from_writer(encoder),
             ),
             Bzip => Box::new(bzip2::write::BzEncoder::new(
                 encoder,
-                level.map_or_else(|| Default::default(), |l| bzip2::Compression::new(l as u32)),
+                level.map_or_else(Default::default, |l| {
+                    if l < 1 || l > 9 {
+                        bzip2::Compression::new(1)
+                    } else {
+                        bzip2::Compression::new(l as u32)
+                    }
+                }),
             )),
             Lz4 => Box::new(lzzzz::lz4f::WriteCompressor::new(
                 encoder,
                 lzzzz::lz4f::PreferencesBuilder::new()
-                    .compression_level(level.map_or_else(|| Default::default(), |l| l as i32))
+                    .compression_level(level.map_or(0, |l| l as i32))
                     .build(),
             )?),
             Lzma => Box::new(xz2::write::XzEncoder::new(
                 encoder,
-                level.map_or_else(|| Default::default(), |l| l as u32),
+                level.map_or(6, |l| if l < 0 || l > 9 { 6 } else { l as u32 }),
             )),
             Snappy => Box::new(
                 gzp::par::compress::ParCompress::<gzp::snap::Snap>::builder()
                     .compression_level(gzp::par::compress::Compression::new(
-                        level.map_or_else(|| Default::default(), |l| l as u32),
+                        level.map_or_else(Default::default, |l| l as u32),
                     ))
                     .from_writer(encoder),
             ),
-            Zstd => {
-                Box::new(
-                    zstd::stream::write::Encoder::new(encoder, level.map_or_else(|| Default::default(), |l| l as i32))
-                        .unwrap()
-                        .auto_finish(),
-                )
-                // Safety:
-                //     Encoder::new() can only fail if `level` is invalid, but Default::default()
-                //     is guaranteed to be valid
-            }
+            Zstd => Box::new(
+                zstd::stream::write::Encoder::new(encoder, level.map_or(0, |l| l as i32))
+                    .unwrap()
+                    .auto_finish(),
+            ),
             Tar | Zip => unreachable!(),
         };
         Ok(encoder)
diff --git a/src/commands/mod.rs b/src/commands/mod.rs
index e45e3fe..a4a3c82 100644
--- a/src/commands/mod.rs
+++ b/src/commands/mod.rs
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ pub fn run(
         Subcommand::Compress {
             files,
             output: output_path,
+            level,
         } => {
             // After cleaning, if there are no input files left, exit
             if files.is_empty() {
@@ -80,7 +81,7 @@ pub fn run(
                 args.quiet,
                 question_policy,
                 file_visibility_policy,
-                args.level,
+                level,
             );
 
             if let Ok(true) = compress_result {
diff --git a/tests/integration.rs b/tests/integration.rs
index eec7a29..35832ac 100644
--- a/tests/integration.rs
+++ b/tests/integration.rs
@@ -133,3 +133,23 @@ fn multiple_files(
     ouch!("-A", "d", archive, "-d", after);
     assert_same_directory(before, after, !matches!(ext, DirectoryExtension::Zip));
 }
+
+// compress and decompress a single file with comp levels
+#[proptest(cases = 512)]
+fn single_file_level(
+    ext: Extension,
+    #[any(size_range(0..8).lift())] exts: Vec<FileExtension>,
+    #[strategy(-3i16..30)] level: i16,
+) {
+    let dir = tempdir().unwrap();
+    let dir = dir.path();
+    let before = &dir.join("before");
+    fs::create_dir(before).unwrap();
+    let before_file = &before.join("file");
+    let archive = &dir.join(format!("file.{}", merge_extensions(ext, exts)));
+    let after = &dir.join("after");
+    fs::write(before_file, []).unwrap();
+    ouch!("-A", "c", "-l", level.to_string(), before_file, archive);
+    ouch!("-A", "d", archive, "-d", after);
+    assert_same_directory(before, after, false);
+}