diff --git a/backportpackage b/backportpackage
index 442a2a8..a2d7879 100755
--- a/backportpackage
+++ b/backportpackage
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ def parse(args):
                  default=None,
                  help='Specify a working directory (default: temporary dir)',
                  metavar='WORKDIR')
-    p.add_option('--lpinstance',
+    p.add_option('-l', '--lpinstance',
                  dest='lpinstance',
                  default=None,
                  help='Launchpad instance to connect to (default: production)',
diff --git a/doc/backportpackage.1 b/doc/backportpackage.1
index 265d716..27aa012 100644
--- a/doc/backportpackage.1
+++ b/doc/backportpackage.1
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ unpacked, built into, and otherwise manipulated in
 \fIWORKDIR\fR. Otherwise, a temporary directory is created, which is
 deleted before \fIbackportpackage\fR exits.
 .TP
-.B \-\-lpinstance\fR=\fIINSTANCE\fR
+.B \-l \fIINSTANCE\fR, \fB\-\-lpinstance\fR=\fIINSTANCE\fR
 Use the specified instance of Launchpad (e.g. "staging"), instead of
 the default of "production".
 .TP
diff --git a/doc/requestsync.1 b/doc/requestsync.1
index ff9d7c7..c2863e2 100644
--- a/doc/requestsync.1
+++ b/doc/requestsync.1
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ This disables the upload permissions check described above.
 Use this flag after FeatureFreeze for non-bug fix syncs. \fBrequestsync\fR will
 subscribe ubuntu-release team instead of sponsorship team.
 .TP
-.B \-\-lpinstance\fR=\fIINSTANCE\fR
+.B \-l \fIINSTANCE\fR, \fB\-\-lpinstance\fR=\fIINSTANCE\fR
 Use the specified instance of Launchpad (e.g. "staging"), instead of
 the default of "production".
 .TP
diff --git a/requestsync b/requestsync
index 5f4cd87..3e377a3 100755
--- a/requestsync
+++ b/requestsync
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
 	optParser.add_option('--lp', action='store_true',
 		dest='lpapi', default=False,
 		help='Specify whether to use the LP API for filing the sync request (recommended).')
-	optParser.add_option('--lpinstance', type='string', metavar='INSTANCE',
+	optParser.add_option('-l', '--lpinstance', type='string', metavar='INSTANCE',
 		dest='lpinstance', default=None,
 		help='Launchpad instance to connect to (default: production).')
 	optParser.add_option('-s', action='store_true',