diff --git a/tools/get_config.py b/tools/get_config.py
index c9b2a9bebc..9782fc16ae 100644
--- a/tools/get_config.py
+++ b/tools/get_config.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ except:
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     # Parse Options
     parser = get_default_options_parser(add_clean=False, add_options=False)
-    parser.add_argument("--source", dest="source_dir", type=argparse_filestring_type,
+    parser.add_argument("--source", dest="source_dir", type=argparse_filestring_type, required=True,
                         default=[], help="The source (input) directory", action="append")
     parser.add_argument("--prefix", dest="prefix", action="append",
                       default=[], help="Restrict listing to parameters that have this prefix")
@@ -48,12 +48,12 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
 
     # Target
     if options.mcu is None :
-        args_error(parser, "[ERROR] You should specify an MCU")
+        args_error(parser, "argument -m/--mcu is required")
     target = options.mcu[0]
 
     # Toolchain
     if options.tool is None:
-        args_error(parser, "[ERROR] You should specify a TOOLCHAIN")
+        args_error(parser, "argument -t/--toolchain is required")
     toolchain = options.tool[0]
 
     options.prefix = options.prefix or [""]
diff --git a/tools/make.py b/tools/make.py
index 3dc5a63c3c..1505cae125 100644
--- a/tools/make.py
+++ b/tools/make.py
@@ -207,12 +207,12 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
 
     # Target
     if options.mcu is None :
-        args_error(parser, "[ERROR] You should specify an MCU")
+        args_error(parser, "argument -m/--mcu is required")
     mcu = options.mcu[0]
 
     # Toolchain
     if options.tool is None:
-        args_error(parser, "[ERROR] You should specify a TOOLCHAIN")
+        args_error(parser, "argument -t/--toolchain is required")
     toolchain = options.tool[0]
 
     if options.color:
diff --git a/tools/test.py b/tools/test.py
index 9b568a5d93..1c31951e14 100644
--- a/tools/test.py
+++ b/tools/test.py
@@ -107,12 +107,12 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
 
         # Target
         if options.mcu is None :
-            args_error(parser, "[ERROR] You should specify an MCU")
+            args_error(parser, "argument -m/--mcu is required")
         mcu = options.mcu[0]
 
         # Toolchain
         if options.tool is None:
-            args_error(parser, "[ERROR] You should specify a TOOLCHAIN")
+            args_error(parser, "argument -t/--toolchain is required")
         toolchain = options.tool[0]
 
         # Find all tests in the relevant paths
diff --git a/tools/utils.py b/tools/utils.py
index db103d7c11..b250491dc0 100644
--- a/tools/utils.py
+++ b/tools/utils.py
@@ -282,9 +282,8 @@ def args_error(parser, message):
     parser - the ArgumentParser object that parsed the command line
     message - what went wrong
     """
-    print "\n\n%s\n\n" % message
-    parser.print_help()
-    sys.exit()
+    parser.error(message)
+    sys.exit(2)
 
 
 def construct_enum(**enums):