diff --git a/package/pkg-download.mk b/package/pkg-download.mk
index 2b845e77a2..4d724e7494 100644
--- a/package/pkg-download.mk
+++ b/package/pkg-download.mk
@@ -77,9 +77,9 @@ define DOWNLOAD_GIT
 		-H $(PKGDIR)/$($(PKG)_RAWNAME).hash \
 		$(QUIET) \
 		-- \
-		$($(PKG)_SITE) \
-		$($(PKG)_DL_VERSION) \
-		$($(PKG)_RAW_BASE_NAME) \
+		-u $($(PKG)_SITE) \
+		-c $($(PKG)_DL_VERSION) \
+		-n $($(PKG)_RAW_BASE_NAME) \
 		$($(PKG)_DL_OPTS)
 endef
 
@@ -88,9 +88,9 @@ define DOWNLOAD_BZR
 		-o $(DL_DIR)/$($(PKG)_SOURCE) \
 		$(QUIET) \
 		-- \
-		$($(PKG)_SITE) \
-		$($(PKG)_DL_VERSION) \
-		$($(PKG)_RAW_BASE_NAME) \
+		-u $($(PKG)_SITE) \
+		-c $($(PKG)_DL_VERSION) \
+		-n $($(PKG)_RAW_BASE_NAME) \
 		$($(PKG)_DL_OPTS)
 endef
 
@@ -99,10 +99,10 @@ define DOWNLOAD_CVS
 		-o $(DL_DIR)/$($(PKG)_SOURCE) \
 		$(QUIET) \
 		-- \
-		$(call stripurischeme,$(call qstrip,$($(PKG)_SITE))) \
-		$($(PKG)_DL_VERSION) \
-		$($(PKG)_RAWNAME) \
-		$($(PKG)_RAW_BASE_NAME) \
+		-u $(call stripurischeme,$(call qstrip,$($(PKG)_SITE))) \
+		-c $($(PKG)_DL_VERSION) \
+		-N $($(PKG)_RAWNAME) \
+		-n $($(PKG)_RAW_BASE_NAME) \
 		$($(PKG)_DL_OPTS)
 endef
 
@@ -111,9 +111,9 @@ define DOWNLOAD_SVN
 		-o $(DL_DIR)/$($(PKG)_SOURCE) \
 		$(QUIET) \
 		-- \
-		$($(PKG)_SITE) \
-		$($(PKG)_DL_VERSION) \
-		$($(PKG)_RAW_BASE_NAME) \
+		-u $($(PKG)_SITE) \
+		-c $($(PKG)_DL_VERSION) \
+		-n $($(PKG)_RAW_BASE_NAME) \
 		$($(PKG)_DL_OPTS)
 endef
 
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ define DOWNLOAD_SCP
 		-H $(PKGDIR)/$($(PKG)_RAWNAME).hash \
 		$(QUIET) \
 		-- \
-		'$(call stripurischeme,$(call qstrip,$(1)))' \
+		-u '$(call stripurischeme,$(call qstrip,$(1)))' \
 		$($(PKG)_DL_OPTS)
 endef
 
@@ -135,9 +135,9 @@ define DOWNLOAD_HG
 		-o $(DL_DIR)/$($(PKG)_SOURCE) \
 		$(QUIET) \
 		-- \
-		$($(PKG)_SITE) \
-		$($(PKG)_DL_VERSION) \
-		$($(PKG)_RAW_BASE_NAME) \
+		-u $($(PKG)_SITE) \
+		-c $($(PKG)_DL_VERSION) \
+		-n $($(PKG)_RAW_BASE_NAME) \
 		$($(PKG)_DL_OPTS)
 endef
 
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ define DOWNLOAD_WGET
 		-H $(PKGDIR)/$($(PKG)_RAWNAME).hash \
 		$(QUIET) \
 		-- \
-		'$(call qstrip,$(1))' \
+		-u '$(call qstrip,$(1))' \
 		$($(PKG)_DL_OPTS)
 endef
 
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ define DOWNLOAD_LOCALFILES
 		-H $(PKGDIR)/$($(PKG)_RAWNAME).hash \
 		$(QUIET) \
 		-- \
-		$(call stripurischeme,$(call qstrip,$(1))) \
+		-u $(call stripurischeme,$(call qstrip,$(1))) \
 		$($(PKG)_DL_OPTS)
 endef
 
diff --git a/support/download/bzr b/support/download/bzr
index 75b7b415c1..5289a421cd 100755
--- a/support/download/bzr
+++ b/support/download/bzr
@@ -5,28 +5,31 @@ set -e
 
 # Download helper for bzr, to be called from the download wrapper script
 #
-# Call it as:
-#   .../bzr [-q] OUT_FILE REPO_URL REV BASENAME
+# Options:
+#   -q          Be quiet
+#   -o FILE     Generate archive in FILE.
+#   -u URI      Clone from repository at URI.
+#   -c CSET     Use changeset (or revision) CSET.
+#   -n NAME     Use basename NAME.
 #
 # Environment:
 #   BZR      : the bzr command to call
 
 
 verbose=
-while getopts :q OPT; do
+while getopts "${BR_BACKEND_DL_GETOPTS}" OPT; do
     case "${OPT}" in
     q)  verbose=-q;;
+    o)  output="${OPTARG}";;
+    u)  uri="${OPTARG}";;
+    c)  cset="${OPTARG}";;
+    n)  basename="${OPTARG}";;
+    :)  printf "option '%s' expects a mandatory argument\n" "${OPTARG}"; exit 1;;
     \?) printf "unknown option '%s'\n" "${OPTARG}" >&2; exit 1;;
     esac
 done
-shift $((OPTIND-1))
 
-output="${1}"
-repo="${2}"
-rev="${3}"
-basename="${4}"
-
-shift 4 # Get rid of our options
+shift $((OPTIND-1)) # Get rid of our options
 
 # Caller needs to single-quote its arguments to prevent them from
 # being expanded a second time (in case there are spaces in them)
@@ -51,5 +54,5 @@ if [ ${bzr_version} -ge ${bzr_min_version} ]; then
 fi
 
 _bzr export ${verbose} --root="'${basename}/'" --format=tgz \
-    ${timestamp_opt} - "${@}" "'${repo}'" -r "'${rev}'" \
+    ${timestamp_opt} - "${@}" "'${uri}'" -r "'${cset}'" \
     >"${output}"
diff --git a/support/download/cp b/support/download/cp
index 0ee1f3ba82..52fe2de83d 100755
--- a/support/download/cp
+++ b/support/download/cp
@@ -5,8 +5,10 @@ set -e
 
 # Download helper for cp, to be called from the download wrapper script
 #
-# Call it as:
-#   .../cp [-q] OUT_FILE SRC_FILE
+# Options:
+#   -q          Be quiet.
+#   -o FILE     Copy to file FILE.
+#   -u FILE     Copy from file FILE.
 #
 # Environment:
 #   LOCALFILES: the cp command to call
@@ -17,18 +19,17 @@ set -e
 # Make 'cp' verbose by default, so it behaves a bit like the others.
 verbose=-v
 
-while getopts :q OPT; do
+while getopts "${BR_BACKEND_DL_GETOPTS}" OPT; do
     case "${OPT}" in
     q)  verbose=;;
+    o)  output="${OPTARG}";;
+    u)  source="${OPTARG}";;
+    :)  printf "option '%s' expects a mandatory argument\n" "${OPTARG}"; exit 1;;
     \?) printf "unknown option '%s'\n" "${OPTARG}" >&2; exit 1;;
     esac
 done
-shift $((OPTIND-1))
 
-output="${1}"
-source="${2}"
-
-shift 2 # Get rid of our options
+shift $((OPTIND-1)) # Get rid of our options
 
 # Caller needs to single-quote its arguments to prevent them from
 # being expanded a second time (in case there are spaces in them)
diff --git a/support/download/cvs b/support/download/cvs
index 50050ab1c9..69d5c71f28 100755
--- a/support/download/cvs
+++ b/support/download/cvs
@@ -5,28 +5,32 @@ set -e
 
 # Download helper for cvs, to be called from the download wrapper script
 #
-# Call it as:
-#   .../cvs [-q] OUT_FILE CVS_URL REV PKG_NAME BASENAME
+# Options:
+#   -q          Be quiet
+#   -o FILE     Generate archive in FILE.
+#   -u URI      Checkout from repository at URI.
+#   -c REV      Use revision REV.
+#   -N RAWNAME  Use rawname (aka module name) RAWNAME.
+#   -n NAME     Use basename NAME.
 #
 # Environment:
 #   CVS      : the cvs command to call
 
 verbose=
-while getopts :q OPT; do
+while getopts "${BR_BACKEND_DL_GETOPTS}" OPT; do
     case "${OPT}" in
     q)  verbose=-Q;;
+    o)  output="${OPTARG}";;
+    u)  uri="${OPTARG}";;
+    c)  rev="${OPTARG}";;
+    N)  rawname="${OPTARG}";;
+    n)  basename="${OPTARG}";;
+    :)  printf "option '%s' expects a mandatory argument\n" "${OPTARG}"; exit 1;;
     \?) printf "unknown option '%s'\n" "${OPTARG}" >&2; exit 1;;
     esac
 done
-shift $((OPTIND-1))
 
-output="${1}"
-repo="${2}"
-rev="${3}"
-rawname="${4}"
-basename="${5}"
-
-shift 5 # Get rid of our options
+shift $((OPTIND-1)) # Get rid of our options
 
 # Caller needs to single-quote its arguments to prevent them from
 # being expanded a second time (in case there are spaces in them)
@@ -42,14 +46,14 @@ else
     select="-r"
 fi
 
-# The absence of an initial : on ${repo} means access method undefined
-if [[ ! "${repo}" =~ ^: ]]; then
+# The absence of an initial : on ${uri} means access method undefined
+if [[ ! "${uri}" =~ ^: ]]; then
    # defaults to anonymous pserver
-   repo=":pserver:anonymous@${repo}"
+   uri=":pserver:anonymous@${uri}"
 fi
 
 export TZ=UTC
-_cvs ${verbose} -z3 -d"'${repo}'" \
+_cvs ${verbose} -z3 -d"'${uri}'" \
      co "${@}" -d "'${basename}'" ${select} "'${rev}'" -P "'${rawname}'"
 
 tar czf "${output}" "${basename}"
diff --git a/support/download/dl-wrapper b/support/download/dl-wrapper
index f944b71db5..510e7ef852 100755
--- a/support/download/dl-wrapper
+++ b/support/download/dl-wrapper
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@
 # We want to catch any unexpected failure, and exit immediately.
 set -e
 
+export BR_BACKEND_DL_GETOPTS=":hc:o:n:N:H:ru:q"
+
 main() {
     local OPT OPTARG
     local backend output hfile recurse quiet
@@ -83,7 +85,10 @@ main() {
     # If the backend fails, we can just remove the temporary directory to
     # remove all the cruft it may have left behind. Then we just exit in
     # error too.
-    if ! "${OLDPWD}/support/download/${backend}" ${quiet} ${recurse} "${tmpf}" "${@}"; then
+    if ! "${OLDPWD}/support/download/${backend}" \
+            ${quiet} ${recurse} \
+            -o "${tmpf}" "${@}"
+    then
         rm -rf "${tmpd}"
         exit 1
     fi
diff --git a/support/download/git b/support/download/git
index f590ff6494..58a2c6ad9d 100755
--- a/support/download/git
+++ b/support/download/git
@@ -5,32 +5,33 @@ set -e
 
 # Download helper for git, to be called from the download wrapper script
 #
-# Call it as:
-#   .../git [-q] [-r] OUT_FILE REPO_URL CSET BASENAME
-#
-#   -q  Be quiet.
-#   -r  Clone and archive sub-modules.
+# Options:
+#   -q          Be quiet.
+#   -r          Clone and archive sub-modules.
+#   -o FILE     Generate archive in FILE.
+#   -u URI      Clone from repository at URI.
+#   -c CSET     Use changeset CSET.
+#   -n NAME     Use basename NAME.
 #
 # Environment:
 #   GIT      : the git command to call
 
 verbose=
 recurse=0
-while getopts :qr OPT; do
+while getopts "${BR_BACKEND_DL_GETOPTS}" OPT; do
     case "${OPT}" in
     q)  verbose=-q; exec >/dev/null;;
     r)  recurse=1;;
+    o)  output="${OPTARG}";;
+    u)  uri="${OPTARG}";;
+    c)  cset="${OPTARG}";;
+    n)  basename="${OPTARG}";;
+    :)  printf "option '%s' expects a mandatory argument\n" "${OPTARG}"; exit 1;;
     \?) printf "unknown option '%s'\n" "${OPTARG}" >&2; exit 1;;
     esac
 done
-shift $((OPTIND-1))
-
-output="${1}"
-repo="${2}"
-cset="${3}"
-basename="${4}"
 
-shift 4 # Get rid of our options
+shift $((OPTIND-1)) # Get rid of our options
 
 # Caller needs to single-quote its arguments to prevent them from
 # being expanded a second time (in case there are spaces in them)
@@ -46,9 +47,9 @@ _git() {
 # Messages for the type of clone used are provided to ease debugging in case of
 # problems
 git_done=0
-if [ -n "$(_git ls-remote "'${repo}'" "'${cset}'" 2>&1)" ]; then
+if [ -n "$(_git ls-remote "'${uri}'" "'${cset}'" 2>&1)" ]; then
     printf "Doing shallow clone\n"
-    if _git clone ${verbose} "${@}" --depth 1 -b "'${cset}'" "'${repo}'" "'${basename}'"; then
+    if _git clone ${verbose} "${@}" --depth 1 -b "'${cset}'" "'${uri}'" "'${basename}'"; then
         git_done=1
     else
         printf "Shallow clone failed, falling back to doing a full clone\n"
@@ -56,7 +57,7 @@ if [ -n "$(_git ls-remote "'${repo}'" "'${cset}'" 2>&1)" ]; then
 fi
 if [ ${git_done} -eq 0 ]; then
     printf "Doing full clone\n"
-    _git clone ${verbose} "${@}" "'${repo}'" "'${basename}'"
+    _git clone ${verbose} "${@}" "'${uri}'" "'${basename}'"
 fi
 
 pushd "${basename}" >/dev/null
diff --git a/support/download/hg b/support/download/hg
index 3af01690b3..efb515fca5 100755
--- a/support/download/hg
+++ b/support/download/hg
@@ -5,27 +5,30 @@ set -e
 
 # Download helper for hg, to be called from the download wrapper script
 #
-# Call it as:
-#   .../hg [-q] OUT_FILE REPO_URL CSET BASENAME
+# Options:
+#   -q          Be quiet.
+#   -o FILE     Generate archive in FILE.
+#   -u URI      Clone from repository at URI.
+#   -c CSET     Use changeset (or revision) CSET.
+#   -n NAME     Use basename NAME.
 #
 # Environment:
 #   HG       : the hg command to call
 
 verbose=
-while getopts :q OPT; do
+while getopts "${BR_BACKEND_DL_GETOPTS}" OPT; do
     case "${OPT}" in
     q)  verbose=-q;;
+    o)  output="${OPTARG}";;
+    u)  uri="${OPTARG}";;
+    c)  cset="${OPTARG}";;
+    n)  basename="${OPTARG}";;
+    :)  printf "option '%s' expects a mandatory argument\n" "${OPTARG}"; exit 1;;
     \?) printf "unknown option '%s'\n" "${OPTARG}" >&2; exit 1;;
     esac
 done
-shift $((OPTIND-1))
 
-output="${1}"
-repo="${2}"
-cset="${3}"
-basename="${4}"
-
-shift 4 # Get rid of our options
+shift $((OPTIND-1)) # Get rid of our options
 
 # Caller needs to single-quote its arguments to prevent them from
 # being expanded a second time (in case there are spaces in them)
@@ -33,7 +36,7 @@ _hg() {
     eval ${HG} "${@}"
 }
 
-_hg clone ${verbose} "${@}" --noupdate "'${repo}'" "'${basename}'"
+_hg clone ${verbose} "${@}" --noupdate "'${uri}'" "'${basename}'"
 
 _hg archive ${verbose} --repository "'${basename}'" --type tgz \
             --prefix "'${basename}'" --rev "'${cset}'" \
diff --git a/support/download/scp b/support/download/scp
index 825fd41c64..8ecf2f4b22 100755
--- a/support/download/scp
+++ b/support/download/scp
@@ -5,25 +5,26 @@ set -e
 
 # Download helper for scp, to be called from the download wrapper script
 #
-# Call it as:
-#   .../scp [-q] OUT_FILE SRC_URL
+# Options:
+#   -q          Be quiet.
+#   -o FILE     Copy to local file FILE.
+#   -u FILE     Copy from remote file FILE.
 #
 # Environment:
 #   SCP       : the scp command to call
 
 verbose=
-while getopts :q OPT; do
+while getopts "${BR_BACKEND_DL_GETOPTS}" OPT; do
     case "${OPT}" in
     q)  verbose=-q;;
+    o)  output="${OPTARG}";;
+    u)  uri="${OPTARG}";;
+    :)  printf "option '%s' expects a mandatory argument\n" "${OPTARG}"; exit 1;;
     \?) printf "unknown option '%s'\n" "${OPTARG}" >&2; exit 1;;
     esac
 done
-shift $((OPTIND-1))
 
-output="${1}"
-url="${2}"
-
-shift 2 # Get rid of our options
+shift $((OPTIND-1)) # Get rid of our options
 
 # Caller needs to single-quote its arguments to prevent them from
 # being expanded a second time (in case there are spaces in them)
@@ -31,4 +32,4 @@ _scp() {
     eval ${SCP} "${@}"
 }
 
-_scp ${verbose} "${@}" "'${url}'" "'${output}'"
+_scp ${verbose} "${@}" "'${uri}'" "'${output}'"
diff --git a/support/download/svn b/support/download/svn
index 77abf3d02d..542b25c0a2 100755
--- a/support/download/svn
+++ b/support/download/svn
@@ -5,27 +5,30 @@ set -e
 
 # Download helper for svn, to be called from the download wrapper script
 #
-# Call it as:
-#   .../svn [-q] OUT_FILE REPO_URL REV BASNAME
+# Options:
+#   -q          Be quiet.
+#   -o FILE     Generate archive in FILE.
+#   -u URI      Checkout from repository at URI.
+#   -c REV      Use revision REV.
+#   -n NAME     Use basename NAME.
 #
 # Environment:
 #   SVN      : the svn command to call
 
 verbose=
-while getopts :q OPT; do
+while getopts "${BR_BACKEND_DL_GETOPTS}" OPT; do
     case "${OPT}" in
     q)  verbose=-q;;
+    o)  output="${OPTARG}";;
+    u)  uri="${OPTARG}";;
+    c)  rev="${OPTARG}";;
+    n)  basename="${OPTARG}";;
+    :)  printf "option '%s' expects a mandatory argument\n" "${OPTARG}"; exit 1;;
     \?) printf "unknown option '%s'\n" "${OPTARG}" >&2; exit 1;;
     esac
 done
-shift $((OPTIND-1))
 
-output="${1}"
-repo="${2}"
-rev="${3}"
-basename="${4}"
-
-shift 4 # Get rid of our options
+shift $((OPTIND-1)) # Get rid of our options
 
 # Caller needs to single-quote its arguments to prevent them from
 # being expanded a second time (in case there are spaces in them)
@@ -33,6 +36,6 @@ _svn() {
     eval ${SVN} "${@}"
 }
 
-_svn export ${verbose} "${@}" "'${repo}@${rev}'" "'${basename}'"
+_svn export ${verbose} "${@}" "'${uri}@${rev}'" "'${basename}'"
 
 tar czf "${output}" "${basename}"
diff --git a/support/download/wget b/support/download/wget
index 768de904c3..fece6663ca 100755
--- a/support/download/wget
+++ b/support/download/wget
@@ -5,25 +5,26 @@ set -e
 
 # Download helper for wget, to be called from the download wrapper script
 #
-# Call it as:
-#   .../wget [-q] OUT_FILE URL
+# Options:
+#   -q          Be quiet.
+#   -o FILE     Save into file FILE.
+#   -u URL      Download file at URL.
 #
 # Environment:
 #   WGET     : the wget command to call
 
 verbose=
-while getopts :q OPT; do
+while getopts "${BR_BACKEND_DL_GETOPTS}" OPT; do
     case "${OPT}" in
     q)  verbose=-q;;
+    o)  output="${OPTARG}";;
+    u)  url="${OPTARG}";;
+    :)  printf "option '%s' expects a mandatory argument\n" "${OPTARG}"; exit 1;;
     \?) printf "unknown option '%s'\n" "${OPTARG}" >&2; exit 1;;
     esac
 done
-shift $((OPTIND-1))
 
-output="${1}"
-url="${2}"
-
-shift 2 # Get rid of our options
+shift $((OPTIND-1)) # Get rid of our options
 
 # Caller needs to single-quote its arguments to prevent them from
 # being expanded a second time (in case there are spaces in them)
