diff --git a/py-scripts/update_dut.py b/py-scripts/update_dut.py
index 0f966cf2..05260eee 100755
--- a/py-scripts/update_dut.py
+++ b/py-scripts/update_dut.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ if 'py-json' not in sys.path:
 
 import argparse
 import pprint
-from pprint import pprint
+from pprint import *
 from LANforge.lfcli_base import LFCliBase
 from LANforge.LFUtils import *
 from LANforge import add_dut
@@ -31,10 +31,16 @@ class UpdateDUT(LFCliBase):
                 _debug_on=False,
                 _exit_on_error=False,
                 _exit_on_fail=False):
-        super().__init__(host, port, _debug=_debug_on, _halt_on_error=_exit_on_error, _exit_on_fail=_exit_on_fail)
+
+        super().__init__(host, port,
+                         _debug=_debug_on,
+                         _halt_on_error=_exit_on_error,
+                         _exit_on_fail=_exit_on_fail,
+                         _local_realm=realm.Realm(lfclient_host=host, lfclient_port=port, debug_=_debug_on))
         self.host       = host
         self.port       = port
-        self.notes      = "NA"
+        self.notes      = []
+        self.append     = []
         self.params     = {}
         self.flags      = 0x0
         self.flags_mask = 0x0
@@ -42,15 +48,28 @@ class UpdateDUT(LFCliBase):
         self.url        = "/cli-json/add_dut"
 
     def build(self):
-
+        self.dut_profile = self.local_realm.new_dut_profile()
+        self.dut_profile.name = self.name
         for param in self.params:
-            print("param: %s: %s"%(param, self.params[param]))
+            if (self.debug):
+                print("param: %s: %s"%(param, self.params[param]))
+            self.dut_profile.set_param(param, self.params[param])
 
-        for flag in self.flags:
-            print("flags: %s: %s"%(flag, self.flags[flag]))
+        if (self.debug):
+            print("flags: %s"%self.flags)
+        self.dut_profile.flags = self.flags
+        self.dut_profile.flags_mask = self.flags_mask
+        if len(self.notes) > 0:
+            if (self.debug):
+                pprint.pprint(self.notes)
+            self.dut_profile.notes = self.notes
+        if len(self.append) > 0:
+            if (self.debug):
+                pprint.pprint(self.append)
+            self.dut_profile.append = self.append
 
     def start(self, print_pass=False, print_fail=False):
-        self.json_post(self.url, self.data)
+        self.dut_profile.create()
         self._pass("DUT updated")
         pass
 
@@ -80,7 +99,10 @@ Generic command layout:
 python ./{file} --dut [DUT name]     # update existing DUT record
                 --entry [key,value]     # update/add entry by specifying key and value
                 --flag [flag,0|1]       # toggle a flag on 1 or off 0
-                --notes "going to mars...."
+                --notes "all lines of text"
+                --notes "are replaced if any"
+                --notes "line of text is submitted with --notes"
+                --append "this appends a line of text"
 DUT Parameters:
     {params}
 DUT Flags:
@@ -99,22 +121,57 @@ python3 {file} --mgr 192.168.100.24 --update Pathfinder \
     parser.add_argument("-d", "--dut",      type=str, help="name of DUT record")
     parser.add_argument("-p", "--param",    type=str, action="append", help="name,value pair to set parameter")
     parser.add_argument("-f", "--flag",     type=str, action="append", help="name,1/0/True/False pair to turn parameter on or off")
-    parser.add_argument("--notes",          type=str, help="add notes to the DUT")
+    parser.add_argument("-n", "--notes",    type=str, action="append", help="replace lines of notes in the record")
+    parser.add_argument("-a", "--append",   type=str, action="append", help="append lines of text to the record")
     args = parser.parse_args()
 
+    if args.dut is None:
+        raise ValueError("need a name for the dut: --dut something")
+
     update_dut = UpdateDUT(args.mgr, lfjson_port, _debug_on=args.debug)
-    pprint.pprint(args)
-    for param in args.param:
-        (name,value) = param.split(",")
-        update_dut.params[name] = value
+    update_dut.name = args.dut
 
-    for flag in args.flags:
-        (name,value) = flag.split(",")
-        update_dut.flags[name] = (False,True)[value]
-        update_dut.flags_mask[name] = True
+    if (args.param is not None):
+        for param in args.param:
+            if "," not in param:
+                raise ValueError("Invalid format for param: %s, please use key,value"%param)
+            (name,value) = param.split(",")
+            if (args.debug):
+                print("name %s = %s"%(name, value))
+            if add_dut.dut_params.has(name):
+                update_dut.params[name] = value
+            else:
+                raise ValueError("parameter %s not in dut_params"%name)
 
-    if (args.notes is not None) and (args.notes != ""):
-        update_dut.notes = args.notes
+    flags_sum = 0
+    flags_mask_sum = 0
+
+    if (args.flag is not None):
+        for flag in args.flag:
+            if "," not in flag:
+                raise ValueError("Invalid format for flag: %s, please use flag,(0/1)"%param)
+            (name,val_str) = flag.split(",")
+            if (args.debug):
+                print("name %s = %s"%(name, val_str))
+            if not add_dut.dut_flags.has(name):
+                raise ValueError("flag %s not in add_dut.dut_flags"%name)
+            on_off = (0,1)[val_str=="1"]
+            if (args.debug):
+                print("name %s = %s"%(name, on_off))
+            flags_sum |= (0,add_dut.dut_flags.to_flag(name).value)[on_off]
+            flags_mask_sum |= add_dut.dut_flags.to_flag(name).value
+
+    if args.debug:
+        print("params %s; flags %s; mask %s"%(",".join(update_dut.params),
+                                            hex(flags_sum),
+                                            hex(flags_mask_sum)))
+    if (args.notes is not None) and (len(args.notes) > 0):
+        update_dut.notes = args.notes.copy()
+    if (args.append is not None) and (len(args.append) > 0):
+        update_dut.append = args.append.copy()
+
+    update_dut.flags = flags_sum
+    update_dut.flags_mask = flags_mask_sum
 
     update_dut.build()
     update_dut.start()