diff --git a/CmdLine/Usage.hs b/CmdLine/Usage.hs
index 65879f7c3e..4943eaeb16 100644
--- a/CmdLine/Usage.hs
+++ b/CmdLine/Usage.hs
@@ -32,17 +32,13 @@ commandList cmds = concatMap go [minBound..]
 	cmdline c = concat
 		[ cmdname c
 		, namepad (cmdname c)
-		, cmdparamdesc c
-		, descpad (cmdparamdesc c)
 		, cmddesc c
 		]
 	pad n s = replicate (n - length s) ' '
 	namepad = pad $ longest cmdname + 1
-	descpad = pad $ longest cmdparamdesc + 2
 	longest f = foldl max 0 $ map (length . f) cmds
 	scmds = sort cmds
 
-
 {- Descriptions of params used in usage messages. -}
 paramPaths :: String
 paramPaths = paramRepeating paramPath -- most often used
diff --git a/Command.hs b/Command.hs
index 67d10dd125..b446da07ad 100644
--- a/Command.hs
+++ b/Command.hs
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ noMessages c = c { cmdnomessages = True }
 
 {- Adds a fallback action to a command, that will be run if it's used
  - outside a git repository. -}
-noRepo :: (String -> Parser (IO ())) -> Command -> Command
+noRepo :: (CmdParamsDesc -> Parser (IO ())) -> Command -> Command
 noRepo a c = c { cmdnorepo = Just (a (cmdparamdesc c)) }
 
 {- Adds Annex options to a command. -}
diff --git a/Command/VAdd.hs b/Command/VAdd.hs
index 924ea47865..e190eb1260 100644
--- a/Command/VAdd.hs
+++ b/Command/VAdd.hs
@@ -10,14 +10,13 @@ module Command.VAdd where
 import Command
 import qualified Annex
 import Annex.View
-import Command.View (checkoutViewBranch)
+import Command.View (checkoutViewBranch, paramView)
 
 cmd :: Command
 cmd = notBareRepo $
 	command "vadd" SectionMetaData 
 		"add subdirs to current view"
-		(paramRepeating "FIELD=GLOB")
-		(withParams seek)
+		paramView (withParams seek)
 
 seek :: CmdParams -> CommandSeek
 seek = withWords (commandAction . start)
diff --git a/Command/View.hs b/Command/View.hs
index af32ca5892..a22d78bc4c 100644
--- a/Command/View.hs
+++ b/Command/View.hs
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ perform view = do
 	next $ checkoutViewBranch view applyView
 
 paramView :: String
-paramView = paramRepeating "FIELD=VALUE"
+paramView = paramRepeating "TAG FIELD=GLOB ?TAG FIELD?=GLOB FIELD!=VALUE"
 
 mkView :: [String] -> Annex View
 mkView ps = go =<< inRepo Git.Branch.current