diff --git a/wagtail/wagtailcore/management/commands/fixtree.py b/wagtail/wagtailcore/management/commands/fixtree.py
index 1d4d7e1c41..65e7b60a2e 100644
--- a/wagtail/wagtailcore/management/commands/fixtree.py
+++ b/wagtail/wagtailcore/management/commands/fixtree.py
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 import functools
 import operator
-from optparse import make_option
 
 from django.core.management.base import BaseCommand
 from django.db import models
@@ -12,13 +11,11 @@ from wagtail.wagtailcore.models import Page
 
 class Command(BaseCommand):
     help = "Checks for data integrity errors on the page tree, and fixes them where possible."
-    base_options = (
-        make_option(
+
+    def add_arguments(self, parser):
+        parser.add_argument(
             '--noinput', action='store_false', dest='interactive', default=True,
-            help='If provided, any fixes requiring user interaction will be skipped.'
-        ),
-    )
-    option_list = BaseCommand.option_list + base_options
+            help='If provided, any fixes requiring user interaction will be skipped.')
 
     def numberlist_to_string(self, numberlist):
         # Converts a list of numbers into a string
diff --git a/wagtail/wagtailcore/management/commands/publish_scheduled_pages.py b/wagtail/wagtailcore/management/commands/publish_scheduled_pages.py
index 8bd9c84c83..4fdbec39f0 100644
--- a/wagtail/wagtailcore/management/commands/publish_scheduled_pages.py
+++ b/wagtail/wagtailcore/management/commands/publish_scheduled_pages.py
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 from __future__ import print_function
 
 import json
-from optparse import make_option
 
 from django.core.management.base import BaseCommand
 from django.utils import dateparse, timezone
@@ -21,15 +20,10 @@ def revision_date_expired(r):
 
 
 class Command(BaseCommand):
-    option_list = BaseCommand.option_list + (
-        make_option(
-            '--dryrun',
-            action='store_true',
-            dest='dryrun',
-            default=False,
-            help='Dry run -- don\'t change anything.'
-        ),
-    )
+    def add_arguments(self, parser):
+        parser.add_argument(
+            '--dryrun', action='store_true', dest='dryrun', default=False,
+            help="Dry run -- dont't change anything.")
 
     def handle(self, *args, **options):
         dryrun = False
diff --git a/wagtail/wagtailsearch/management/commands/update_index.py b/wagtail/wagtailsearch/management/commands/update_index.py
index 9420189d77..6ae2db2b33 100644
--- a/wagtail/wagtailsearch/management/commands/update_index.py
+++ b/wagtail/wagtailsearch/management/commands/update_index.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-from optparse import make_option
-
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.core.management.base import BaseCommand
 from django.db import transaction
@@ -57,15 +55,10 @@ class Command(BaseCommand):
         self.stdout.write(backend_name + ": Finishing rebuild")
         rebuilder.finish()
 
-    option_list = BaseCommand.option_list + (
-        make_option(
-            '--backend',
-            action='store',
-            dest='backend_name',
-            default=None,
-            help="Specify a backend to update",
-        ),
-    )
+    def add_arguments(self, parser):
+        parser.add_argument(
+            '--backend', action='store', dest='backend_name', default=None,
+            help="Specify a backend to update")
 
     def handle(self, **options):
         # Get object list