diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index dbf3a1c..54402c8 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -11,6 +11,17 @@ Most images are based on Debian, making use of `debootstrap` to provide a quick
 This repository contains the scripts to build the rootfs images.
 The other configuration files for Base Julia CI are located in the [`.buildkite`](https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia/tree/master/.buildkite) directory in the [Julia](https://github.com/JuliaLang/julia) repository.
 
+## Instantiating the environment
+
+```
+julia --project -e 'import Pkg; Pkg.instantiate()'
+```
+
 ## Testing out a rootfs image
 
 If you want to test a rootfs image locally, you can use the `test_roofs.jl` script, passing in the URL of the rootfs you want to test.  It will drop you into a shell within the build environment, where you can recreate build failures more reliably.
+
+To see the help, run:
+```
+julia --project test_roofs.jl --help
+```
diff --git a/src/build/args.jl b/src/build/args.jl
index 01dffa2..572aeb9 100644
--- a/src/build/args.jl
+++ b/src/build/args.jl
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ function parse_build_args(args::AbstractVector, file::AbstractString)
         description = "Build a rootfs image",
     )
     ArgParse.@add_arg_table! settings begin
-        "--arch"
+        "--arch", "-a"
             arg_type = String
             required = true
             help = "The architecture for which you would like to build"
diff --git a/src/test_and_run/args.jl b/src/test_and_run/args.jl
index f4bf094..4947cd2 100644
--- a/src/test_and_run/args.jl
+++ b/src/test_and_run/args.jl
@@ -4,18 +4,18 @@ function parse_test_args(args::AbstractVector, file::AbstractString)
     )
     default_command = "/bin/bash"
     ArgParse.@add_arg_table! settings begin
-        "--url"
+        "--url", "-u"
             required = false
             default = ""
             help = "URL from which to download the rootfs image"
-        "--treehash"
+        "--treehash", "-t"
             required = false
             default = ""
             help = "Tree hash of the rootfs image"
         "command"
             required = false
             default = Any[]
-            nargs = 'R' # all remaining tokens
+            nargs = 'R' # 'R' = all remaining tokens
             help = "The command to run. If not specified, defaults to $(default_command)"
     end
     parsed_args = ArgParse.parse_args(args, settings)