diff --git a/tools/atrf-id/atrf-id.c b/tools/atrf-id/atrf-id.c
index 035c402..0679b35 100644
--- a/tools/atrf-id/atrf-id.c
+++ b/tools/atrf-id/atrf-id.c
@@ -158,7 +158,12 @@ static void show_info(struct atrf_dsc *dsc)
 
 static void usage(const char *name)
 {
-	fprintf(stderr, "usage: %s [-d driver[:arg]]\n", name);
+	fprintf(stderr,
+"usage: %s [-d driver[:arg]] [-s [-s]]\n\n"
+"  -d driver[:arg]  use the specified driver (default: %s)\n"
+"  -s               print only the local driver specification\n"
+"  -s -s            print only the remote driver specification\n"
+    , name, atrf_default_driver_name());
 	exit(1);
 }
 
@@ -167,13 +172,17 @@ int main(int argc, char *const *argv)
 {
 	const char *driver = NULL;
 	struct atrf_dsc *dsc;
+	int spec_only = 0;
 	int c;
 
-	while ((c = getopt(argc, argv, "d:")) != EOF)
+	while ((c = getopt(argc, argv, "d:s")) != EOF)
 		switch (c) {
 		case 'd':
 			driver = optarg;
 			break;
+		case 's':
+			spec_only++;
+			break;
 		default:
 			usage(*argv);
 		}
@@ -184,7 +193,18 @@ int main(int argc, char *const *argv)
 	if (!dsc)
 		return 1;
 
-	show_info(dsc);
+	if (spec_only) {
+		const char *spec = atrf_driver_spec(dsc, spec_only > 1);
+
+		if (spec)
+			printf("%s\n", spec);
+		else {
+			fprintf(stderr, "can't obtain specification\n");
+			exit(1);
+		}
+	} else {
+		show_info(dsc);
+	}
 
 	atrf_close(dsc);
 
diff --git a/tools/atrf-proxy/PROTOCOL b/tools/atrf-proxy/PROTOCOL
index ddff124..28d87bf 100644
--- a/tools/atrf-proxy/PROTOCOL
+++ b/tools/atrf-proxy/PROTOCOL
@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@ Messages
 +[greeting]
 -message
 
+SPEC
++driver_spec
+-message
+
 RESET
 +[comment]
 -message
diff --git a/tools/atrf-proxy/atrf-proxy.c b/tools/atrf-proxy/atrf-proxy.c
index c9e37f6..1a95150 100644
--- a/tools/atrf-proxy/atrf-proxy.c
+++ b/tools/atrf-proxy/atrf-proxy.c
@@ -151,6 +151,15 @@ static int cmd_zero(struct atrf_dsc *dsc, struct netio *netio, const char *cmd)
 {
 	int res;
 
+	if (!strcasecmp(cmd, "spec")) {
+		const char *spec = atrf_driver_spec(dsc, 1);
+
+		if (spec)
+			return netio_printf(netio, "+%s\n", spec);
+		else
+			return netio_printf(netio,
+			    "-can't obtain specification\n");
+	}
 	if (!strcasecmp(cmd, "reset")) {
 		atrf_reset(dsc);
 		return netio_printf(netio, "+\n");
diff --git a/tools/include/atrf.h b/tools/include/atrf.h
index b0b6f2f..2c768d0 100644
--- a/tools/include/atrf.h
+++ b/tools/include/atrf.h
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ void *atrf_ben_regs(struct atrf_dsc *dsc); /* hack for atrf-xtal */
 const char *atrf_default_driver_name(void);
 struct atrf_dsc *atrf_open(const char *spec);
 void atrf_close(struct atrf_dsc *dsc);
+const char *atrf_driver_spec(struct atrf_dsc *dsc, int last);
 
 int atrf_error(struct atrf_dsc *dsc);
 int atrf_clear_error(struct atrf_dsc *dsc);
diff --git a/tools/lib/atnet.c b/tools/lib/atnet.c
index 239e853..b17170a 100644
--- a/tools/lib/atnet.c
+++ b/tools/lib/atnet.c
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 struct atnet_dsc {
 	struct netio *netio;
 	int error;
+	char *spec;
 	char reply[1000];
 };
 
@@ -192,6 +193,7 @@ static void *atnet_open(const char *arg)
 	}
 
 	dsc->error = 0;
+	dsc->spec = NULL;
 	*dsc->reply = 0;
 
 	return dsc;
@@ -203,6 +205,28 @@ static void atnet_close(void *handle)
 	struct atnet_dsc *dsc = handle;
 
 	netio_close(dsc->netio);
+	free(dsc->spec);
+}
+
+
+/* ----- driver specification ---------------------------------------------- */
+
+
+static const char *atnet_driver_spec(void *handle)
+{
+	struct atnet_dsc *dsc = handle;
+
+	if (dialog(dsc, "SPEC") < 0) {
+		dsc->error = 1;
+		return NULL;
+	}
+	free(dsc->spec);
+	dsc->spec = strdup(dsc->reply+1);
+	if (!dsc->spec) {
+		perror("strdup");
+		exit(1);
+	}
+	return dsc->spec;
 }
 
 
@@ -421,6 +445,7 @@ struct atrf_driver atnet_driver = {
 	.name		= "net",
 	.open		= atnet_open,
 	.close		= atnet_close,
+	.driver_spec	= atnet_driver_spec,
 	.error		= atnet_error,
 	.clear_error	= atnet_clear_error,
 	.reset		= atnet_reset,
diff --git a/tools/lib/atrf.c b/tools/lib/atrf.c
index c8cb2c7..682d2f9 100644
--- a/tools/lib/atrf.c
+++ b/tools/lib/atrf.c
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 struct atrf_dsc {
 	const struct atrf_driver *driver;
 	void *handle;
+	char *spec;
 	enum atrf_chip_id chip_id;
 };
 
@@ -164,6 +165,15 @@ struct atrf_dsc *atrf_open(const char *spec)
 	}
 	dsc->driver = driver;
 	dsc->handle = handle;
+	if (spec) {
+		dsc->spec = strdup(spec);
+		if (!dsc->spec) {
+			perror("strdup");
+			exit(1);
+		}
+	} else {
+		dsc->spec= NULL;
+	}
 	dsc->chip_id = identify(dsc);
 	return dsc;
 }
@@ -173,10 +183,21 @@ void atrf_close(struct atrf_dsc *dsc)
 {
 	if (dsc->driver->close)
 		dsc->driver->close(dsc->handle);
+	free(dsc->spec);
 	free(dsc);
 }
 
 
+const char *atrf_driver_spec(struct atrf_dsc *dsc, int last)
+{
+	if (!dsc->spec)
+		return dsc->driver->name;
+	if (!last || !dsc->driver->driver_spec)
+		return dsc->spec;
+	return dsc->driver->driver_spec(dsc->handle);
+}
+
+
 void atrf_reset(struct atrf_dsc *dsc)
 {
 	if (dsc->driver->reset)
diff --git a/tools/lib/driver.h b/tools/lib/driver.h
index bf61fba..40a1d6a 100644
--- a/tools/lib/driver.h
+++ b/tools/lib/driver.h
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ struct atrf_driver {
 	const char *name;
 	void *(*open)(const char *arg);
 	void (*close)(void *dsc);
+	const char *(*driver_spec)(void *dsc);
 	int (*error)(void *dsc);
 	int (*clear_error)(void *dsc);
 	void (*reset)(void *dsc);