diff --git a/artiq/frontend/artiq_coreboot.py b/artiq/frontend/artiq_coreboot.py
index c39c267e8..c0136292e 100755
--- a/artiq/frontend/artiq_coreboot.py
+++ b/artiq/frontend/artiq_coreboot.py
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import struct
 
 from artiq.tools import verbosity_args, init_logger
 from artiq.master.databases import DeviceDB
-from artiq.master.worker_db import DeviceManager
 from artiq.coredevice.comm_mgmt import CommMgmt
 
 
@@ -34,10 +33,10 @@ def get_argparser():
 def main():
     args = get_argparser().parse_args()
     init_logger(args)
-    device_mgr = DeviceManager(DeviceDB(args.device_db))
+
+    core_addr = DeviceDB(args.device_db).get("core")["arguments"]["host"]
+    mgmt = CommMgmt(core_addr)
     try:
-        core_addr = device_mgr.get_desc("core")["arguments"]["host"]
-        mgmt = CommMgmt(device_mgr, core_addr)
         if args.action == "reboot":
             mgmt.reboot()
         elif args.action == "hotswap":
@@ -46,7 +45,7 @@ def main():
             print("An action needs to be specified.", file=sys.stderr)
             sys.exit(1)
     finally:
-        device_mgr.close_devices()
+        mgmt.close()
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     main()
diff --git a/artiq/frontend/artiq_corelog.py b/artiq/frontend/artiq_corelog.py
index 475386fa7..0f7cd8759 100755
--- a/artiq/frontend/artiq_corelog.py
+++ b/artiq/frontend/artiq_corelog.py
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ def main():
     init_logger(args)
 
     core_addr = DeviceDB(args.device_db).get("core")["arguments"]["host"]
-    mgmt = CommMgmt(None, core_addr)
+    mgmt = CommMgmt(core_addr)
     try:
         if args.action == "set_level":
             mgmt.set_log_level(args.level)
diff --git a/artiq/test/coredevice/test_rtio.py b/artiq/test/coredevice/test_rtio.py
index 1c75ab7ee..1a84b2f7d 100644
--- a/artiq/test/coredevice/test_rtio.py
+++ b/artiq/test/coredevice/test_rtio.py
@@ -403,7 +403,7 @@ class CoredeviceTest(ExperimentCase):
 
     def test_collision(self):
         core_addr = self.device_mgr.get_desc("core")["arguments"]["host"]
-        mgmt = CommMgmt(self.device_mgr, core_addr)
+        mgmt = CommMgmt(core_addr)
         mgmt.clear_log()
         self.execute(Collision)
         log = mgmt.get_log()
@@ -412,7 +412,7 @@ class CoredeviceTest(ExperimentCase):
 
     def test_address_collision(self):
         core_addr = self.device_mgr.get_desc("core")["arguments"]["host"]
-        mgmt = CommMgmt(self.device_mgr, core_addr)
+        mgmt = CommMgmt(core_addr)
         mgmt.clear_log()
         self.execute(AddressCollision)
         log = mgmt.get_log()