diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/kafka/admin/TopicCommand.scala b/core/src/main/scala/kafka/admin/TopicCommand.scala
index 083fd63..1066f74 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/kafka/admin/TopicCommand.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/kafka/admin/TopicCommand.scala
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ object TopicCommand {
     }
       
     CommandLineUtils.checkRequiredArgs(opts.parser, opts.options, opts.zkConnectOpt)
+    if (!opts.options.has(opts.listOpt)) CommandLineUtils.checkRequiredArgs(opts.parser, opts.options, opts.topicOpt)
     
     val zkClient = new ZkClient(opts.options.valueOf(opts.zkConnectOpt), 30000, 30000, ZKStringSerializer)
 
@@ -71,7 +72,6 @@ object TopicCommand {
   }
 
   def createTopic(zkClient: ZkClient, opts: TopicCommandOptions) {
-    CommandLineUtils.checkRequiredArgs(opts.parser, opts.options, opts.topicOpt)
     val topic = opts.options.valueOf(opts.topicOpt)
     val configs = parseTopicConfigsToBeAdded(opts)
     if (opts.options.has(opts.replicaAssignmentOpt)) {
@@ -87,7 +87,6 @@ object TopicCommand {
   }
 
   def alterTopic(zkClient: ZkClient, opts: TopicCommandOptions) {
-    CommandLineUtils.checkRequiredArgs(opts.parser, opts.options, opts.topicOpt)
     val topics = getTopics(zkClient, opts)
     topics.foreach { topic =>
       if(opts.options.has(opts.configOpt) || opts.options.has(opts.deleteConfigOpt)) {
@@ -114,7 +113,6 @@ object TopicCommand {
   }
   
   def deleteTopic(zkClient: ZkClient, opts: TopicCommandOptions) {
-    CommandLineUtils.checkRequiredArgs(opts.parser, opts.options, opts.topicOpt)
     val topics = getTopics(zkClient, opts)
     topics.foreach { topic =>
       AdminUtils.deleteTopic(zkClient, topic)
@@ -141,7 +139,7 @@ object TopicCommand {
   }
   
   def describeTopic(zkClient: ZkClient, opts: TopicCommandOptions) {
-    var topics = getTopics(zkClient, opts)
+    val topics = getTopics(zkClient, opts)
     val reportUnderReplicatedPartitions = if (opts.options.has(opts.reportUnderReplicatedPartitionsOpt)) true else false
     val reportUnavailablePartitions = if (opts.options.has(opts.reportUnavailablePartitionsOpt)) true else false
     val liveBrokers = ZkUtils.getAllBrokersInCluster(zkClient).map(_.id).toSet