diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-trace.c b/tools/perf/builtin-trace.c
index 0de7fcb9096511e1ce5a76a9f302c52f5df146a9..0483e28fa60dab0fce9cac3bafc2fb342d9d9c86 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-trace.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-trace.c
@@ -330,7 +330,7 @@ static struct script_desc *script_desc__new(const char *name)
 {
 	struct script_desc *s = zalloc(sizeof(*s));
 
-	if (s != NULL)
+	if (s != NULL && name)
 		s->name = strdup(name);
 
 	return s;
@@ -541,6 +541,34 @@ static char *get_script_path(const char *script_root, const char *suffix)
 	return path;
 }
 
+static bool is_top_script(const char *script_path)
+{
+	return ends_with((char *)script_path, "top") == NULL ? false : true;
+}
+
+static int has_required_arg(char *script_path)
+{
+	struct script_desc *desc;
+	int n_args = 0;
+	char *p;
+
+	desc = script_desc__new(NULL);
+
+	if (read_script_info(desc, script_path))
+		goto out;
+
+	if (!desc->args)
+		goto out;
+
+	for (p = desc->args; *p; p++)
+		if (*p == '<')
+			n_args++;
+out:
+	script_desc__delete(desc);
+
+	return n_args;
+}
+
 static const char * const trace_usage[] = {
 	"perf trace [<options>] <command>",
 	NULL
@@ -584,48 +612,65 @@ static bool have_cmd(int argc, const char **argv)
 
 int cmd_trace(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix __used)
 {
+	char *rec_script_path = NULL;
+	char *rep_script_path = NULL;
 	struct perf_session *session;
-	const char *suffix = NULL;
+	char *script_path = NULL;
 	const char **__argv;
-	char *script_path;
-	int i, err;
+	bool system_wide;
+	int i, j, err;
 
-	if (argc >= 2 && strncmp(argv[1], "rec", strlen("rec")) == 0) {
-		if (argc < 3) {
-			fprintf(stderr,
-				"Please specify a record script\n");
-			return -1;
-		}
-		suffix = RECORD_SUFFIX;
+	setup_scripting();
+
+	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, options, trace_usage,
+			     PARSE_OPT_STOP_AT_NON_OPTION);
+
+	if (argc > 1 && !strncmp(argv[0], "rec", strlen("rec"))) {
+		rec_script_path = get_script_path(argv[1], RECORD_SUFFIX);
+		if (!rec_script_path)
+			return cmd_record(argc, argv, NULL);
 	}
 
-	if (argc >= 2 && strncmp(argv[1], "rep", strlen("rep")) == 0) {
-		if (argc < 3) {
+	if (argc > 1 && !strncmp(argv[0], "rep", strlen("rep"))) {
+		rep_script_path = get_script_path(argv[1], REPORT_SUFFIX);
+		if (!rep_script_path) {
 			fprintf(stderr,
-				"Please specify a report script\n");
+				"Please specify a valid report script"
+				"(see 'perf trace -l' for listing)\n");
 			return -1;
 		}
-		suffix = REPORT_SUFFIX;
 	}
 
 	/* make sure PERF_EXEC_PATH is set for scripts */
 	perf_set_argv_exec_path(perf_exec_path());
 
-	if (!suffix && argc >= 2 && strncmp(argv[1], "-", strlen("-")) != 0) {
-		char *record_script_path, *report_script_path;
+	if (argc && !script_name && !rec_script_path && !rep_script_path) {
 		int live_pipe[2];
+		int rep_args;
 		pid_t pid;
 
-		record_script_path = get_script_path(argv[1], RECORD_SUFFIX);
-		if (!record_script_path) {
-			fprintf(stderr, "record script not found\n");
-			return -1;
+		rec_script_path = get_script_path(argv[0], RECORD_SUFFIX);
+		rep_script_path = get_script_path(argv[0], REPORT_SUFFIX);
+
+		if (!rec_script_path && !rep_script_path) {
+			fprintf(stderr, " Couldn't find script %s\n\n See perf"
+				" trace -l for available scripts.\n", argv[0]);
+			usage_with_options(trace_usage, options);
 		}
 
-		report_script_path = get_script_path(argv[1], REPORT_SUFFIX);
-		if (!report_script_path) {
-			fprintf(stderr, "report script not found\n");
-			return -1;
+		if (is_top_script(argv[0])) {
+			rep_args = argc - 1;
+		} else {
+			int rec_args;
+
+			rep_args = has_required_arg(rep_script_path);
+			rec_args = (argc - 1) - rep_args;
+			if (rec_args < 0) {
+				fprintf(stderr, " %s script requires options."
+					"\n\n See perf trace -l for available "
+					"scripts and options.\n", argv[0]);
+				usage_with_options(trace_usage, options);
+			}
 		}
 
 		if (pipe(live_pipe) < 0) {
@@ -640,19 +685,30 @@ int cmd_trace(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix __used)
 		}
 
 		if (!pid) {
+			system_wide = true;
+			j = 0;
+
 			dup2(live_pipe[1], 1);
 			close(live_pipe[0]);
 
-			__argv = malloc(6 * sizeof(const char *));
+			if (!is_top_script(argv[0]))
+				system_wide = !have_cmd(argc - rep_args,
+							&argv[rep_args]);
+
+			__argv = malloc((argc + 6) * sizeof(const char *));
 			if (!__argv)
 				die("malloc");
 
-			__argv[0] = "/bin/sh";
-			__argv[1] = record_script_path;
-			__argv[2] = "-q";
-			__argv[3] = "-o";
-			__argv[4] = "-";
-			__argv[5] = NULL;
+			__argv[j++] = "/bin/sh";
+			__argv[j++] = rec_script_path;
+			if (system_wide)
+				__argv[j++] = "-a";
+			__argv[j++] = "-q";
+			__argv[j++] = "-o";
+			__argv[j++] = "-";
+			for (i = rep_args + 1; i < argc; i++)
+				__argv[j++] = argv[i];
+			__argv[j++] = NULL;
 
 			execvp("/bin/sh", (char **)__argv);
 			free(__argv);
@@ -662,43 +718,43 @@ int cmd_trace(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix __used)
 		dup2(live_pipe[0], 0);
 		close(live_pipe[1]);
 
-		__argv = malloc((argc + 3) * sizeof(const char *));
+		__argv = malloc((argc + 4) * sizeof(const char *));
 		if (!__argv)
 			die("malloc");
-		__argv[0] = "/bin/sh";
-		__argv[1] = report_script_path;
-		for (i = 2; i < argc; i++)
-			__argv[i] = argv[i];
-		__argv[i++] = "-i";
-		__argv[i++] = "-";
-		__argv[i++] = NULL;
+		j = 0;
+		__argv[j++] = "/bin/sh";
+		__argv[j++] = rep_script_path;
+		for (i = 1; i < rep_args + 1; i++)
+			__argv[j++] = argv[i];
+		__argv[j++] = "-i";
+		__argv[j++] = "-";
+		__argv[j++] = NULL;
 
 		execvp("/bin/sh", (char **)__argv);
 		free(__argv);
 		exit(-1);
 	}
 
-	if (suffix) {
-		bool system_wide = false;
-		int j = 0;
+	if (rec_script_path)
+		script_path = rec_script_path;
+	if (rep_script_path)
+		script_path = rep_script_path;
 
-		script_path = get_script_path(argv[2], suffix);
-		if (!script_path) {
-			fprintf(stderr, "script not found\n");
-			return -1;
-		}
+	if (script_path) {
+		system_wide = false;
+		j = 0;
 
-		if (!strcmp(suffix, RECORD_SUFFIX))
-			system_wide = !have_cmd(argc - 2, &argv[2]);
+		if (rec_script_path)
+			system_wide = !have_cmd(argc - 1, &argv[1]);
 
-		__argv = malloc((argc + 1) * sizeof(const char *));
+		__argv = malloc((argc + 2) * sizeof(const char *));
 		if (!__argv)
 			die("malloc");
 		__argv[j++] = "/bin/sh";
 		__argv[j++] = script_path;
 		if (system_wide)
 			__argv[j++] = "-a";
-		for (i = 3; i < argc; i++)
+		for (i = 2; i < argc; i++)
 			__argv[j++] = argv[i];
 		__argv[j++] = NULL;
 
@@ -707,11 +763,6 @@ int cmd_trace(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix __used)
 		exit(-1);
 	}
 
-	setup_scripting();
-
-	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, options, trace_usage,
-			     PARSE_OPT_STOP_AT_NON_OPTION);
-
 	if (symbol__init() < 0)
 		return -1;
 	if (!script_name)