diff --git a/bin/swift-get-nodes b/bin/swift-get-nodes
old mode 100755
new mode 100644
index b25002adab..9d09517487
--- a/bin/swift-get-nodes
+++ b/bin/swift-get-nodes
@@ -15,11 +15,12 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 
 import sys
-import os
 from optparse import OptionParser
+from os.path import basename
 
 from swift.common.ring import Ring
-from swift.cli.info import print_item_locations, InfoSystemExit
+from swift.cli.info import (parse_get_node_args, print_item_locations,
+                            InfoSystemExit)
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
@@ -27,8 +28,9 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
     usage = '''
     Shows the nodes responsible for the item specified.
     Usage: %prog [-a] <ring.gz> <account> [<container> [<object>]]
-    Or: %prog [-a] <ring.gz> -p partition
-    Or: %prog [-a] -P policy_name <account> <container> <object>
+    Or:    %prog [-a] <ring.gz> -p partition
+    Or:    %prog [-a] -P policy_name <account> [<container> [<object>]]
+    Or:    %prog [-a] -P policy_name -p partition
     Note: account, container, object can also be a single arg separated by /
     Example:
         $ %prog -a /etc/swift/account.ring.gz MyAccount
@@ -49,33 +51,16 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
     parser.add_option('-d', '--swift-dir', default='/etc/swift',
                       dest='swift_dir', help='Path to swift directory')
     options, args = parser.parse_args()
+    try:
+        ring_path, args = parse_get_node_args(options, args)
+    except InfoSystemExit as e:
+        parser.print_help()
+        sys.exit('ERROR: %s' % e)
 
-    # swift-get-nodes -P nada -p 1
-    if len(args) == 0:
-        if not options.policy_name or not options.partition:
-            sys.exit(parser.print_help())
-    elif len(args) > 4 or len(args) < 1:
-        sys.exit(parser.print_help())
-
-    # Parse single path arg, as noted in above help text.
-    # if len(args) == 1 and options.policy_name and '/' in args[0]:
-    if len(args) == 1 and not args[0].endswith('ring.gz'):
-        path = args[0].lstrip('/')
-        args = [p for p in path.split('/', 2) if p]
-    if len(args) == 2 and '/' in args[1]:
-        path = args[1].lstrip('/')
-        args = [args[0]] + [p for p in path.split('/', 2) if p]
-
-    ring = None
-    ring_name = None
-
-    if len(args) >= 1 and args[0].endswith('ring.gz'):
-        if os.path.exists(args[0]):
-            ring_name = args[0].rsplit('/', 1)[-1].split('.', 1)[0]
-            ring = Ring(args[0])
-        else:
-            print('Ring file does not exist')
-        args.pop(0)
+    ring = ring_name = None
+    if ring_path:
+        ring_name = basename(ring_path)[:len('ring.gz')]
+        ring = Ring(ring_path)
 
     try:
         print_item_locations(ring, ring_name, *args, **vars(options))
diff --git a/swift/cli/info.py b/swift/cli/info.py
index 55bfb536aa..c61ee2fe6c 100644
--- a/swift/cli/info.py
+++ b/swift/cli/info.py
@@ -38,6 +38,38 @@ class InfoSystemExit(Exception):
     pass
 
 
+def parse_get_node_args(options, args):
+    """
+    Parse the get_nodes commandline args
+
+    :returns: a tuple, (ring_path, args)
+    """
+    ring_path = None
+
+    if options.policy_name:
+        if POLICIES.get_by_name(options.policy_name) is None:
+            raise InfoSystemExit('No policy named %r' % options.policy_name)
+    elif args and args[0].endswith('ring.gz'):
+        if os.path.exists(args[0]):
+            ring_path = args.pop(0)
+        else:
+            raise InfoSystemExit('Ring file does not exist')
+
+    if len(args) == 1:
+        args = args[0].strip('/').split('/', 2)
+
+    if not ring_path and not options.policy_name:
+        raise InfoSystemExit('Need to specify policy_name or <ring.gz>')
+
+    if not (args or options.partition):
+        raise InfoSystemExit('No target specified')
+
+    if len(args) > 3:
+        raise InfoSystemExit('Invalid arguments')
+
+    return ring_path, args
+
+
 def curl_head_command(ip, port, device, part, target, policy_index):
     """
     Provide a string that is a well formatted curl command to HEAD an object
diff --git a/test/unit/cli/test_info.py b/test/unit/cli/test_info.py
index 58af8d794b..835029a9d6 100644
--- a/test/unit/cli/test_info.py
+++ b/test/unit/cli/test_info.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 
 """Tests for swift.cli.info"""
 
+from argparse import Namespace
 import os
 import unittest
 import mock
@@ -24,9 +25,10 @@ from test.unit import patch_policies, write_fake_ring
 from swift.common import ring, utils
 from swift.common.swob import Request
 from swift.common.storage_policy import StoragePolicy, POLICIES
-from swift.cli.info import print_db_info_metadata, print_ring_locations, \
-    print_info, print_obj_metadata, print_obj, InfoSystemExit, \
-    print_item_locations
+from swift.cli.info import (print_db_info_metadata, print_ring_locations,
+                            print_info, print_obj_metadata, print_obj,
+                            InfoSystemExit, print_item_locations,
+                            parse_get_node_args)
 from swift.account.server import AccountController
 from swift.container.server import ContainerController
 from swift.obj.diskfile import write_metadata
@@ -86,12 +88,9 @@ class TestCliInfoBase(unittest.TestCase):
         rmtree(os.path.dirname(self.testdir))
 
     def assertRaisesMessage(self, exc, msg, func, *args, **kwargs):
-        try:
+        with self.assertRaises(exc) as ctx:
             func(*args, **kwargs)
-        except Exception as e:
-            self.assertIn(msg, str(e), "Expected %r in %r" % (msg, str(e)))
-            self.assertIsInstance(e, exc,
-                                  "Expected %s, got %s" % (exc, type(e)))
+        self.assertIn(msg, str(ctx.exception))
 
 
 class TestCliInfo(TestCliInfoBase):
@@ -483,6 +482,379 @@ No user metadata found in db file''' % POLICIES[0].name
         else:
             self.fail("Expected an InfoSystemExit exception to be raised")
 
+    def test_parse_get_node_args(self):
+        # Capture error messages
+        # (without any parameters)
+        options = Namespace(policy_name=None, partition=None)
+        args = ''
+        self.assertRaisesMessage(InfoSystemExit,
+                                 'Need to specify policy_name or <ring.gz>',
+                                 parse_get_node_args, options, args.split())
+        # a
+        options = Namespace(policy_name=None, partition=None)
+        args = 'a'
+        self.assertRaisesMessage(InfoSystemExit,
+                                 'Need to specify policy_name or <ring.gz>',
+                                 parse_get_node_args, options, args.split())
+        # a c
+        options = Namespace(policy_name=None, partition=None)
+        args = 'a c'
+        self.assertRaisesMessage(InfoSystemExit,
+                                 'Need to specify policy_name or <ring.gz>',
+                                 parse_get_node_args, options, args.split())
+        # a c o
+        options = Namespace(policy_name=None, partition=None)
+        args = 'a c o'
+        self.assertRaisesMessage(InfoSystemExit,
+                                 'Need to specify policy_name or <ring.gz>',
+                                 parse_get_node_args, options, args.split())
+
+        # a/c
+        options = Namespace(policy_name=None, partition=None)
+        args = 'a/c'
+        self.assertRaisesMessage(InfoSystemExit,
+                                 'Need to specify policy_name or <ring.gz>',
+                                 parse_get_node_args, options, args.split())
+        # a/c/o
+        options = Namespace(policy_name=None, partition=None)
+        args = 'a/c/o'
+        self.assertRaisesMessage(InfoSystemExit,
+                                 'Need to specify policy_name or <ring.gz>',
+                                 parse_get_node_args, options, args.split())
+
+        # account container junk/test.ring.gz
+        options = Namespace(policy_name=None, partition=None)
+        args = 'account container junk/test.ring.gz'
+        self.assertRaisesMessage(InfoSystemExit,
+                                 'Need to specify policy_name or <ring.gz>',
+                                 parse_get_node_args, options, args.split())
+
+        # account container object junk/test.ring.gz
+        options = Namespace(policy_name=None, partition=None)
+        args = 'account container object junk/test.ring.gz'
+        self.assertRaisesMessage(InfoSystemExit,
+                                 'Need to specify policy_name or <ring.gz>',
+                                 parse_get_node_args, options, args.split())
+
+        # object.ring.gz(without any arguments i.e. a c o)
+        options = Namespace(policy_name=None, partition=None)
+        args = 'object.ring.gz'
+        self.assertRaisesMessage(InfoSystemExit,
+                                 'Ring file does not exist',
+                                 parse_get_node_args, options, args.split())
+
+        # Valid policy
+        # -P zero
+        options = Namespace(policy_name='zero', partition=None)
+        args = ''
+        self.assertRaisesMessage(InfoSystemExit,
+                                 'No target specified',
+                                 parse_get_node_args, options, args.split())
+        # -P one a/c/o
+        options = Namespace(policy_name='one', partition=None)
+        args = 'a/c/o'
+        ring_path, args = parse_get_node_args(options, args.split())
+        self.assertIsNone(ring_path)
+        self.assertEqual(args, ['a', 'c', 'o'])
+        # -P one account container photos/cat.jpg
+        options = Namespace(policy_name='one', partition=None)
+        args = 'account container photos/cat.jpg'
+        ring_path, args = parse_get_node_args(options, args.split())
+        self.assertIsNone(ring_path)
+        self.assertEqual(args, ['account', 'container', 'photos/cat.jpg'])
+        # -P one account/container/photos/cat.jpg
+        options = Namespace(policy_name='one', partition=None)
+        args = 'account/container/photos/cat.jpg'
+        ring_path, args = parse_get_node_args(options, args.split())
+        self.assertIsNone(ring_path)
+        self.assertEqual(args, ['account', 'container', 'photos/cat.jpg'])
+        # -P one account/container/junk/test.ring.gz(object endswith 'ring.gz')
+        options = Namespace(policy_name='one', partition=None)
+        args = 'account/container/junk/test.ring.gz'
+        ring_path, args = parse_get_node_args(options, args.split())
+        self.assertIsNone(ring_path)
+        self.assertEqual(args, ['account', 'container', 'junk/test.ring.gz'])
+        # -P two a c o hooya
+        options = Namespace(policy_name='two', partition=None)
+        args = 'a c o hooya'
+        self.assertRaisesMessage(InfoSystemExit,
+                                 'Invalid arguments',
+                                 parse_get_node_args, options, args.split())
+        # -P zero -p 1
+        options = Namespace(policy_name='zero', partition='1')
+        args = ''
+        ring_path, args = parse_get_node_args(options, args.split())
+        self.assertIsNone(ring_path)
+        self.assertFalse(args)
+        # -P one -p 1 a/c/o
+        options = Namespace(policy_name='one', partition='1')
+        args = 'a/c/o'
+        ring_path, args = parse_get_node_args(options, args.split())
+        self.assertIsNone(ring_path)
+        self.assertEqual(args, ['a', 'c', 'o'])
+        # -P two -p 1 a c o hooya
+        options = Namespace(policy_name='two', partition='1')
+        args = 'a c o hooya'
+        self.assertRaisesMessage(InfoSystemExit,
+                                 'Invalid arguments',
+                                 parse_get_node_args, options, args.split())
+
+        # Invalid policy
+        # -P undefined
+        options = Namespace(policy_name='undefined')
+        args = ''
+        self.assertRaisesMessage(InfoSystemExit,
+                                 "No policy named 'undefined'",
+                                 parse_get_node_args, options, args.split())
+        # -P undefined -p 1
+        options = Namespace(policy_name='undefined', partition='1')
+        args = ''
+        self.assertRaisesMessage(InfoSystemExit,
+                                 "No policy named 'undefined'",
+                                 parse_get_node_args, options, args.split())
+        # -P undefined a
+        options = Namespace(policy_name='undefined')
+        args = 'a'
+        self.assertRaisesMessage(InfoSystemExit,
+                                 "No policy named 'undefined'",
+                                 parse_get_node_args, options, args.split())
+        # -P undefined a c
+        options = Namespace(policy_name='undefined')
+        args = 'a c'
+        self.assertRaisesMessage(InfoSystemExit,
+                                 "No policy named 'undefined'",
+                                 parse_get_node_args, options, args.split())
+        # -P undefined a c o
+        options = Namespace(policy_name='undefined')
+        args = 'a c o'
+        self.assertRaisesMessage(InfoSystemExit,
+                                 "No policy named 'undefined'",
+                                 parse_get_node_args, options, args.split())
+        # -P undefined a/c
+        options = Namespace(policy_name='undefined')
+        args = 'a/c'
+        # ring_path, args = parse_get_node_args(options, args.split())
+        self.assertRaisesMessage(InfoSystemExit,
+                                 "No policy named 'undefined'",
+                                 parse_get_node_args, options, args)
+        # -P undefined a/c/o
+        options = Namespace(policy_name='undefined')
+        args = 'a/c/o'
+        # ring_path, args = parse_get_node_args(options, args.split())
+        self.assertRaisesMessage(InfoSystemExit,
+                                 "No policy named 'undefined'",
+                                 parse_get_node_args, options, args)
+
+        # Mock tests
+        # /etc/swift/object.ring.gz(without any arguments i.e. a c o)
+        options = Namespace(policy_name=None, partition=None)
+        args = '/etc/swift/object.ring.gz'
+        with mock.patch('swift.cli.info.os.path.exists') as exists:
+            exists.return_value = True
+            self.assertRaisesMessage(
+                InfoSystemExit,
+                'No target specified',
+                parse_get_node_args, options, args.split())
+        # Similar ring_path and arguments
+        # /etc/swift/object.ring.gz /etc/swift/object.ring.gz
+        options = Namespace(policy_name=None, partition=None)
+        args = '/etc/swift/object.ring.gz /etc/swift/object.ring.gz'
+        with mock.patch('swift.cli.info.os.path.exists') as exists:
+            exists.return_value = True
+            ring_path, args = parse_get_node_args(options, args.split())
+        self.assertEqual(ring_path, '/etc/swift/object.ring.gz')
+        self.assertEqual(args, ['etc', 'swift', 'object.ring.gz'])
+        # /etc/swift/object.ring.gz a/c/etc/swift/object.ring.gz
+        options = Namespace(policy_name=None, partition=None)
+        args = '/etc/swift/object.ring.gz a/c/etc/swift/object.ring.gz'
+        with mock.patch('swift.cli.info.os.path.exists') as exists:
+            exists.return_value = True
+            ring_path, args = parse_get_node_args(options, args.split())
+        self.assertEqual(ring_path, '/etc/swift/object.ring.gz')
+        self.assertEqual(args, ['a', 'c', 'etc/swift/object.ring.gz'])
+        # Invalid path as mentioned in BUG#1539275
+        # /etc/swift/object.tar.gz account container object
+        options = Namespace(policy_name=None, partition=None)
+        args = '/etc/swift/object.tar.gz account container object'
+        self.assertRaisesMessage(
+            InfoSystemExit,
+            'Need to specify policy_name or <ring.gz>',
+            parse_get_node_args, options, args.split())
+
+        # object.ring.gz a/
+        options = Namespace(policy_name=None)
+        args = 'object.ring.gz a/'
+        with mock.patch('swift.cli.info.os.path.exists') as exists:
+            exists.return_value = True
+            ring_path, args = parse_get_node_args(options, args.split())
+        self.assertEqual(ring_path, 'object.ring.gz')
+        self.assertEqual(args, ['a'])
+        # object.ring.gz a/c
+        options = Namespace(policy_name=None)
+        args = 'object.ring.gz a/c'
+        with mock.patch('swift.cli.info.os.path.exists') as exists:
+            exists.return_value = True
+            ring_path, args = parse_get_node_args(options, args.split())
+        self.assertEqual(ring_path, 'object.ring.gz')
+        self.assertEqual(args, ['a', 'c'])
+        # object.ring.gz a/c/o
+        options = Namespace(policy_name=None)
+        args = 'object.ring.gz a/c/o'
+        with mock.patch('swift.cli.info.os.path.exists') as exists:
+            exists.return_value = True
+            ring_path, args = parse_get_node_args(options, args.split())
+        self.assertEqual(ring_path, 'object.ring.gz')
+        self.assertEqual(args, ['a', 'c', 'o'])
+        # object.ring.gz a/c/o/junk/test.ring.gz
+        options = Namespace(policy_name=None)
+        args = 'object.ring.gz a/c/o/junk/test.ring.gz'
+        with mock.patch('swift.cli.info.os.path.exists') as exists:
+            exists.return_value = True
+            ring_path, args = parse_get_node_args(options, args.split())
+        self.assertEqual(ring_path, 'object.ring.gz')
+        self.assertEqual(args, ['a', 'c', 'o/junk/test.ring.gz'])
+        # object.ring.gz a
+        options = Namespace(policy_name=None)
+        args = 'object.ring.gz a'
+        with mock.patch('swift.cli.info.os.path.exists') as exists:
+            exists.return_value = True
+            ring_path, args = parse_get_node_args(options, args.split())
+        self.assertEqual(ring_path, 'object.ring.gz')
+        self.assertEqual(args, ['a'])
+        # object.ring.gz a c
+        options = Namespace(policy_name=None)
+        args = 'object.ring.gz a c'
+        with mock.patch('swift.cli.info.os.path.exists') as exists:
+            exists.return_value = True
+            ring_path, args = parse_get_node_args(options, args.split())
+        self.assertEqual(ring_path, 'object.ring.gz')
+        self.assertEqual(args, ['a', 'c'])
+        # object.ring.gz a c o
+        options = Namespace(policy_name=None)
+        args = 'object.ring.gz a c o'
+        with mock.patch('swift.cli.info.os.path.exists') as exists:
+            exists.return_value = True
+            ring_path, args = parse_get_node_args(options, args.split())
+        self.assertEqual(ring_path, 'object.ring.gz')
+        self.assertEqual(args, ['a', 'c', 'o'])
+        # object.ring.gz a c o blah blah
+        options = Namespace(policy_name=None)
+        args = 'object.ring.gz a c o blah blah'
+        with mock.patch('swift.cli.info.os.path.exists') as exists:
+            exists.return_value = True
+            self.assertRaisesMessage(
+                InfoSystemExit,
+                'Invalid arguments',
+                parse_get_node_args, options, args.split())
+        # object.ring.gz a/c/o/blah/blah
+        options = Namespace(policy_name=None)
+        args = 'object.ring.gz a/c/o/blah/blah'
+        with mock.patch('swift.cli.info.os.path.exists') as exists:
+            exists.return_value = True
+            ring_path, args = parse_get_node_args(options, args.split())
+        self.assertEqual(ring_path, 'object.ring.gz')
+        self.assertEqual(args, ['a', 'c', 'o/blah/blah'])
+
+        # object.ring.gz -p 1
+        options = Namespace(policy_name=None, partition='1')
+        args = 'object.ring.gz'
+        with mock.patch('swift.cli.info.os.path.exists') as exists:
+            exists.return_value = True
+            ring_path, args = parse_get_node_args(options, args.split())
+        self.assertEqual(ring_path, 'object.ring.gz')
+        self.assertFalse(args)
+        # object.ring.gz -p 1 a c o
+        options = Namespace(policy_name=None, partition='1')
+        args = 'object.ring.gz a c o'
+        with mock.patch('swift.cli.info.os.path.exists') as exists:
+            exists.return_value = True
+            ring_path, args = parse_get_node_args(options, args.split())
+        self.assertEqual(ring_path, 'object.ring.gz')
+        self.assertEqual(args, ['a', 'c', 'o'])
+        # object.ring.gz -p 1 a c o forth_arg
+        options = Namespace(policy_name=None, partition='1')
+        args = 'object.ring.gz a c o forth_arg'
+        with mock.patch('swift.cli.info.os.path.exists') as exists:
+            exists.return_value = True
+            self.assertRaisesMessage(
+                InfoSystemExit,
+                'Invalid arguments',
+                parse_get_node_args, options, args.split())
+        # object.ring.gz -p 1 a/c/o
+        options = Namespace(policy_name=None, partition='1')
+        args = 'object.ring.gz a/c/o'
+        with mock.patch('swift.cli.info.os.path.exists') as exists:
+            exists.return_value = True
+            ring_path, args = parse_get_node_args(options, args.split())
+        self.assertEqual(ring_path, 'object.ring.gz')
+        self.assertEqual(args, ['a', 'c', 'o'])
+        # object.ring.gz -p 1 a/c/junk/test.ring.gz
+        options = Namespace(policy_name=None, partition='1')
+        args = 'object.ring.gz a/c/junk/test.ring.gz'
+        with mock.patch('swift.cli.info.os.path.exists') as exists:
+            exists.return_value = True
+            ring_path, args = parse_get_node_args(options, args.split())
+        self.assertEqual(ring_path, 'object.ring.gz')
+        self.assertEqual(args, ['a', 'c', 'junk/test.ring.gz'])
+        # object.ring.gz -p 1 a/c/photos/cat.jpg
+        options = Namespace(policy_name=None, partition='1')
+        args = 'object.ring.gz a/c/photos/cat.jpg'
+        with mock.patch('swift.cli.info.os.path.exists') as exists:
+            exists.return_value = True
+            ring_path, args = parse_get_node_args(options, args.split())
+        self.assertEqual(ring_path, 'object.ring.gz')
+        self.assertEqual(args, ['a', 'c', 'photos/cat.jpg'])
+
+        # --all object.ring.gz a
+        options = Namespace(all=True, policy_name=None)
+        args = 'object.ring.gz a'
+        with mock.patch('swift.cli.info.os.path.exists') as exists:
+            exists.return_value = True
+            ring_path, args = parse_get_node_args(options, args.split())
+        self.assertEqual(ring_path, 'object.ring.gz')
+        self.assertEqual(args, ['a'])
+        # --all object.ring.gz a c
+        options = Namespace(all=True, policy_name=None)
+        args = 'object.ring.gz a c'
+        with mock.patch('swift.cli.info.os.path.exists') as exists:
+            exists.return_value = True
+            ring_path, args = parse_get_node_args(options, args.split())
+        self.assertEqual(ring_path, 'object.ring.gz')
+        self.assertEqual(args, ['a', 'c'])
+        # --all object.ring.gz a c o
+        options = Namespace(all=True, policy_name=None)
+        args = 'object.ring.gz a c o'
+        with mock.patch('swift.cli.info.os.path.exists') as exists:
+            exists.return_value = True
+            ring_path, args = parse_get_node_args(options, args.split())
+        self.assertEqual(ring_path, 'object.ring.gz')
+        self.assertEqual(args, ['a', 'c', 'o'])
+        # object.ring.gz account container photos/cat.jpg
+        options = Namespace(policy_name=None, partition=None)
+        args = 'object.ring.gz account container photos/cat.jpg'
+        with mock.patch('swift.cli.info.os.path.exists') as exists:
+            exists.return_value = True
+            ring_path, args = parse_get_node_args(options, args.split())
+        self.assertEqual(ring_path, 'object.ring.gz')
+        self.assertEqual(args, ['account', 'container', 'photos/cat.jpg'])
+        # object.ring.gz /account/container/photos/cat.jpg
+        options = Namespace(policy_name=None, partition=None)
+        args = 'object.ring.gz account/container/photos/cat.jpg'
+        with mock.patch('swift.cli.info.os.path.exists') as exists:
+            exists.return_value = True
+            ring_path, args = parse_get_node_args(options, args.split())
+        self.assertEqual(ring_path, 'object.ring.gz')
+        self.assertEqual(args, ['account', 'container', 'photos/cat.jpg'])
+        # Object name ends with 'ring.gz'
+        # object.ring.gz /account/container/junk/test.ring.gz
+        options = Namespace(policy_name=None, partition=None)
+        args = 'object.ring.gz account/container/junk/test.ring.gz'
+        with mock.patch('swift.cli.info.os.path.exists') as exists:
+            exists.return_value = True
+            ring_path, args = parse_get_node_args(options, args.split())
+        self.assertEqual(ring_path, 'object.ring.gz')
+        self.assertEqual(args, ['account', 'container', 'junk/test.ring.gz'])
+
 
 class TestPrintObj(TestCliInfoBase):