diff --git a/repo b/repo
index 63cee031..1bc78b89 100755
--- a/repo
+++ b/repo
@@ -270,9 +270,9 @@ gpg_dir = os.path.join(home_dot_repo, 'gnupg')
 def GetParser(gitc_init=False):
   """Setup the CLI parser."""
   if gitc_init:
-    usage = 'repo gitc-init -u url -c client [options]'
+    usage = 'repo gitc-init -c client [options] [-u] url'
   else:
-    usage = 'repo init -u url [options]'
+    usage = 'repo init [options] [-u] url'
 
   parser = optparse.OptionParser(usage=usage)
 
@@ -522,8 +522,11 @@ def _Init(args, gitc_init=False):
   parser = GetParser(gitc_init=gitc_init)
   opt, args = parser.parse_args(args)
   if args:
-    parser.print_usage()
-    sys.exit(1)
+    if not opt.manifest_url:
+      opt.manifest_url = args.pop(0)
+    if args:
+      parser.print_usage()
+      sys.exit(1)
   opt.quiet = opt.output_mode is False
   opt.verbose = opt.output_mode is True
 
diff --git a/subcmds/init.py b/subcmds/init.py
index 1d16c856..ab0faff3 100644
--- a/subcmds/init.py
+++ b/subcmds/init.py
@@ -32,9 +32,9 @@ from wrapper import Wrapper
 
 class Init(InteractiveCommand, MirrorSafeCommand):
   common = True
-  helpSummary = "Initialize repo in the current directory"
+  helpSummary = "Initialize a repo client checkout in the current directory"
   helpUsage = """
-%prog [options]
+%prog [options] [manifest url]
 """
   helpDescription = """
 The '%prog' command is run once to install and initialize repo.
@@ -42,6 +42,10 @@ The latest repo source code and manifest collection is downloaded
 from the server and is installed in the .repo/ directory in the
 current working directory.
 
+When creating a new checkout, the manifest URL is the only required setting.
+It may be specified using the --manifest-url option, or as the first optional
+argument.
+
 The optional -b argument can be used to select the manifest branch
 to checkout and use.  If no branch is specified, the remote's default
 branch is used.
@@ -196,7 +200,7 @@ to update the working directory files.
 
     if is_new:
       if not opt.manifest_url:
-        print('fatal: manifest url (-u) is required.', file=sys.stderr)
+        print('fatal: manifest url is required.', file=sys.stderr)
         sys.exit(1)
 
       if not opt.quiet:
@@ -498,7 +502,15 @@ to update the working directory files.
       self.OptionParser.error('--mirror and --archive cannot be used together.')
 
     if args:
-      self.OptionParser.error('init takes no arguments')
+      if opt.manifest_url:
+        self.OptionParser.error(
+            '--manifest-url option and URL argument both specified: only use '
+            'one to select the manifest URL.')
+
+      opt.manifest_url = args.pop(0)
+
+      if args:
+        self.OptionParser.error('too many arguments to init')
 
   def Execute(self, opt, args):
     git_require(MIN_GIT_VERSION_HARD, fail=True)