diff --git a/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/CHANGES.txt b/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/CHANGES.txt
index 0df665a3a9..9397d578f2 100644
--- a/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/CHANGES.txt
+++ b/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/CHANGES.txt
@@ -469,6 +469,8 @@ Release 2.6.0 - UNRELEASED
     HADOOP-10902. Deletion of directories with snapshots will not output
     reason for trash move failure. (Stephen Chu via wang)
 
+    HADOOP-10900. CredentialShell args should use single-dash style. (wang)
+
   OPTIMIZATIONS
 
   BUG FIXES
diff --git a/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/security/alias/CredentialShell.java b/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/security/alias/CredentialShell.java
index bb35ce51d4..2c1a792d5a 100644
--- a/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/security/alias/CredentialShell.java
+++ b/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/security/alias/CredentialShell.java
@@ -79,9 +79,9 @@ public int run(String[] args) throws Exception {
   /**
    * Parse the command line arguments and initialize the data
    * <pre>
-   * % hadoop alias create alias [--provider providerPath]
+   * % hadoop alias create alias [-provider providerPath]
    * % hadoop alias list [-provider providerPath]
-   * % hadoop alias delete alias [--provider providerPath] [-i]
+   * % hadoop alias delete alias [-provider providerPath] [-i]
    * </pre>
    * @param args
    * @return
@@ -92,28 +92,28 @@ private int init(String[] args) throws IOException {
       if (args[i].equals("create")) {
         String alias = args[++i];
         command = new CreateCommand(alias);
-        if (alias.equals("--help")) {
+        if (alias.equals("-help")) {
           printCredShellUsage();
           return -1;
         }
       } else if (args[i].equals("delete")) {
         String alias = args[++i];
         command = new DeleteCommand(alias);
-        if (alias.equals("--help")) {
+        if (alias.equals("-help")) {
           printCredShellUsage();
           return -1;
         }
       } else if (args[i].equals("list")) {
         command = new ListCommand();
-      } else if (args[i].equals("--provider")) {
+      } else if (args[i].equals("-provider")) {
         userSuppliedProvider = true;
         getConf().set(CredentialProviderFactory.CREDENTIAL_PROVIDER_PATH, 
             args[++i]);
-      } else if (args[i].equals("-i") || (args[i].equals("--interactive"))) {
+      } else if (args[i].equals("-i") || (args[i].equals("-interactive"))) {
         interactive = true;
-      } else if (args[i].equals("-v") || (args[i].equals("--value"))) {
+      } else if (args[i].equals("-v") || (args[i].equals("-value"))) {
         value = args[++i];
-      } else if (args[i].equals("--help")) {
+      } else if (args[i].equals("-help")) {
         printCredShellUsage();
         return -1;
       } else {
@@ -188,20 +188,20 @@ protected void warnIfTransientProvider() {
   }
 
   private class ListCommand extends Command {
-    public static final String USAGE = "list <alias> [--provider] [--help]";
+    public static final String USAGE = "list <alias> [-provider] [-help]";
     public static final String DESC =
         "The list subcommand displays the aliases contained within \n" +
         "a particular provider - as configured in core-site.xml or " +
-        "indicated\nthrough the --provider argument.";
+        "indicated\nthrough the -provider argument.";
 
     public boolean validate() {
       boolean rc = true;
       provider = getCredentialProvider();
       if (provider == null) {
         out.println("There are no non-transient CredentialProviders configured.\n"
-            + "Consider using the --provider option to indicate the provider\n"
+            + "Consider using the -provider option to indicate the provider\n"
             + "to use. If you want to list a transient provider then you\n"
-            + "you MUST use the --provider argument.");
+            + "you MUST use the -provider argument.");
         rc = false;
       }
       return rc;
@@ -229,11 +229,11 @@ public String getUsage() {
   }
 
   private class DeleteCommand extends Command {
-    public static final String USAGE = "delete <alias> [--provider] [--help]";
+    public static final String USAGE = "delete <alias> [-provider] [-help]";
     public static final String DESC =
         "The delete subcommand deletes the credenital\n" +
         "specified as the <alias> argument from within the provider\n" +
-        "indicated through the --provider argument";
+        "indicated through the -provider argument";
 
     String alias = null;
     boolean cont = true;
@@ -248,13 +248,13 @@ public boolean validate() {
       if (provider == null) {
         out.println("There are no valid CredentialProviders configured.\n"
             + "Nothing will be deleted.\n"
-            + "Consider using the --provider option to indicate the provider"
+            + "Consider using the -provider option to indicate the provider"
             + " to use.");
         return false;
       }
       if (alias == null) {
         out.println("There is no alias specified. Please provide the" +
-            "mandatory <alias>. See the usage description with --help.");
+            "mandatory <alias>. See the usage description with -help.");
         return false;
       }
       if (interactive) {
@@ -299,11 +299,11 @@ public String getUsage() {
   }
 
   private class CreateCommand extends Command {
-    public static final String USAGE = "create <alias> [--provider] [--help]";
+    public static final String USAGE = "create <alias> [-provider] [-help]";
     public static final String DESC =
         "The create subcommand creates a new credential for the name specified\n" +
         "as the <alias> argument within the provider indicated through\n" +
-        "the --provider argument.";
+        "the -provider argument.";
 
     String alias = null;
 
@@ -317,13 +317,13 @@ public boolean validate() {
       if (provider == null) {
         out.println("There are no valid CredentialProviders configured." +
         		"\nCredential will not be created.\n"
-            + "Consider using the --provider option to indicate the provider" +
+            + "Consider using the -provider option to indicate the provider" +
             " to use.");
         rc = false;
       }
       if (alias == null) {
         out.println("There is no alias specified. Please provide the" +
-        		"mandatory <alias>. See the usage description with --help.");
+            "mandatory <alias>. See the usage description with -help.");
         rc = false;
       }
       return rc;
diff --git a/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/security/alias/TestCredShell.java b/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/security/alias/TestCredShell.java
index c48b69f214..05eb7b8c2a 100644
--- a/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/security/alias/TestCredShell.java
+++ b/hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/security/alias/TestCredShell.java
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ public void setup() throws Exception {
   @Test
   public void testCredentialSuccessfulLifecycle() throws Exception {
     outContent.reset();
-    String[] args1 = {"create", "credential1", "--value", "p@ssw0rd", "--provider", 
+    String[] args1 = {"create", "credential1", "-value", "p@ssw0rd", "-provider",
         "jceks://file" + tmpDir + "/credstore.jceks"};
     int rc = 0;
     CredentialShell cs = new CredentialShell();
@@ -56,14 +56,14 @@ public void testCredentialSuccessfulLifecycle() throws Exception {
     		"created."));
 
     outContent.reset();
-    String[] args2 = {"list", "--provider", 
+    String[] args2 = {"list", "-provider",
         "jceks://file" + tmpDir + "/credstore.jceks"};
     rc = cs.run(args2);
     assertEquals(0, rc);
     assertTrue(outContent.toString().contains("credential1"));
 
     outContent.reset();
-    String[] args4 = {"delete", "credential1", "--provider", 
+    String[] args4 = {"delete", "credential1", "-provider",
         "jceks://file" + tmpDir + "/credstore.jceks"};
     rc = cs.run(args4);
     assertEquals(0, rc);
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ public void testCredentialSuccessfulLifecycle() throws Exception {
     		"deleted."));
 
     outContent.reset();
-    String[] args5 = {"list", "--provider", 
+    String[] args5 = {"list", "-provider",
         "jceks://file" + tmpDir + "/credstore.jceks"};
     rc = cs.run(args5);
     assertEquals(0, rc);
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ public void testCredentialSuccessfulLifecycle() throws Exception {
 
   @Test
   public void testInvalidProvider() throws Exception {
-    String[] args1 = {"create", "credential1", "--value", "p@ssw0rd", "--provider", 
+    String[] args1 = {"create", "credential1", "-value", "p@ssw0rd", "-provider",
       "sdff://file/tmp/credstore.jceks"};
     
     int rc = 0;
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ public void testInvalidProvider() throws Exception {
 
   @Test
   public void testTransientProviderWarning() throws Exception {
-    String[] args1 = {"create", "credential1", "--value", "p@ssw0rd", "--provider", 
+    String[] args1 = {"create", "credential1", "-value", "p@ssw0rd", "-provider",
       "user:///"};
     
     int rc = 0;
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ public void testTransientProviderWarning() throws Exception {
     assertTrue(outContent.toString().contains("WARNING: you are modifying a " +
     		"transient provider."));
 
-    String[] args2 = {"delete", "credential1", "--provider", "user:///"};
+    String[] args2 = {"delete", "credential1", "-provider", "user:///"};
     rc = cs.run(args2);
     assertEquals(outContent.toString(), 0, rc);
     assertTrue(outContent.toString().contains("credential1 has been successfully " +
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ public void testTransientProviderOnlyConfig() throws Exception {
   
   @Test
   public void testPromptForCredentialWithEmptyPasswd() throws Exception {
-    String[] args1 = {"create", "credential1", "--provider", 
+    String[] args1 = {"create", "credential1", "-provider",
         "jceks://file" + tmpDir + "/credstore.jceks"};
     ArrayList<String> passwords = new ArrayList<String>();
     passwords.add(null);
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ public void testPromptForCredentialWithEmptyPasswd() throws Exception {
 
   @Test
   public void testPromptForCredential() throws Exception {
-    String[] args1 = {"create", "credential1", "--provider", 
+    String[] args1 = {"create", "credential1", "-provider",
         "jceks://file" + tmpDir + "/credstore.jceks"};
     ArrayList<String> passwords = new ArrayList<String>();
     passwords.add("p@ssw0rd");
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ public void testPromptForCredential() throws Exception {
     assertTrue(outContent.toString().contains("credential1 has been successfully " +
         "created."));
     
-    String[] args2 = {"delete", "credential1", "--provider", 
+    String[] args2 = {"delete", "credential1", "-provider",
         "jceks://file" + tmpDir + "/credstore.jceks"};
     rc = shell.run(args2);
     assertEquals(0, rc);