diff --git a/confluent_client/bin/noderun b/confluent_client/bin/noderun
index 02e22eac..19d8f133 100755
--- a/confluent_client/bin/noderun
+++ b/confluent_client/bin/noderun
@@ -37,18 +37,20 @@ import confluent.client as client
 
 
 def run():
-    concurrentprocs = 168
-    # among other things, FD_SETSIZE limits.  Besides, spawning too many
-    # processes can be unkind for the unaware on memory pressure and such...
     argparser = optparse.OptionParser(
-        usage="Usage: %prog node commandexpression",
+        usage="Usage: %prog noderange commandexpression",
         epilog="Expressions are the same as in attributes, e.g. "
                "'ipmitool -H {hardwaremanagement.manager}' will be expanded.")
+    argparser.add_option('-c', '--count', type='int', default=168,
+                         help='Number of commands to run at a time')
+    # among other things, FD_SETSIZE limits.  Besides, spawning too many
+    # processes can be unkind for the unaware on memory pressure and such...
     argparser.disable_interspersed_args()
     (options, args) = argparser.parse_args()
     if len(args) < 2:
         argparser.print_help()
         sys.exit(1)
+    concurrentprocs = options.count
     c = client.Command()
     cmdstr = " ".join(args[1:])
 
diff --git a/confluent_client/bin/nodeshell b/confluent_client/bin/nodeshell
index 061bc869..6b8f6200 100755
--- a/confluent_client/bin/nodeshell
+++ b/confluent_client/bin/nodeshell
@@ -36,18 +36,21 @@ import confluent.client as client
 
 
 def run():
-    concurrentprocs = 168
-    # among other things, FD_SETSIZE limits.  Besides, spawning too many
-    # processes can be unkind for the unaware on memory pressure and such...
+
     argparser = optparse.OptionParser(
-        usage="Usage: %prog node commandexpression",
+        usage="Usage: %prog noderange commandexpression",
         epilog="Expressions are the same as in attributes, e.g. "
                "'ipmitool -H {hardwaremanagement.manager}' will be expanded.")
+    argparser.add_option('-c', '--count', type='int', default=168,
+                         help='Number of commands to run at a time')
+    # among other things, FD_SETSIZE limits.  Besides, spawning too many
+    # processes can be unkind for the unaware on memory pressure and such...
     argparser.disable_interspersed_args()
     (options, args) = argparser.parse_args()
     if len(args) < 2:
         argparser.print_help()
         sys.exit(1)
+    concurrentprocs = options.count
     c = client.Command()
     cmdstr = " ".join(args[1:])