diff --git a/src/common/options.h b/src/common/options.h
--- a/src/common/options.h
+++ b/src/common/options.h
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@
 
 #include <confuse.h>
 
+#include "common/multiio.h"
+
 /**
   incomplete:
   maybe remoteio.h should define its own struct which is injected into this struct and have its own handlers that parse its section of the confuse config file... (it'd be more modular)?
@@ -56,8 +58,9 @@ struct options_common
   \param allopts will be set to a pointer that many functions need for operation
   \param argc the argc that was passed to main() -- these will be used to determine the location of the config file
   \param argv the argv that was passed to main()
+  \param multiio the multiio to associate with remoteio's configuration
  */
-int options_init(int argc, char *argv[], cfg_t **mycfg, cfg_opt_t *myopts, char *myname, struct options_common **allopts);
+int options_init(int argc, char *argv[], cfg_t **mycfg, cfg_opt_t *myopts, char *myname, struct options_common **allopts, multiio_context_t multiio);
 
 /**
    Frees the struct options_common. This should be run before the program exits.