diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index b2cbada466..78314d9213 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -153,6 +153,7 @@ sched/trickle_credit
 sched/trickle_deadline
 sched/trickle_echo
 sched/update_stats
+sched/validator_test
 sched/wu_check
 tools/cancel_jobs
 tools/create_work
diff --git a/sched/makefile_validator_test b/sched/makefile_validator_test
index 796ede1272..da88ddfe44 100644
--- a/sched/makefile_validator_test
+++ b/sched/makefile_validator_test
@@ -5,7 +5,8 @@
 VALIDATOR_SRC = sample_bitwise_validator.cpp
 
 # where libmysqlclient is
-MYSQL_LIB_DIR = /usr/lib64/mysql
+MYSQL_LIB := $(shell mysql_config --libs)
+MYSQL_INC := $(shell mysql_config --include)
 
-validator_test: validator_test.cpp $(VALIDATOR_SRC)
-	g++ -g -I.. -I../lib -I../db -o validator_test validator_test.cpp $(VALIDATOR_SRC) validate_util.o -L . -lsched -L ../lib -lboinc -L $(MYSQL_LIB_DIR) -lmysqlclient
+validator_test: validator_test.cpp $(VALIDATOR_SRC) makefile_validator_test
+	g++ -g -I.. -I../lib -I../db $(MYSQL_INC) -o validator_test validator_test.cpp $(VALIDATOR_SRC) validate_util.o -L . -lsched -L ../lib -lboinc $(MYSQL_LIB)
diff --git a/sched/sample_bitwise_validator.cpp b/sched/sample_bitwise_validator.cpp
index b9c465102c..9afeaec991 100644
--- a/sched/sample_bitwise_validator.cpp
+++ b/sched/sample_bitwise_validator.cpp
@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@
 using std::string;
 using std::vector;
 
-bool first = true;
 bool is_gzip = false;
     // if true, files are gzipped; skip header when comparing
 
@@ -47,6 +46,25 @@ struct FILE_CKSUM_LIST {
     ~FILE_CKSUM_LIST(){}
 };
 
+int validate_handler_init(int argc, char** argv) {
+    // handle project specific arguments here
+    for (int i=1; i<argc; i++) {
+        if (is_arg(argv[i], "is_gzip")) {
+            is_gzip = true;
+        }
+    }
+    return 0;
+}
+
+void validate_handler_usage() {
+    // describe the project specific arguments here
+    fprintf(stderr,
+        "    Custom options:\n"
+        "    [--is_gzip]  files are gzipped; skip header when comparing\n"
+    );
+}
+
+
 bool files_match(FILE_CKSUM_LIST& f1, FILE_CKSUM_LIST& f2) {
     if (f1.files.size() != f2.files.size()) return false;
     for (unsigned int i=0; i<f1.files.size(); i++) {
@@ -55,14 +73,6 @@ bool files_match(FILE_CKSUM_LIST& f1, FILE_CKSUM_LIST& f2) {
     return true;
 }
 
-void parse_cmdline() {
-    for (int i=1; i<g_argc; i++) {
-        if (!strcmp(g_argv[i], "--is_gzip")) {
-            is_gzip = true;
-        }
-    }
-}
-
 int init_result(RESULT& result, void*& data) {
     int retval;
     FILE_CKSUM_LIST* fcl = new FILE_CKSUM_LIST;
@@ -70,11 +80,6 @@ int init_result(RESULT& result, void*& data) {
     char md5_buf[MD5_LEN];
     double nbytes;
 
-    if (first) {
-        parse_cmdline();
-        first = false;
-    }
-
     retval = get_output_file_infos(result, files);
     if (retval) {
         log_messages.printf(MSG_CRITICAL,
diff --git a/sched/sample_substr_validator.cpp b/sched/sample_substr_validator.cpp
index d7c738720a..d2f14edb93 100644
--- a/sched/sample_substr_validator.cpp
+++ b/sched/sample_substr_validator.cpp
@@ -23,37 +23,44 @@
 // (default: accept it if the string is present)
 
 #include "sched_msgs.h"
+#include "sched_util_basic.h"
 #include "validate_util2.h"
 #include "validator.h"
 
-bool first = true;
 char* stderr_string;
 bool reject_if_present = false;
 
-void parse_cmdline() {
+int validate_handler_init(int argc, char** argv) {
+    // handle project specific arguments here
     bool found = false;
-    for (int i=1; i<g_argc; i++) {
-        if (!strcmp(g_argv[i], "--stderr_string")) {
-            stderr_string = g_argv[++i];
+    for (int i=1; i<argc; i++) {
+        if (is_arg(argv[i], "stderr_string")) {
+            stderr_string = argv[++i];
             found = true;
-        }
-        if (!strcmp(g_argv[i], "--reject_if_present")) {
+        } else if (is_arg(argv[i], "reject_if_present")) {
             reject_if_present = true;
         }
     }
+
     if (!found) {
         log_messages.printf(MSG_CRITICAL,
             "--stderr_string missing from command line\n"
         );
-        exit(1);
+        return 1;
     }
+    return 0;
+}
+
+void validate_handler_usage() {
+    // describe the project specific arguments here
+    fprintf(stderr,
+        "    Custom options:\n"
+        "    --stderr_string X     accept task if X is present in stderr_out\n"
+        "    [--reject_if_present] reject (invalidate) the task if X is present\n"
+    );
 }
 
 int init_result(RESULT& r, void*&) {
-    if (first) {
-        parse_cmdline();
-        first = false;
-    }
     if (strstr(r.stderr_out, stderr_string)) {
         return reject_if_present?-1:0;
     } else {
diff --git a/sched/sample_trivial_validator.cpp b/sched/sample_trivial_validator.cpp
index 85913e42b6..b46dbe0475 100644
--- a/sched/sample_trivial_validator.cpp
+++ b/sched/sample_trivial_validator.cpp
@@ -19,6 +19,19 @@
 
 #include "validate_util2.h"
 
+int validate_handler_init(int, char**) {
+    return 0;
+}
+
+void validate_handler_usage() {
+    // describe the project specific arguments here
+    //fprintf(stderr,
+    //    "    Custom options:\n"
+    //    "    [--project_option X]  a project specific option\n"
+    //);
+}
+
+
 int init_result(RESULT&, void*&) {
     return 0;
 }
diff --git a/sched/script_validator.cpp b/sched/script_validator.cpp
index 9722e58099..ac7b046d35 100644
--- a/sched/script_validator.cpp
+++ b/sched/script_validator.cpp
@@ -56,42 +56,53 @@
 using std::string;
 using std::vector;
 
-bool first = true;
 vector<string> init_script, compare_script;
     // first element is script path, other elements are args
 
-void parse_cmdline() {
-    for (int i=1; i<g_argc; i++) {
-        if (!strcmp(g_argv[i], "--init_script")) {
-            init_script = split(g_argv[++i], ' ');
+int validate_handler_init(int argc, char** argv) {
+    // handle project specific arguments here
+    for (int i=1; i<argc; i++) {
+        if (is_arg(argv[i], "init_script")) {
+            init_script = split(argv[++i], ' ');
             if (init_script.size() == 1) {
                 init_script.push_back(string("files"));
             }
-        } else if (!strcmp(g_argv[i], "--compare_script")) {
-            compare_script = split(g_argv[++i], ' ');
+        } else if (is_arg(argv[i], "compare_script")) {
+            compare_script = split(argv[++i], ' ');
             if (compare_script.size() == 1) {
                 compare_script.push_back("files");
                 compare_script.push_back("files2");
             }
         }
     }
+
     if (!init_script.size() && !compare_script.size()) {
         log_messages.printf(MSG_CRITICAL,
             "script names missing from command line\n"
         );
-        exit(1);
+        return 1;
     }
+    return 0;
+}
+
+void validate_handler_usage() {
+    // describe the project specific arguments here
+    fprintf(stderr,
+        "  A validator that runs scripts to check and compare results, \n"
+        "  so that you can do your validation in Python, PHP, Perl, bash, etc.\n"
+        "    Custom options:\n"
+        "    --init_script \"scriptname arg1 ... argn\"    checks the validity of a task,\n"
+        "        e.g. that the output files have the proper format. Needs to exit with zero if the files are valid.\n"
+        "    --compare_script \"scriptname arg1 ... argn\" compares two tasks. \n"
+        "        Needs to return zero if the output files are equivalent.\n"
+        "    See script_validator.cpp for more usage information.\n"
+    );
 }
 
 int init_result(RESULT& result, void*&) {
     unsigned int i, j;
     char buf[256];
 
-    if (first) {
-        parse_cmdline();
-        first = false;
-    }
-    if (!init_script.size()) return 0;
     vector<string> paths;
     int retval;
     retval = get_output_file_paths(result, paths);
@@ -127,14 +138,6 @@ int compare_results(RESULT& r1, void*, RESULT const& r2, void*, bool& match) {
     unsigned int i, j;
     char buf[256];
 
-    if (first) {
-        parse_cmdline();
-        first = false;
-    }
-    if (!compare_script.size()) {
-        match = true;
-        return 0;
-    }
     vector<string> paths1, paths2;
     int retval;
     retval = get_output_file_paths(r1, paths1);
diff --git a/sched/validate_util.h b/sched/validate_util.h
index 6a00cf39ff..74795bba15 100644
--- a/sched/validate_util.h
+++ b/sched/validate_util.h
@@ -53,5 +53,8 @@ extern bool standalone;
     // used by validator_test.
 extern void remove_random_from_filename(const char* in, char* out);
 
+extern int validate_handler_init(int argc, char** argv);
+extern void validate_handler_usage();
+
 #endif
 
diff --git a/sched/validator.cpp b/sched/validator.cpp
index 92c88a478c..69fe0bd0f3 100644
--- a/sched/validator.cpp
+++ b/sched/validator.cpp
@@ -772,6 +772,40 @@ int main_loop() {
     return 0;
 }
 
+void usage(char* name) {
+    fprintf(stderr,
+        "This program is a 'validator'; it handles completed tasks.\n"
+        "Normally it is run as a daemon from config.xml.\n"
+        "See: https://boinc.berkeley.edu/trac/wiki/BackendPrograms\n\n"
+    );
+
+    fprintf(stderr, "usage: %s [options]\n"
+        "    Options:\n"
+        "    --app name                 Process tasks for the given application\n"
+        "    [--one_pass_N_WU N]        Validate at most N WUs, then exit\n"
+        "    [--one_pass]               Make one pass through WU table, then exit\n"
+        "    [--dry_run]                Don't update db, just write logs (for debugging)\n"
+        "    [--mod n i]                Process only WUs with (id mod n) == i\n"
+        "    [--max_wu_id n]            Process only WUs with id <= n\n"
+        "    [--min_wu_id n]            Process only WUs with id >= n\n"
+        "    [--max_granted_credit X]   Grant no more than this amount of credit to a result\n"
+        "    [--grant_claimed_credit]   Grant the claimed credit, regardless of what other results for this workunit claimed\n"
+        "    [--update_credited_job]    Add record to credited_job table after granting credit\n"
+        "    [--credit_from_wu]         Credit is specified in WU XML\n"
+        "    [--credit_from_runtime X]  Grant credit based on runtime (max X seconds)and estimated FLOPS\n"
+        "    [--no_credit]              Don't grant credit\n"
+        "    [--sleep_interval n]       Set sleep-interval to n\n"
+        "    [--wu_id n]                Process WU with given ID\n"
+        "    [-d level|--debug_level n] Set log verbosity level\n"
+        "    [-h|--help]                Print this usage information and exit\n"
+        "    [-v|--version]             Print version information and exit\n"
+        "\n",
+        name
+    );
+    validate_handler_usage();
+
+}
+
 // For use by project-supplied routines check_set() and check_pair()
 //
 int debug_level=0;
@@ -779,30 +813,9 @@ int debug_level=0;
 int main(int argc, char** argv) {
     int i, retval;
 
-    const char *usage = 
-      "\nUsage: %s --app <app-name> [OPTIONS]\n"
-      "Start validator for application <app-name>\n\n"
-      "Optional arguments:\n"
-      "  --one_pass_N_WU N       Validate at most N WUs, then exit\n"
-      "  --one_pass              Make one pass through WU table, then exit\n"
-      "  --dry_run               Don't update db, just write logs (for debugging)\n"
-      "  --mod n i               Process only WUs with (id mod n) == i\n"
-      "  --max_wu_id n           Process only WUs with id <= n\n"
-      "  --min_wu_id n           Process only WUs with id >= n\n"
-      "  --max_granted_credit X  Grant no more than this amount of credit to a result\n"
-      "  --update_credited_job   Add record to credited_job table after granting credit\n"
-      "  --credit_from_wu        Credit is specified in WU XML\n"
-      "  --credit_from_runtime X  Grant credit based on runtime (max X seconds)and estimated FLOPS\n"
-      "  --no_credit             Don't grant credit\n"
-      "  --sleep_interval n      Set sleep-interval to n\n"
-      "  --wu_id n               Process WU with given ID\n"
-      "  -d n, --debug_level n   Set log verbosity level, 1-4\n"
-      "  -h | --help             Show this\n"
-      "  -v | --version          Show version information\n";
-
     if (argc > 1) {
       if (is_arg(argv[1], "h") || is_arg(argv[1], "help")) {
-        printf (usage, argv[0] );
+        usage(argv[0]);
         exit(0);
       } else if (is_arg(argv[1], "v") || is_arg(argv[1], "version")) {
         printf("%s\n", SVN_VERSION);
@@ -812,6 +825,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
 
     check_stop_daemons();
 
+    int j=1;
     for (i=1; i<argc; i++) {
         if (is_arg(argv[i], "one_pass_N_WU")) {
             one_pass_N_WU = atoi(argv[++i]);
@@ -850,17 +864,16 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
             wu_id = atoi(argv[++i]);
             one_pass = true;
         } else {
-            //log_messages.printf(MSG_CRITICAL, "unrecognized arg: %s\n", argv[i]);
+            // unknown arg - pass to handler
+            argv[j++] = argv[i];
         }
     }
-    g_argc = argc;
-    g_argv = argv;
 
     if (app_name[0] == 0) {
         log_messages.printf(MSG_CRITICAL,
             "must use '--app' to specify an application\n"
         );
-        printf (usage, argv[0] );
+        usage(argv[0]);
         exit(1);      
     }
 
@@ -882,10 +895,6 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
         exit(1);
     }
 
-    log_messages.printf(MSG_NORMAL,
-        "Starting validator, debug level %d\n", log_messages.debug_level
-    );
-
     if (credit_from_runtime) {
         log_messages.printf(MSG_NORMAL,
             "using credit from runtime, max runtime: %f\n", max_runtime
@@ -908,6 +917,14 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
         );
     }
 
+    argv[j] = 0;
+    retval = validate_handler_init(j, argv);
+    if (retval) exit(1);
+
+    log_messages.printf(MSG_NORMAL,
+        "Starting validator, debug level %d\n", log_messages.debug_level
+    );
+
     install_stop_signal_handler();
 
     main_loop();
diff --git a/sched/validator.h b/sched/validator.h
index 1c4fa9e462..ab03556d7b 100644
--- a/sched/validator.h
+++ b/sched/validator.h
@@ -24,6 +24,3 @@ extern WORKUNIT* g_wup;
     // A pointer to the WU currently being processed;
     // you can access this in your init_result() etc. functions
     // (which are passed RESULT but not WORKUNIT)
-
-extern int g_argc;
-extern char** g_argv;
diff --git a/sched/validator_test.cpp b/sched/validator_test.cpp
index 497682ac91..d2e150b54e 100644
--- a/sched/validator_test.cpp
+++ b/sched/validator_test.cpp
@@ -28,17 +28,25 @@
 
 #include <stdio.h>
 
+#include "svn_version.h"
+#include "sched_util_basic.h"
 #include "validate_util.h"
 #include "validate_util2.h"
 
-int g_argc;
-char **g_argv;
-
 void usage(char* prog) {
     fprintf(stderr,
-        "usage: %s file1 file2\n", prog
+        "This program is a test validator; \n"
+        "You can test your custom handler with this\n"
     );
-    exit(1);
+    fprintf(stderr, "usage: %s [options] file1 file2\n"
+        "    Options:\n"
+        "    [-h|--help]     Print this usage information and exit\n"
+        "    [-v|--version]  Print version information and exit\n"
+        "    file1           Path to file to be compared (must be second to last)\n"
+        "    file2           Path to file to be compared (must be last)\n"
+        "\n",
+        prog);
+    validate_handler_usage();
 }
 
 int get_output_file_info(RESULT r, OUTPUT_FILE_INFO& fi) {
@@ -47,18 +55,34 @@ int get_output_file_info(RESULT r, OUTPUT_FILE_INFO& fi) {
 }
 
 int main(int argc, char** argv) {
-    if (argc != 3) {
+    int retval;
+
+    if (argc > 1) {
+      if (is_arg(argv[1], "h") || is_arg(argv[1], "help")) {
         usage(argv[0]);
+        exit(0);
+      } else if (is_arg(argv[1], "v") || is_arg(argv[1], "version")) {
+        printf("%s\n", SVN_VERSION);
+        exit(0);
+      }
     }
+    if (argc < 3) {
+        usage(argv[0]);
+        exit(0);
+    }
+
+    retval = validate_handler_init(argc, argv);
+    if (retval) exit(1);
+
     void* data1, *data2;
     RESULT r1, r2;
     bool match;
 
     standalone = true;
 
-    sprintf(r1.xml_doc_in, "<file_ref><file_name>%s</file_name></file_ref>", argv[1]);
-    sprintf(r2.xml_doc_in, "<file_ref><file_name>%s</file_name></file_ref>", argv[2]);
-    int retval;
+    sprintf(r1.xml_doc_in, "<file_ref><file_name>%s</file_name></file_ref>", argv[argc-2]);
+    sprintf(r2.xml_doc_in, "<file_ref><file_name>%s</file_name></file_ref>", argv[argc-1]);
+
     retval = init_result(r1, data1);
     if (retval) {
         fprintf(stderr, "init_result(r1) returned %d\n", retval);