diff --git a/gcl.py b/gcl.py
index 058837a1e..39f3bec1d 100755
--- a/gcl.py
+++ b/gcl.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ of files.
 """
 
 import getpass
+import optparse
 import os
 import random
 import re
@@ -865,22 +866,27 @@ def CMDupload(change_info, args):
   return 0
 
 
-@need_change
-def CMDpresubmit(change_info):
+@need_change_and_args
+@attrs(usage='[--upload]')
+def CMDpresubmit(change_info, args):
   """Runs presubmit checks on the change.
 
   The actual presubmit code is implemented in presubmit_support.py and looks
   for PRESUBMIT.py files."""
   if not change_info.GetFiles():
-    print "Nothing to presubmit check, changelist is empty."
+    print('Nothing to presubmit check, changelist is empty.')
     return 0
-
-  print "*** Presubmit checks for UPLOAD would report: ***"
-  result = DoPresubmitChecks(change_info, False, False)
-
-  print "\n*** Presubmit checks for COMMIT would report: ***"
-  result &= DoPresubmitChecks(change_info, True, False)
-  return not result
+  parser = optparse.OptionParser()
+  parser.add_option('--upload', action='store_true')
+  options, args = parser.parse_args(args)
+  if args:
+    parser.error('Unrecognized args: %s' % args)
+  if options.upload:
+    print('*** Presubmit checks for UPLOAD would report: ***')
+    return not DoPresubmitChecks(change_info, False, False)
+  else:
+    print('*** Presubmit checks for COMMIT would report: ***')
+    return not DoPresubmitChecks(change_info, True, False)
 
 
 def TryChange(change_info, args, swallow_exception):
diff --git a/tests/gcl_unittest.py b/tests/gcl_unittest.py
index b0e8c5783..68534c3e6 100755
--- a/tests/gcl_unittest.py
+++ b/tests/gcl_unittest.py
@@ -57,9 +57,9 @@ class GclUnittest(GclTestsBase):
         'RunShell', 'RunShellWithReturnCode', 'SVN',
         'TryChange', 'UnknownFiles', 'Warn',
         'attrs', 'breakpad', 'defer_attributes', 'gclient_utils', 'getpass',
-        'json', 'main', 'need_change', 'need_change_and_args', 'no_args', 'os',
-        'random', 're', 'string', 'subprocess', 'sys', 'tempfile',
-        'time', 'upload', 'urllib2',
+        'json', 'main', 'need_change', 'need_change_and_args', 'no_args',
+        'optparse', 'os', 'random', 're', 'string', 'subprocess', 'sys',
+        'tempfile', 'time', 'upload', 'urllib2',
     ]
     # If this test fails, you should add the relevant test.
     self.compareMembers(gcl, members)