diff --git a/qubesadmin/tools/__init__.py b/qubesadmin/tools/__init__.py
index a116ff0..595e817 100644
--- a/qubesadmin/tools/__init__.py
+++ b/qubesadmin/tools/__init__.py
@@ -322,9 +322,6 @@ class PoolsAction(QubesAction):
 class QubesArgumentParser(argparse.ArgumentParser):
     '''Parser preconfigured for use in most of the Qubes command-line tools.
 
-    :param bool want_app: instantiate :py:class:`qubes.Qubes` object
-    :param bool want_app_no_instance: don't actually instantiate \
-        :py:class:`qubes.Qubes` object, just add argument for custom xml file
     :param mixed vmname_nargs: The number of ``VMNAME`` arguments that should be
         consumed. Values include:
         * N (an integer) consumes N arguments (and produces a list)
@@ -340,20 +337,11 @@ class QubesArgumentParser(argparse.ArgumentParser):
         ``--verbose`` and ``--quiet``
     '''
 
-    def __init__(self, want_app=True, want_app_no_instance=False,
-                 vmname_nargs=None, **kwargs):
+    def __init__(self, vmname_nargs=None, **kwargs):
 
         super(QubesArgumentParser, self).__init__(add_help=False, **kwargs)
 
-        self._want_app = want_app
-        self._want_app_no_instance = want_app_no_instance
         self._vmname_nargs = vmname_nargs
-        if self._want_app:
-            self.add_argument('--qubesxml', metavar='FILE', action='store',
-                              dest='app', help=argparse.SUPPRESS)
-            self.add_argument('--offline-mode', action='store_true',
-                default=None, dest='offline_mode', help=argparse.SUPPRESS)
-
 
         self.add_argument('--verbose', '-v', action='count',
                           help='increase verbosity')
@@ -384,12 +372,11 @@ class QubesArgumentParser(argparse.ArgumentParser):
         app = kwargs.pop('app', None)
         namespace = super(QubesArgumentParser, self).parse_args(*args, **kwargs)
 
-        if self._want_app and not self._want_app_no_instance:
-            self.set_qubes_verbosity(namespace)
-            if app is not None:
-                namespace.app = app
-            else:
-                namespace.app = qubesadmin.Qubes()
+        self.set_qubes_verbosity(namespace)
+        if app is not None:
+            namespace.app = app
+        else:
+            namespace.app = qubesadmin.Qubes()
 
         for action in self._actions:
             # pylint: disable=protected-access
diff --git a/qubesadmin/tools/qvm_device.py b/qubesadmin/tools/qvm_device.py
index 707710c..c74f7de 100644
--- a/qubesadmin/tools/qvm_device.py
+++ b/qubesadmin/tools/qvm_device.py
@@ -207,8 +207,7 @@ def get_parser(device_class=None):
     """Create :py:class:`argparse.ArgumentParser` suitable for
     :program:`qvm-block`.
     """
-    parser = qubesadmin.tools.QubesArgumentParser(description=__doc__,
-                                                  want_app=True)
+    parser = qubesadmin.tools.QubesArgumentParser(description=__doc__)
     parser.register('action', 'parsers',
                     qubesadmin.tools.AliasedSubParsersAction)
     parser.allow_abbrev = False
diff --git a/qubesadmin/tools/qvm_pool.py b/qubesadmin/tools/qvm_pool.py
index 3eb870c..db47735 100644
--- a/qubesadmin/tools/qvm_pool.py
+++ b/qubesadmin/tools/qvm_pool.py
@@ -156,8 +156,7 @@ def get_parser():
     ''' Creates :py:class:`argparse.ArgumentParser` suitable for
         :program:`qvm-pool`.
     '''
-    parser = qubesadmin.tools.QubesArgumentParser(description=__doc__,
-                                                  want_app=True)
+    parser = qubesadmin.tools.QubesArgumentParser(description=__doc__)
     parser.register('action', 'parsers',
                     qubesadmin.tools.AliasedSubParsersAction)
 
diff --git a/qubesadmin/tools/qvm_remove.py b/qubesadmin/tools/qvm_remove.py
index d06131b..35ef09a 100644
--- a/qubesadmin/tools/qvm_remove.py
+++ b/qubesadmin/tools/qvm_remove.py
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@ from qubesadmin.tools import QubesArgumentParser
 import qubesadmin.utils
 
 parser = QubesArgumentParser(description=__doc__,
-                             want_app=True,
                              vmname_nargs='+')
 parser.add_argument("--force", "-f", action="store_true", dest="no_confirm",
     default=False, help="Do not prompt for confirmation")
diff --git a/qubesadmin/tools/qvm_volume.py b/qubesadmin/tools/qvm_volume.py
index ef10ab2..5cfd6c9 100644
--- a/qubesadmin/tools/qvm_volume.py
+++ b/qubesadmin/tools/qvm_volume.py
@@ -323,8 +323,7 @@ def get_parser():
     '''Create :py:class:`argparse.ArgumentParser` suitable for
     :program:`qvm-volume`.
     '''
-    parser = qubesadmin.tools.QubesArgumentParser(description=__doc__,
-        want_app=True)
+    parser = qubesadmin.tools.QubesArgumentParser(description=__doc__)
     parser.register('action', 'parsers',
         qubesadmin.tools.AliasedSubParsersAction)
     sub_parsers = parser.add_subparsers(