diff --git a/awx/main/management/commands/instance_group_remove.py b/awx/main/management/commands/instance_group_remove.py
index ca87cb8101..332ab2072f 100644
--- a/awx/main/management/commands/instance_group_remove.py
+++ b/awx/main/management/commands/instance_group_remove.py
@@ -5,11 +5,15 @@ import sys
 from awx.main.models import Instance, InstanceGroup
 
 from optparse import make_option
-from django.core.management.base import BaseCommand
+from django.core.management.base import BaseCommand, CommandError
 
 
 class Command(BaseCommand):
 
+    help = (
+        "Remove specified instances (specified by hostnames) from the specified queue (instance group).\n"
+        "In order remove the queue, use the `unregister_queue` command.")
+
     option_list = BaseCommand.option_list + (
         make_option('--queuename', dest='queuename', type='string',
                     help='Queue to be removed from'),
@@ -18,12 +22,14 @@ class Command(BaseCommand):
     )
 
     def handle(self, **options):
+        if not options.get('queuename'):
+            raise CommandError('Must specify `--queuename` in order to use command.')
         ig = InstanceGroup.objects.filter(name=options.get('queuename'))
         if not ig.exists():
             print("Queue doesn't exist")
             sys.exit(1)
         ig = ig.first()
-        i = Instance.objects.filter(name=options.get("hostname"))
+        i = Instance.objects.filter(hostname=options.get("hostname"))
         if not i.exists():
             print("Host doesn't exist")
             sys.exit(1)
diff --git a/awx/main/management/commands/register_queue.py b/awx/main/management/commands/register_queue.py
index 37df320cd3..7eae1e1d97 100644
--- a/awx/main/management/commands/register_queue.py
+++ b/awx/main/management/commands/register_queue.py
@@ -26,7 +26,10 @@ class Command(BaseCommand):
             print("Creating instance group {}".format(options.get('queuename')))
             ig = InstanceGroup(name=options.get('queuename'))
             ig.save()
-        instance_list = [x.strip() for x in options.get('hostnames').split(",")]
+        hostname_list = []
+        if options.get('hostnames'):
+            hostname_list = options.get('hostnames').split(",")
+        instance_list = [x.strip() for x in hostname_list]
         for inst_name in instance_list:
             instance = Instance.objects.filter(hostname=inst_name)
             if instance.exists() and instance not in ig.instances.all():
diff --git a/awx/main/management/commands/unregister_queue.py b/awx/main/management/commands/unregister_queue.py
index 827cee3dd6..388a8f0588 100644
--- a/awx/main/management/commands/unregister_queue.py
+++ b/awx/main/management/commands/unregister_queue.py
@@ -5,17 +5,24 @@ import sys
 from awx.main.models import InstanceGroup
 
 from optparse import make_option
-from django.core.management.base import BaseCommand
+from django.core.management.base import BaseCommand, CommandError
 
 
 class Command(BaseCommand):
 
+    help = (
+        "Remove specified queue (instance group) from database.\n"
+        "Instances inside of queue will continue to exist, \n"
+        "but jobs will no longer be processed by queue.")
+
     option_list = BaseCommand.option_list + (
         make_option('--queuename', dest='queuename', type='string',
                     help='Queue to create/update'),
     )
 
     def handle(self, **options):
+        if not options.get('queuename'):
+            raise CommandError('Must specify `--queuename` in order to use command.')
         ig = InstanceGroup.objects.filter(name=options.get('queuename'))
         if not ig.exists():
             print("Instance group doesn't exist")