diff --git a/tools/lib/atben.c b/tools/lib/atben.c
index 03175ca..fa0c5eb 100644
--- a/tools/lib/atben.c
+++ b/tools/lib/atben.c
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ static void atben_reset_rf(void *handle)
 }
 
 
-static void *atben_open(void)
+static void *atben_open(const char *arg)
 {
 	struct atben_dsc *dsc;
 
diff --git a/tools/lib/atrf.c b/tools/lib/atrf.c
index 08bc6c1..ab26fe4 100644
--- a/tools/lib/atrf.c
+++ b/tools/lib/atrf.c
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@
 
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <strings.h> /* for strcasecmp */
 
 #include "at86rf230.h"
 
@@ -25,7 +27,7 @@ extern struct atrf_driver atben_driver;
 
 
 struct atrf_dsc {
-	struct atrf_driver *driver;
+	const struct atrf_driver *driver;
 	void *handle;
 	enum atrf_chip_id chip_id;
 };
@@ -85,20 +87,63 @@ static enum atrf_chip_id identify(struct atrf_dsc *dsc)
 }
 
 
-struct atrf_dsc *atrf_open(void)
+const static struct atrf_driver *drivers[] = {
+#ifdef HAVE_BEN
+	&atben_driver,
+#endif
+#ifdef HAVE_USB
+	&atusb_driver,
+#endif
+	NULL
+};
+
+
+static const struct atrf_driver *select_driver(const char *arg,
+    const char **opt)
+{
+	const struct atrf_driver **drv;
+	const char *end;
+	size_t len;
+
+	if (!*drivers) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "no drivers defined\n");
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	*opt = NULL;
+	if (!arg) {
+		return *drivers;
+	}
+	
+	end = strchr(arg, ':');
+	if (!end)
+		end = strchr(arg, 0);
+	len = arg-end;
+	for (drv = drivers; *drv; drv++)
+		if (!strncasecmp((*drv)->name, arg, len) &&
+		    strlen((*drv)->name) == len)
+			break;
+	if (!*drv) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "no driver \"%.*s\" found\n", (int) len, arg);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+	if (*end)
+		*opt = end+1;
+	return *drv;
+}
+
+
+static struct atrf_dsc *do_atrf_open(const char *arg)
 {
 	struct atrf_dsc *dsc;
-	struct atrf_driver *driver;
+	const struct atrf_driver *driver;
+	const char *opt;
 	void *handle;
 
-#ifdef HAVE_USB
-	driver = &atusb_driver;
-#elif HAVE_BEN
-	driver = &atben_driver;
-#else
-#error Need either HAVE_USB or HAVE_BEN
-#endif
-	handle = driver->open();
+	driver = select_driver(arg, &opt);
+	if (!driver)
+		return NULL;
+	handle = driver->open(opt);
 	if (!handle)
 		return NULL;
 	dsc = malloc(sizeof(*dsc));
@@ -113,6 +158,12 @@ struct atrf_dsc *atrf_open(void)
 }
 
 
+struct atrf_dsc *atrf_open(void)
+{
+	return do_atrf_open(NULL);
+}
+
+
 void atrf_close(struct atrf_dsc *dsc)
 {
 	if (dsc->driver->close)
diff --git a/tools/lib/atusb.c b/tools/lib/atusb.c
index 63bd8cb..94480b5 100644
--- a/tools/lib/atusb.c
+++ b/tools/lib/atusb.c
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ static int atusb_clear_error(void *dsc)
 /* ----- open/close -------------------------------------------------------- */
 
 
-static void *atusb_open(void)
+static void *atusb_open(const char *arg)
 {
 	usb_dev_handle *dev;
 
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ struct atrf_driver atusb_driver = {
 	.reset		= atusb_reset,
 	.reset_rf	= atusb_reset_rf,
 	.test_mode	= atusb_test_mode,
-	.slp_tr		= NULL,	/* @@@ not yet *
+	.slp_tr		= NULL,	/* @@@ not yet */
 	.set_clkm	= atusb_set_clkm,
 	.reg_write	= atusb_reg_write,
 	.reg_read	= atusb_reg_read,
diff --git a/tools/lib/driver.h b/tools/lib/driver.h
index 13d1dc2..e6e499b 100644
--- a/tools/lib/driver.h
+++ b/tools/lib/driver.h
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 
 struct atrf_driver {
 	const char *name;
-	void *(*open)(void);
+	void *(*open)(const char *arg);
 	void (*close)(void *dsc);
 	int (*error)(void *dsc);
 	int (*clear_error)(void *dsc);