diff --git a/scripts/build.py b/scripts/build.py
index 7fd8b0fd..c9f6ad1d 100644
--- a/scripts/build.py
+++ b/scripts/build.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import glob
 import subprocess
 from sets import Set
 import pwd
+import argparse
 
 all_deps = Set()
 dep_tree = {}
@@ -84,9 +85,16 @@ def build(order, target):
 
 # -- parse command line
 modules = Set()
-for i in range(2, len(sys.argv)):
-	modules.add(sys.argv[i])
-target=sys.argv[1]
+
+parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description='jannet software project build tool')
+parser.add_argument('--base', '-b', nargs='?', default=proj_base, help='Project base directory')
+parser.add_argument('target', default='all', help='Build target')
+parser.add_argument('modules', nargs='+', default='', help='Modules to be built')
+
+args=parser.parse_args()
+proj_base=args.base
+target=args.target
+modules=args.modules
 
 # -- build
 print "calculating order for modules: " + ' '.join(modules)