diff --git a/lib/cli.js b/lib/cli.js
index ddd9c5b4..c1b58d96 100644
--- a/lib/cli.js
+++ b/lib/cli.js
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ program
   .version(pkg.version)
 
 program
-  .command('provider [serial..]')
+  .command('provider [serial...]')
   .description('start provider')
   .option('-s, --connect-sub <endpoint>'
     , 'sub endpoint'
@@ -76,10 +76,7 @@ program
     , 'whether to mute master volume when devices are being used')
   .option('--lock-rotation'
     , 'whether to lock rotation when devices are being used')
-  .action(function() {
-    var serials = cliutil.allUnknownArgs(arguments)
-      , options = cliutil.lastArg(arguments)
-
+  .action(function(serials, options) {
     if (!options.connectSub) {
       this.missingArgument('--connect-sub')
     }
@@ -862,7 +859,7 @@ program
   })
 
 program
-  .command('local [serial..]')
+  .command('local [serial...]')
   .description('start everything locally')
   .option('--bind-app-pub <endpoint>'
     , 'app pub endpoint'
@@ -972,10 +969,8 @@ program
     , 'whether to mute master volume when devices are being used')
   .option('--lock-rotation'
     , 'whether to lock rotation when devices are being used')
-  .action(function() {
+  .action(function(serials, options) {
     var log = logger.createLogger('cli:local')
-      , args = arguments
-      , options = cliutil.lastArg(args)
       , procutil = require('./util/procutil')
 
     // Each forked process waits for signals to stop, and so we run over the
@@ -1040,7 +1035,7 @@ program
           .concat(options.allowRemote ? ['--allow-remote'] : [])
           .concat(options.muteMaster ? ['--mute-master'] : [])
           .concat(options.lockRotation ? ['--lock-rotation'] : [])
-          .concat(cliutil.allUnknownArgs(args)))
+          .concat(serials))
 
         // auth
       , procutil.fork(__filename, [
diff --git a/lib/util/cliutil.js b/lib/util/cliutil.js
index 818aac01..12d90612 100644
--- a/lib/util/cliutil.js
+++ b/lib/util/cliutil.js
@@ -7,14 +7,6 @@ module.exports.size = function(val) {
   return match ? [+match[1], +match[2]] : undefined
 }
 
-module.exports.allUnknownArgs = function(args) {
-  return [].slice.call(args, 0, -1).filter(Boolean)
-}
-
-module.exports.lastArg = function(args) {
-  return args[args.length - 1]
-}
-
 module.exports.range = function(from, to) {
   var items = []
     , i