--- /sys/src/cmd/aux/getflags.c
+++ /sys/src/cmd/aux/getflags.c
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #include <u.h>
 #include <libc.h>
+#include <ctype.h>
 
 void
 usage(void)
@@ -8,18 +9,54 @@ usage(void)
 	exits(0);
 }
 
+char*
+skipspace(char *p)
+{
+	while(isspace(*p))
+		p++;
+	return p;
+}
+
+char*
+nextarg(char *p)
+{
+	char *s;
+
+	s = strchr(p, ',');
+	if(s == nil)
+		return p+strlen(p); /* to \0 */
+	while(*s == ',' || isspace(*s))
+		s++;
+	return s;
+}
+
 char*
 findarg(char *flags, Rune r)
 {
 	char *p;
 	Rune rr;
-	
-	for(p=flags; p!=(char*)1; p=strchr(p, ',')+1){
+
+	for(p=skipspace(flags); *p; p=nextarg(p)){
 		chartorune(&rr, p);
 		if(rr == r)
 			return p;
 	}
-	return nil;	
+	return nil;
+}
+
+char*
+argname(char *p)
+{
+	Rune r;
+	int n;
+
+	while(1){
+		n = chartorune(&r, p);
+		if(!isalpharune(r) && !isdigitrune(r))
+			break;
+		p += n;
+	}
+	return p;
 }
 
 int
@@ -28,10 +65,8 @@ countargs(char *p)
 	int n;
 
 	n = 1;
-	while(*p == ' ')
-		p++;
-	for(; *p && *p != ','; p++)
-		if(*p == ' ' && *(p-1) != ' ')
+	for(p=skipspace(p); *p && *p != ','; p++)
+		if(isspace(*p) && !isspace(*(p-1)))
 			n++;
 	return n;
 }
@@ -39,8 +74,9 @@ countargs(char *p)
 void
 main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
-	char *flags, *p, buf[512];
+	char *flags, *p, *s, *e, buf[512];
 	int i, n;
+	Rune r;
 	Fmt fmt;
 	
 	doquote = needsrcquote;
@@ -55,19 +91,39 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	}
 
 	fmtfdinit(&fmt, 1, buf, sizeof buf);
-	for(p=flags; p!=(char*)1; p=strchr(p, ',')+1)
-		fmtprint(&fmt, "flag%.1s=()\n", p);
+	for(p=skipspace(flags); *p; p=nextarg(p)){
+		s = e = nil;
+		n = chartorune(&r, p);
+		if(p[n] == ':'){
+			s = p + n + 1;
+			e = argname(s);
+		}
+		if(s != e)
+			fmtprint(&fmt, "%.*s=()\n", (int)(e - s), s);
+		else
+			fmtprint(&fmt, "flag%C=()\n", r);
+	}
 	ARGBEGIN{
 	default:
 		if((p = findarg(flags, ARGC())) == nil)
 			usage();
 		p += runelen(ARGC());
+		s = p + 1;
+		e = p + 1;
+		if(*p == ':' && (e = argname(s)) != s)
+			p = e;
 		if(*p == ',' || *p == 0){
-			fmtprint(&fmt, "flag%C=1\n", ARGC());
+			if(s != e)
+				fmtprint(&fmt, "%.*s=1\n", (int)(e - s), s);
+			else
+				fmtprint(&fmt, "flag%C=1\n", ARGC());
 			break;
 		}
 		n = countargs(p);
-		fmtprint(&fmt, "flag%C=(", ARGC());
+		if(s != e)
+			fmtprint(&fmt, "%.*s=(", (int)(e - s), s);
+		else
+			fmtprint(&fmt, "flag%C=(", ARGC());
 		for(i=0; i<n; i++)
 			fmtprint(&fmt, "%s%q", i ? " " : "", EARGF(usage()));
 		fmtprint(&fmt, ")\n");