diff --git a/artiq/frontend/artiq_coreconfig.py b/artiq/frontend/artiq_coreconfig.py
index d5289bdb4..9eb39d7fc 100755
--- a/artiq/frontend/artiq_coreconfig.py
+++ b/artiq/frontend/artiq_coreconfig.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ def get_argparser():
     subparsers.required = True
     p_read = subparsers.add_parser("read",
                                    help="read key from core device config")
-    p_read.add_argument("-k", "--key", type=to_bytes, required=True,
+    p_read.add_argument("key", type=to_bytes,
                         help="key to be read from core device config")
     p_write = subparsers.add_parser("write",
                                     help="write key-value records to core "
@@ -34,8 +34,8 @@ def get_argparser():
     subparsers.add_parser("erase", help="erase core device config")
     p_delete = subparsers.add_parser("delete",
                                      help="delete key from core device config")
-    p_delete.add_argument("-k", "--key", action="append", default=[],
-                          type=to_bytes, required=True,
+    p_delete.add_argument("key", nargs=argparse.REMAINDER,
+                          default=[], type=to_bytes,
                           help="key to be deleted from core device config")
     parser.add_argument("--ddb", default="ddb.pyon",
                         help="device database file")
diff --git a/doc/manual/utilities.rst b/doc/manual/utilities.rst
index a27d7d8d7..a507291ae 100644
--- a/doc/manual/utilities.rst
+++ b/doc/manual/utilities.rst
@@ -109,18 +109,18 @@ When not specified, the artiq_coreconfig tool will assume that there is a file n
 
 To read the record whose key is ``mac``::
 
-    $ artiq_coreconfig read -k mac
+    $ artiq_coreconfig read mac
 
 To write the value ``test_value`` in the key ``my_key``::
 
     $ artiq_coreconfig write -s my_key test_value
-    $ artiq_coreconfig read -k my_key
+    $ artiq_coreconfig read my_key
     b'test_value'
 
 You can also write entire files in a record using the ``-f`` parameter. This is useful for instance to write the ``idle`` kernel in the flash storage::
 
     $ artiq_coreconfig write -f idle_kernel idle.elf
-    $ artiq_coreconfig read -k idle_kernel | head -c9
+    $ artiq_coreconfig read idle_kernel | head -c9
     b'\x7fELF
 
 You can write several records at once::
@@ -129,7 +129,11 @@ You can write several records at once::
 
 To remove the previously written key ``my_key``::
 
-    $ artiq_coreconfig delete -k my_key
+    $ artiq_coreconfig delete my_key
+
+You can remove several keys at once::
+
+    $ artiq_coreconfig delete key1 key2
 
 To erase the entire flash storage area::
 
@@ -140,7 +144,7 @@ it::
 
     $ artiq_coreconfig write -s my_key some_value
     $ artiq_coreconfig write -s my_key some_other_value
-    $ artiq_coreconfig read -k my_key
+    $ artiq_coreconfig read my_key
     b'some_other_value'
 
 .. argparse::