diff --git a/src/Gitolite/Rc.pm b/src/Gitolite/Rc.pm
index 06420d9ea..25d5cb8e9 100644
--- a/src/Gitolite/Rc.pm
+++ b/src/Gitolite/Rc.pm
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ $ENV{PATH} = "$ENV{GL_BINDIR}:$ENV{PATH}";
 }
 
 # these two are meant to help externally written commands (see
-# src/commands/writes for an example)
+# src/commands/writable for an example)
 $ENV{GL_REPO_BASE}  = $rc{GL_REPO_BASE};
 $ENV{GL_ADMIN_BASE} = $rc{GL_ADMIN_BASE};
 
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ __DATA__
             'info'              =>  1,
             'desc'              =>  1,
             'perms'             =>  1,
-            'writes'            =>  1,
+            'writable'          =>  1,
         },
 
     # comment out or uncomment as needed
diff --git a/src/commands/writes b/src/commands/writable
similarity index 92%
rename from src/commands/writes
rename to src/commands/writable
index 0dc5d6aa6..f87e37052 100755
--- a/src/commands/writes
+++ b/src/commands/writable
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ use lib $ENV{GL_BINDIR};
 use Gitolite::Easy;
 
 =for usage
-Usage: gitolite writes on|off <reponame>|@all
+Usage: gitolite writable <reponame>|@all on|off
 
 'on' enables, 'off' disables, writes (pushes) to the named repo or all repos.
 
@@ -16,11 +16,10 @@ from STDIN; this allows longer messages.
 =cut
 
 usage() if not @ARGV or @ARGV < 2 or $ARGV[0] eq '-h';
-
-usage() if $ARGV[0] ne 'on' and $ARGV[0] ne 'off';
-my $on = ( shift eq 'on' );
+usage() if $ARGV[1] ne 'on' and $ARGV[1] ne 'off';
 
 my $repo = shift;
+my $on = ( shift eq 'on' );
 
 if ( $repo eq '@all' ) {
     die "you are not authorized\n" if $ENV{GL_USER} and not is_admin();
diff --git a/t/glt b/t/glt
index 3b3daf84a..b335cc070 100755
--- a/t/glt
+++ b/t/glt
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ my %extcmds = (
     info        => 1,
     desc        => 1,
     perms       => 1,
-    writes      => 1,
+    writable    => 1,
 );
 
 $ENV{G3T_USER} = $user;
diff --git a/t/writes.t b/t/writable.t
similarity index 92%
rename from t/writes.t
rename to t/writable.t
index 08a8143ef..25d93ecb9 100755
--- a/t/writes.t
+++ b/t/writable.t
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ use Gitolite::Test;
 use Cwd;
 my $workdir = getcwd();
 
-# 'gitolite writes' command
+# 'gitolite writable' command
 # ----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 my $sf = ".gitolite.down";
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ try "
     PUSH u2 master;             ok;
 
     # disable site with some message
-    gitolite writes off \@all testing site-wide disable; ok
+    gitolite writable \@all off testing site-wide disable; ok
 
     # try push foo and see fail + message
     cd ../foo;                  ok
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ try "
     cd u4;                      ok
 
     # enable site
-    gitolite writes on \@all; ok
+    gitolite writable \@all on; ok
 
     # try same 3 again
 
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ try "
     cd u6;                      ok
 
     # disable just foo
-    gitolite writes off foo foo down
+    gitolite writable foo off foo down
 
     # try push foo and see the message
     cd ../foo;                  ok
@@ -101,8 +101,8 @@ try "
     PUSH u2;                    ok;     /master -> master/
 
     # enable foo, disable bar/u2
-    gitolite writes on foo
-    gitolite writes off bar/u2 the bar is closed
+    gitolite writable foo on
+    gitolite writable bar/u2 off the bar is closed
 
     # try both
     cd ../foo;                  ok