diff --git a/RELEASE_NOTES.rst b/RELEASE_NOTES.rst
index f87de2534..cc540f779 100644
--- a/RELEASE_NOTES.rst
+++ b/RELEASE_NOTES.rst
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ Release notes
   an existing database, add ``device_db = `` at the beginning, and replace any PYON
   identifiers (``true``, ``null``, ...) with their Python equivalents
   (``True``, ``None` ...).
+* Controllers are now named ``aqctl_XXX`` instead of ``XXX_controller``.
 
 
 2.3
diff --git a/artiq/examples/master/device_db.py b/artiq/examples/master/device_db.py
index e111f9b82..513984d6d 100644
--- a/artiq/examples/master/device_db.py
+++ b/artiq/examples/master/device_db.py
@@ -170,25 +170,25 @@ device_db = {
         # that it always resolves to a network-visible IP address (see documentation).
         "host": "::1",
         "port": 4000,
-        "command": "pdq2_controller -p {port} --bind {bind} --simulation --dump qc_q1_0.bin"
+        "command": "aqctl_pdq2 -p {port} --bind {bind} --simulation --dump qc_q1_0.bin"
     },
     "qc_q1_1": {
         "type": "controller",
         "host": "::1",
         "port": 4001,
-        "command": "pdq2_controller -p {port} --bind {bind} --simulation --dump qc_q1_1.bin"
+        "command": "aqctl_pdq2 -p {port} --bind {bind} --simulation --dump qc_q1_1.bin"
     },
     "qc_q1_2": {
         "type": "controller",
         "host": "::1",
         "port": 4002,
-        "command": "pdq2_controller -p {port} --bind {bind} --simulation --dump qc_q1_2.bin"
+        "command": "aqctl_pdq2 -p {port} --bind {bind} --simulation --dump qc_q1_2.bin"
     },
     "qc_q1_3": {
         "type": "controller",
         "host": "::1",
         "port": 4003,
-        "command": "pdq2_controller -p {port} --bind {bind} --simulation --dump qc_q1_3.bin"
+        "command": "aqctl_pdq2 -p {port} --bind {bind} --simulation --dump qc_q1_3.bin"
     },
     "electrodes": {
         "type": "local",
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ device_db = {
         "best_effort": True,
         "host": "::1",
         "port": 3253,
-        "command": "lda_controller -p {port} --bind {bind} --simulation"
+        "command": "aqctl_lda -p {port} --bind {bind} --simulation"
     },
 
     "camera_sim": {
diff --git a/artiq/frontend/pdq2_client.py b/artiq/frontend/aqcli_pdq2.py
similarity index 100%
rename from artiq/frontend/pdq2_client.py
rename to artiq/frontend/aqcli_pdq2.py
diff --git a/artiq/frontend/korad_ka3005p_controller.py b/artiq/frontend/aqctl_korad_ka3005p.py
similarity index 100%
rename from artiq/frontend/korad_ka3005p_controller.py
rename to artiq/frontend/aqctl_korad_ka3005p.py
diff --git a/artiq/frontend/lda_controller.py b/artiq/frontend/aqctl_lda.py
similarity index 100%
rename from artiq/frontend/lda_controller.py
rename to artiq/frontend/aqctl_lda.py
diff --git a/artiq/frontend/novatech409b_controller.py b/artiq/frontend/aqctl_novatech409b.py
similarity index 100%
rename from artiq/frontend/novatech409b_controller.py
rename to artiq/frontend/aqctl_novatech409b.py
diff --git a/artiq/frontend/pdq2_controller.py b/artiq/frontend/aqctl_pdq2.py
similarity index 100%
rename from artiq/frontend/pdq2_controller.py
rename to artiq/frontend/aqctl_pdq2.py
diff --git a/artiq/frontend/thorlabs_tcube_controller.py b/artiq/frontend/aqctl_thorlabs_tcube.py
similarity index 100%
rename from artiq/frontend/thorlabs_tcube_controller.py
rename to artiq/frontend/aqctl_thorlabs_tcube.py
diff --git a/artiq/test/test_korad_ka3005p.py b/artiq/test/test_korad_ka3005p.py
index 50bfbe8f5..5469a8f46 100644
--- a/artiq/test/test_korad_ka3005p.py
+++ b/artiq/test/test_korad_ka3005p.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ class TestKoradKA3005P(GenericKoradKA3005PTest, GenericControllerCase):
                 "host": "::1",
                 "port": 3256,
                 "command": (sys.executable.replace("\\", "\\\\")
-                            + " -m artiq.frontend.korad_ka3005p_controller "
+                            + " -m artiq.frontend.aqctl_korad_ka3005p "
                             + "-p {port} --simulation")
             }
         }
diff --git a/artiq/test/test_novatech409b.py b/artiq/test/test_novatech409b.py
index 2a18890eb..f14b28a8e 100644
--- a/artiq/test/test_novatech409b.py
+++ b/artiq/test/test_novatech409b.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ class TestNovatech409BSim(GenericNovatech409BTest, GenericControllerCase):
                 "host": "::1",
                 "port": 3254,
                 "command": (sys.executable.replace("\\", "\\\\")
-                            + " -m artiq.frontend.novatech409b_controller "
+                            + " -m artiq.frontend.aqctl_novatech409b "
                             + "-p {port} --simulation")
             }
         }
diff --git a/artiq/test/test_thorlabs_tcube.py b/artiq/test/test_thorlabs_tcube.py
index f435da544..b1adf6208 100644
--- a/artiq/test/test_thorlabs_tcube.py
+++ b/artiq/test/test_thorlabs_tcube.py
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ class TestTdcSim(GenericControllerCase, GenericTdcTest):
                 "host": "::1",
                 "port": 3255,
                 "command": (sys.executable.replace("\\", "\\\\")
-                            + " -m artiq.frontend.thorlabs_tcube_controller "
+                            + " -m artiq.frontend.aqctl_thorlabs_tcube "
                             + "-p {port} -P tdc001 --simulation")
             }
         }
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ class TestTpzSim(GenericControllerCase, GenericTpzTest):
                 "host": "::1",
                 "port": 3255,
                 "command": (sys.executable.replace("\\", "\\\\")
-                            + " -m artiq.frontend.thorlabs_tcube_controller "
+                            + " -m artiq.frontend.aqctl_thorlabs_tcube "
                             + "-p {port} -P tpz001 --simulation")
             }
         }
diff --git a/doc/manual/developing_a_ndsp.rst b/doc/manual/developing_a_ndsp.rst
index f8d043830..a48b7aa2b 100644
--- a/doc/manual/developing_a_ndsp.rst
+++ b/doc/manual/developing_a_ndsp.rst
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@ Certain devices (such as the PDQ2) may still perform real-time operations by hav
 A network device support package (NDSP) is composed of several parts:
 
 1. The `driver`, which contains the Python API functions to be called over the network, and performs the I/O to the device. The top-level module of the driver is called ``artiq.devices.XXX.driver``.
-2. The `controller`, which instantiates, initializes and terminates the driver, and sets up the RPC server. The controller is a front-end command-line tool to the user and is called ``artiq.frontend.XXX_controller``. A ``setup.py`` entry must also be created to install it.
-3. An optional `client`, which connects to the controller and exposes the functions of the driver as a command-line interface. Clients are front-end tools (called ``artiq.frontend.XXX_client``) that have ``setup.py`` entries. In most cases, a custom client is not needed and the generic ``artiq_rpctool`` utility can be used instead. Custom clients are only required when large amounts of data must be transferred over the network API, that would be unwieldy to pass as ``artiq_rpctool`` command-line parameters.
+2. The `controller`, which instantiates, initializes and terminates the driver, and sets up the RPC server. The controller is a front-end command-line tool to the user and is called ``artiq.frontend.aqctl_XXX``. A ``setup.py`` entry must also be created to install it.
+3. An optional `client`, which connects to the controller and exposes the functions of the driver as a command-line interface. Clients are front-end tools (called ``artiq.frontend.aqcli_XXX``) that have ``setup.py`` entries. In most cases, a custom client is not needed and the generic ``artiq_rpctool`` utility can be used instead. Custom clients are only required when large amounts of data must be transferred over the network API, that would be unwieldy to pass as ``artiq_rpctool`` command-line parameters.
 4. An optional `mediator`, which is code executed on the client that supplements the network API. A mediator may contain kernels that control real-time signals such as TTL lines connected to the device. Simple devices use the network API directly and do not have a mediator. Mediator modules are called ``artiq.devices.XXX.mediator`` and their public classes are exported at the ``artiq.devices.XXX`` level (via ``__init__.py``) for direct import and use by the experiments.
 
 The driver and controller
@@ -51,13 +51,13 @@ The parameters ``::1`` and ``3249`` are respectively the address to bind the ser
 
     #!/usr/bin/env python3
 
-at the beginning of the file, save it to ``hello_controller.py`` and set its execution permissions: ::
+at the beginning of the file, save it to ``aqctl_hello.py`` and set its execution permissions: ::
 
-    $ chmod 755 hello_controller.py
+    $ chmod 755 aqctl_hello.py
 
 Run it as: ::
 
-    $ ./hello_controller.py
+    $ ./aqctl_hello.py
 
 and verify that you can connect to the TCP port: ::
 
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ Clients are small command-line utilities that expose certain functionalities of
     $ artiq_rpctool ::1 3249 list-methods
     $ artiq_rpctool ::1 3249 call message test
 
-In case you are developing a NDSP that is complex enough to need a custom client, we will see how to develop one. Create a ``hello_client.py`` file with the following contents: ::
+In case you are developing a NDSP that is complex enough to need a custom client, we will see how to develop one. Create a ``aqcli_hello.py`` file with the following contents: ::
 
     #!/usr/bin/env python3
 
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ In case you are developing a NDSP that is complex enough to need a custom client
 
 Run it as before, while the controller is running. You should see the message appearing on the controller's terminal: ::
 
-    $ ./hello_controller.py
+    $ ./aqctl_hello.py
     message: Hello World!
 
 When using the driver in an experiment, the ``Client`` instance can be returned by the environment mechanism (via the ``get_device`` and ``attr_device`` methods of :class:`artiq.language.environment.HasEnvironment`) and used normally as a device.
diff --git a/doc/manual/ndsp_reference.rst b/doc/manual/ndsp_reference.rst
index 50411a7fc..671860d59 100644
--- a/doc/manual/ndsp_reference.rst
+++ b/doc/manual/ndsp_reference.rst
@@ -21,15 +21,15 @@ Controller
 ++++++++++
 
 .. argparse::
-   :ref: artiq.frontend.pdq2_controller.get_argparser
-   :prog: pdq2_controller
+   :ref: artiq.frontend.aqctl_pdq2.get_argparser
+   :prog: aqctl_pdq2
 
 Client
 ++++++
 
 .. argparse::
-   :ref: artiq.frontend.pdq2_client.get_argparser
-   :prog: pdq2_client
+   :ref: artiq.frontend.aqcli_pdq2.get_argparser
+   :prog: aqcli_pdq2
 
 Lab Brick Digital Attenuator (LDA)
 ----------------------------------
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ You must also unplug/replug your device if it was already plugged in.
 
 Then, to run the Lab Brick Digital Attenuator (LDA) controller::
 
-    $ lda_controller -d SN:xxxxx
+    $ aqctl_lda -d SN:xxxxx
 
 The serial number must contain exactly 5 digits, prepend it with the necessary number of 0s.
 Also, the ``SN:`` prefix is mandatory.
@@ -66,8 +66,8 @@ Also, the ``SN:`` prefix is mandatory.
 You can choose the LDA model with the ``-P`` parameter. The default is LDA-102.
 
 .. argparse::
-   :ref: artiq.frontend.lda_controller.get_argparser
-   :prog: lda_controller
+   :ref: artiq.frontend.aqctl_lda.get_argparser
+   :prog: aqctl_lda
 
 Korad KA3005P
 -------------
@@ -82,8 +82,8 @@ Controller
 ++++++++++
 
 .. argparse::
-   :ref: artiq.frontend.korad_ka3005p_controller.get_argparser
-   :prog: korad_ka3005p_controller
+   :ref: artiq.frontend.aqctl_korad_ka3005p.get_argparser
+   :prog: aqctl_korad_ka3005p
 
 Novatech 409B
 -------------
@@ -98,8 +98,8 @@ Controller
 ++++++++++
 
 .. argparse::
-   :ref: artiq.frontend.novatech409b_controller.get_argparser
-   :prog: novatech409b_controller
+   :ref: artiq.frontend.aqctl_novatech409b.get_argparser
+   :prog: aqctl_novatech409b
 
 Thorlabs T-Cube
 ---------------
@@ -123,8 +123,8 @@ Controller
 ++++++++++
 
 .. argparse::
-    :ref: artiq.frontend.thorlabs_tcube_controller.get_argparser
-    :prog: thorlabs_controller
+    :ref: artiq.frontend.aqctl_thorlabs_tcube.get_argparser
+    :prog: aqctl_thorlabs
 
 .. _tdc001-controller-usage-example:
 
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ TDC001 controller usage example
 
 First, run the TDC001 controller::
 
-    $ thorlabs_tcube_controller -P TDC001 -d /dev/ttyUSBx
+    $ aqctl_thorlabs_tcube -P TDC001 -d /dev/ttyUSBx
 
 .. note::
     On Windows the serial port (the ``-d`` argument) will be of the form ``COMx``.
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ TPZ001 controller usage example
 
 First, run the TPZ001 controller::
 
-    $ thorlabs_tcube_controller -P TPZ001 -d /dev/ttyUSBx
+    $ aqctl_thorlabs_tcube -P TPZ001 -d /dev/ttyUSBx
 
 .. note::
     On Windows the serial port (the ``-d`` argument) will be of the form ``COMx``.
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index c8001e8f5..f644b863e 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -35,12 +35,14 @@ console_scripts = [
     "artiq_rpctool=artiq.frontend.artiq_rpctool:main",
     "artiq_run=artiq.frontend.artiq_run:main",
     "artiq_flash=artiq.frontend.artiq_flash:main",
-    "lda_controller=artiq.frontend.lda_controller:main",
-    "novatech409b_controller=artiq.frontend.novatech409b_controller:main",
-    "korad_ka3005p_controller=artiq.frontend.korad_ka3005p_controller:main",
-    "pdq2_client=artiq.frontend.pdq2_client:main",
-    "pdq2_controller=artiq.frontend.pdq2_controller:main",
-    "thorlabs_tcube_controller=artiq.frontend.thorlabs_tcube_controller:main",
+
+    "aqctl_lda=artiq.frontend.aqctl_lda:main",
+    "aqctl_novatech409b=artiq.frontend.aqctl_novatech409b:main",
+    "aqctl_korad_ka3005p=artiq.frontend.aqctl_korad_ka3005p:main",
+    "aqctl_pdq2=artiq.frontend.aqctl_pdq2:main",
+    "aqctl_thorlabs_tcube=artiq.frontend.aqctl_thorlabs_tcube:main",
+
+    "aqcli_pdq2=artiq.frontend.aqcli_pdq2:main",
 ]
 
 gui_scripts = [