diff --git a/arch/microblaze/lib/bootm.c b/arch/microblaze/lib/bootm.c
index 3842709..b328f94 100644
--- a/arch/microblaze/lib/bootm.c
+++ b/arch/microblaze/lib/bootm.c
@@ -62,8 +62,8 @@ int do_bootm_linux(int flag, int argc, char * const argv[],
 
 	bootstage_mark(BOOTSTAGE_ID_RUN_OS);
 
-	if (!of_flat_tree && argc > 3)
-		of_flat_tree = (char *)simple_strtoul(argv[3], NULL, 16);
+	if (!of_flat_tree && argc > 1)
+		of_flat_tree = (char *)simple_strtoul(argv[1], NULL, 16);
 
 	/* fixup the initrd now that we know where it should be */
 	if (images->rd_start && images->rd_end && of_flat_tree)
diff --git a/arch/nios2/lib/bootm.c b/arch/nios2/lib/bootm.c
index f32be52..114e146 100644
--- a/arch/nios2/lib/bootm.c
+++ b/arch/nios2/lib/bootm.c
@@ -40,8 +40,8 @@ int do_bootm_linux(int flag, int argc, char * const argv[], bootm_headers_t *ima
 	if (images->ft_len)
 		of_flat_tree = images->ft_addr;
 #endif
-	if (!of_flat_tree && argc > 3)
-		of_flat_tree = (char *)simple_strtoul(argv[3], NULL, 16);
+	if (!of_flat_tree && argc > 1)
+		of_flat_tree = (char *)simple_strtoul(argv[1], NULL, 16);
 	if (of_flat_tree)
 		initrd_end = (ulong)of_flat_tree;
 
diff --git a/arch/openrisc/lib/bootm.c b/arch/openrisc/lib/bootm.c
index 2c5d9ae..7f716b8 100644
--- a/arch/openrisc/lib/bootm.c
+++ b/arch/openrisc/lib/bootm.c
@@ -63,8 +63,8 @@ int do_bootm_linux(int flag, int argc, char * const argv[],
 
 	show_boot_progress(15);
 
-	if (!of_flat_tree && argc > 3)
-		of_flat_tree = (char *)simple_strtoul(argv[3], NULL, 16);
+	if (!of_flat_tree && argc > 1)
+		of_flat_tree = (char *)simple_strtoul(argv[1], NULL, 16);
 #ifdef DEBUG
 	printf("## Transferring control to Linux (at address 0x%08lx) " \
 				"ramdisk 0x%08lx, FDT 0x%08lx...\n",
diff --git a/common/cmd_bootm.c b/common/cmd_bootm.c
index e452fca..6a6241d 100644
--- a/common/cmd_bootm.c
+++ b/common/cmd_bootm.c
@@ -104,9 +104,18 @@ static const void *boot_get_kernel(cmd_tbl_t *cmdtp, int flag, int argc,
  *  - verified image architecture (PPC) and type (KERNEL or MULTI),
  *  - loaded (first part of) image to header load address,
  *  - disabled interrupts.
+ *
+ * @flag: Command flags (CMD_FLAG_...)
+ * @argc: Number of arguments. Note that the arguments are shifted down
+ *	 so that 0 is the first argument not processed by U-Boot, and
+ *	 argc is adjusted accordingly. This avoids confusion as to how
+ *	 many arguments are available for the OS.
+ * @images: Pointers to os/initrd/fdt
+ * @return 1 on error. On success the OS boots so this function does
+ * not return.
  */
 typedef int boot_os_fn(int flag, int argc, char * const argv[],
-			bootm_headers_t *images); /* pointers to os/initrd/fdt */
+			bootm_headers_t *images);
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_BOOTM_LINUX
 extern boot_os_fn do_bootm_linux;
@@ -457,7 +466,7 @@ static int bootm_start_standalone(ulong iflag, int argc, char * const argv[])
 		return 0;
 	}
 	appl = (int (*)(int, char * const []))(ulong)ntohl(images.ep);
-	(*appl)(argc-1, &argv[1]);
+	(*appl)(argc, argv);
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -486,17 +495,15 @@ static int do_bootm_subcommand(cmd_tbl_t *cmdtp, int flag, int argc,
 	cmd_tbl_t *c;
 	boot_os_fn *boot_fn;
 
-	c = find_cmd_tbl(argv[1], &cmd_bootm_sub[0], ARRAY_SIZE(cmd_bootm_sub));
+	c = find_cmd_tbl(argv[0], &cmd_bootm_sub[0], ARRAY_SIZE(cmd_bootm_sub));
+	argc--; argv++;
 
 	if (c) {
 		state = (long)c->cmd;
 
 		/* treat start special since it resets the state machine */
-		if (state == BOOTM_STATE_START) {
-			argc--;
-			argv++;
+		if (state == BOOTM_STATE_START)
 			return bootm_start(cmdtp, flag, argc, argv);
-		}
 	} else {
 		/* Unrecognized command */
 		return CMD_RET_USAGE;
@@ -611,11 +618,12 @@ int do_bootm(cmd_tbl_t *cmdtp, int flag, int argc, char * const argv[])
 #endif
 
 	/* determine if we have a sub command */
-	if (argc > 1) {
+	argc--; argv++;
+	if (argc > 0) {
 		char *endp;
 
-		simple_strtoul(argv[1], &endp, 16);
-		/* endp pointing to NULL means that argv[1] was just a
+		simple_strtoul(argv[0], &endp, 16);
+		/* endp pointing to NULL means that argv[0] was just a
 		 * valid number, pass it along to the normal bootm processing
 		 *
 		 * If endp is ':' or '#' assume a FIT identifier so pass
@@ -816,22 +824,22 @@ static const void *boot_get_kernel(cmd_tbl_t *cmdtp, int flag, int argc,
 #endif
 
 	/* find out kernel image address */
-	if (argc < 2) {
+	if (argc < 1) {
 		img_addr = load_addr;
 		debug("*  kernel: default image load address = 0x%08lx\n",
 				load_addr);
 #if defined(CONFIG_FIT)
-	} else if (fit_parse_conf(argv[1], load_addr, &img_addr,
+	} else if (fit_parse_conf(argv[0], load_addr, &img_addr,
 							&fit_uname_config)) {
 		debug("*  kernel: config '%s' from image at 0x%08lx\n",
 				fit_uname_config, img_addr);
-	} else if (fit_parse_subimage(argv[1], load_addr, &img_addr,
+	} else if (fit_parse_subimage(argv[0], load_addr, &img_addr,
 							&fit_uname_kernel)) {
 		debug("*  kernel: subimage '%s' from image at 0x%08lx\n",
 				fit_uname_kernel, img_addr);
 #endif
 	} else {
-		img_addr = simple_strtoul(argv[1], NULL, 16);
+		img_addr = simple_strtoul(argv[0], NULL, 16);
 		debug("*  kernel: cmdline image address = 0x%08lx\n", img_addr);
 	}
 
@@ -1401,16 +1409,16 @@ static int do_bootm_netbsd(int flag, int argc, char * const argv[],
 	consdev = "scc3";
 #endif
 
-	if (argc > 2) {
+	if (argc > 0) {
 		ulong len;
 		int   i;
 
-		for (i = 2, len = 0; i < argc; i += 1)
+		for (i = 0, len = 0; i < argc; i += 1)
 			len += strlen(argv[i]) + 1;
 		cmdline = malloc(len);
 
-		for (i = 2, len = 0; i < argc; i += 1) {
-			if (i > 2)
+		for (i = 0, len = 0; i < argc; i += 1) {
+			if (i > 0)
 				cmdline[len++] = ' ';
 			strcpy(&cmdline[len], argv[i]);
 			len += strlen(argv[i]);
diff --git a/common/image-fdt.c b/common/image-fdt.c
index 0d421d9..d99f444 100644
--- a/common/image-fdt.c
+++ b/common/image-fdt.c
@@ -248,13 +248,16 @@ int boot_get_fdt(int flag, int argc, char * const argv[], uint8_t arch,
 	ulong		default_addr;
 	int		fdt_noffset;
 #endif
+	const char *select = NULL;
 
 	*of_flat_tree = NULL;
 	*of_size = 0;
 
-	if (argc > 3 || genimg_has_config(images)) {
+	if (argc > 2)
+		select = argv[2];
+	if (select || genimg_has_config(images)) {
 #if defined(CONFIG_FIT)
-		if (argc > 3) {
+		if (select) {
 			/*
 			 * If the FDT blob comes from the FIT image and the
 			 * FIT image address is omitted in the command line
@@ -268,18 +271,18 @@ int boot_get_fdt(int flag, int argc, char * const argv[], uint8_t arch,
 			else
 				default_addr = load_addr;
 
-			if (fit_parse_conf(argv[3], default_addr,
+			if (fit_parse_conf(select, default_addr,
 					   &fdt_addr, &fit_uname_config)) {
 				debug("*  fdt: config '%s' from image at 0x%08lx\n",
 				      fit_uname_config, fdt_addr);
-			} else if (fit_parse_subimage(argv[3], default_addr,
+			} else if (fit_parse_subimage(select, default_addr,
 				   &fdt_addr, &fit_uname_fdt)) {
 				debug("*  fdt: subimage '%s' from image at 0x%08lx\n",
 				      fit_uname_fdt, fdt_addr);
 			} else
 #endif
 			{
-				fdt_addr = simple_strtoul(argv[3], NULL, 16);
+				fdt_addr = simple_strtoul(select, NULL, 16);
 				debug("*  fdt: cmdline image address = 0x%08lx\n",
 				      fdt_addr);
 			}
diff --git a/common/image.c b/common/image.c
index f863502..1be384f 100644
--- a/common/image.c
+++ b/common/image.c
@@ -816,20 +816,23 @@ int boot_get_ramdisk(int argc, char * const argv[], bootm_headers_t *images,
 	ulong		default_addr;
 	int		rd_noffset;
 #endif
+	const char *select = NULL;
 
 	*rd_start = 0;
 	*rd_end = 0;
 
+	if (argc >= 2)
+		select = argv[1];
 	/*
 	 * Look for a '-' which indicates to ignore the
 	 * ramdisk argument
 	 */
-	if ((argc >= 3) && (strcmp(argv[2], "-") ==  0)) {
+	if (select && strcmp(select, "-") ==  0) {
 		debug("## Skipping init Ramdisk\n");
 		rd_len = rd_data = 0;
-	} else if (argc >= 3 || genimg_has_config(images)) {
+	} else if (select || genimg_has_config(images)) {
 #if defined(CONFIG_FIT)
-		if (argc >= 3) {
+		if (select) {
 			/*
 			 * If the init ramdisk comes from the FIT image and
 			 * the FIT image address is omitted in the command
@@ -841,12 +844,12 @@ int boot_get_ramdisk(int argc, char * const argv[], bootm_headers_t *images,
 			else
 				default_addr = load_addr;
 
-			if (fit_parse_conf(argv[2], default_addr,
-						&rd_addr, &fit_uname_config)) {
+			if (fit_parse_conf(select, default_addr,
+					   &rd_addr, &fit_uname_config)) {
 				debug("*  ramdisk: config '%s' from image at "
 						"0x%08lx\n",
 						fit_uname_config, rd_addr);
-			} else if (fit_parse_subimage(argv[2], default_addr,
+			} else if (fit_parse_subimage(select, default_addr,
 						&rd_addr, &fit_uname_ramdisk)) {
 				debug("*  ramdisk: subimage '%s' from image at "
 						"0x%08lx\n",
@@ -854,7 +857,7 @@ int boot_get_ramdisk(int argc, char * const argv[], bootm_headers_t *images,
 			} else
 #endif
 			{
-				rd_addr = simple_strtoul(argv[2], NULL, 16);
+				rd_addr = simple_strtoul(select, NULL, 16);
 				debug("*  ramdisk: cmdline image address = "
 						"0x%08lx\n",
 						rd_addr);
@@ -918,7 +921,10 @@ int boot_get_ramdisk(int argc, char * const argv[], bootm_headers_t *images,
 #endif
 		default:
 #ifdef CONFIG_SUPPORT_RAW_INITRD
-			if (argc >= 3 && (end = strchr(argv[2], ':'))) {
+			end = NULL;
+			if (select)
+				end = strchr(select, ':');
+			if (end) {
 				rd_len = simple_strtoul(++end, NULL, 16);
 				rd_data = rd_addr;
 			} else