diff --git a/tools/nfdc/command-parser.cpp b/tools/nfdc/command-parser.cpp
index 59c4912..a201272 100644
--- a/tools/nfdc/command-parser.cpp
+++ b/tools/nfdc/command-parser.cpp
@@ -114,24 +114,10 @@
 
   const std::string& noun = tokens.size() > 0 ? tokens[0] : "";
   const std::string& verb = tokens.size() > 1 ? tokens[1] : "";
-  size_t nameLen = std::min<size_t>(2, tokens.size());
 
   NDN_LOG_TRACE("parse mode=" << mode << " noun=" << noun << " verb=" << verb);
 
   auto i = m_commands.find({noun, verb});
-  if (i == m_commands.end()) {
-    if (verb.empty()) {
-      NDN_LOG_TRACE("fallback to noun=" << noun << " verb=list");
-      i = m_commands.find({noun, "list"});
-    }
-    else {
-      // help, exit, quit commands
-      NDN_LOG_TRACE("fallback to noun=" << noun << " verb=");
-      i = m_commands.find({noun, ""});
-    }
-    nameLen = std::min<size_t>(1, tokens.size());
-  }
-
   if (i == m_commands.end() || (i->second->modes & static_cast<AvailableIn>(mode)) == 0) {
     BOOST_THROW_EXCEPTION(NoSuchCommandError(noun, verb));
   }
@@ -139,7 +125,8 @@
   const CommandDefinition& def = i->second->def;
   NDN_LOG_TRACE("found command noun=" << def.getNoun() << " verb=" << def.getVerb());
 
-  return std::make_tuple(def.getNoun(), def.getVerb(), def.parse(tokens, nameLen), i->second->execute);
+  size_t nConsumed = std::min<size_t>(2, tokens.size());
+  return std::make_tuple(def.getNoun(), def.getVerb(), def.parse(tokens, nConsumed), i->second->execute);
 }
 
 } // namespace nfdc
diff --git a/tools/nfdc/face-module.cpp b/tools/nfdc/face-module.cpp
index 560b223..93a6563 100644
--- a/tools/nfdc/face-module.cpp
+++ b/tools/nfdc/face-module.cpp
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
     .addArg("local", ArgValueType::FACE_URI, Required::NO, Positional::NO)
     .addArg("scheme", ArgValueType::STRING, Required::NO, Positional::NO, "scheme");
   parser.addCommand(defFaceList, &FaceModule::list);
+  parser.addAlias("face", "list", "");
 
   CommandDefinition defFaceShow("face", "show");
   defFaceShow
diff --git a/tools/nfdc/rib-module.cpp b/tools/nfdc/rib-module.cpp
index f9d888f..a5a2454 100644
--- a/tools/nfdc/rib-module.cpp
+++ b/tools/nfdc/rib-module.cpp
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
     .addArg("nexthop", ArgValueType::FACE_ID_OR_URI, Required::NO, Positional::YES)
     .addArg("origin", ArgValueType::ROUTE_ORIGIN, Required::NO, Positional::NO);
   parser.addCommand(defRouteList, &RibModule::list);
+  parser.addAlias("route", "list", "");
 
   CommandDefinition defRouteShow("route", "show");
   defRouteShow
diff --git a/tools/nfdc/status.cpp b/tools/nfdc/status.cpp
index 5365fbb..a47d12b 100644
--- a/tools/nfdc/status.cpp
+++ b/tools/nfdc/status.cpp
@@ -129,22 +129,25 @@
   defStatusShow
     .setTitle("print general status");
   parser.addCommand(defStatusShow, bind(&reportStatusSingleSection, _1, &StatusReportOptions::wantForwarderGeneral));
-  parser.addAlias("status", "show", "list");
+  parser.addAlias("status", "show", "");
 
   CommandDefinition defChannelList("channel", "list");
   defChannelList
     .setTitle("print channel list");
   parser.addCommand(defChannelList, bind(&reportStatusSingleSection, _1, &StatusReportOptions::wantChannels));
+  parser.addAlias("channel", "list", "");
 
   CommandDefinition defFibList("fib", "list");
   defFibList
     .setTitle("print FIB entries");
   parser.addCommand(defFibList, bind(&reportStatusSingleSection, _1, &StatusReportOptions::wantFib));
+  parser.addAlias("fib", "list", "");
 
   CommandDefinition defCsInfo("cs", "info");
   defCsInfo
     .setTitle("print CS information");
   parser.addCommand(defCsInfo, bind(&reportStatusSingleSection, _1, &StatusReportOptions::wantCs));
+  parser.addAlias("cs", "info", "");
 }
 
 } // namespace nfdc
diff --git a/tools/nfdc/strategy-choice-module.cpp b/tools/nfdc/strategy-choice-module.cpp
index 9e0031f..5f81f7a 100644
--- a/tools/nfdc/strategy-choice-module.cpp
+++ b/tools/nfdc/strategy-choice-module.cpp
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /* -*- Mode:C++; c-file-style:"gnu"; indent-tabs-mode:nil; -*- */
-/**
- * Copyright (c) 2014-2017,  Regents of the University of California,
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2014-2018,  Regents of the University of California,
  *                           Arizona Board of Regents,
  *                           Colorado State University,
  *                           University Pierre & Marie Curie, Sorbonne University,
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
   defStrategyList
     .setTitle("print strategy choices");
   parser.addCommand(defStrategyList, &StrategyChoiceModule::list);
+  parser.addAlias("strategy", "list", "");
 
   CommandDefinition defStrategyShow("strategy", "show");
   defStrategyShow