diff --git a/weed/command/scaffold.go b/weed/command/scaffold.go
index f2832510c..2aad29548 100644
--- a/weed/command/scaffold.go
+++ b/weed/command/scaffold.go
@@ -364,7 +364,8 @@ scripts = """
 sleep_minutes = 17          # sleep minutes between each script execution
 
 [master.filer]
-default_filer_url = "http://localhost:8888/"
+default = "localhost:8888"    # used by maintenance scripts if the scripts needs to use fs related commands
+
 
 [master.sequencer]
 type = "memory"     # Choose [memory|etcd] type for storing the file id sequence
diff --git a/weed/command/shell.go b/weed/command/shell.go
index dcf70608f..6dd768f47 100644
--- a/weed/command/shell.go
+++ b/weed/command/shell.go
@@ -9,14 +9,14 @@ import (
 )
 
 var (
-	shellOptions         shell.ShellOptions
-	shellInitialFilerUrl *string
+	shellOptions      shell.ShellOptions
+	shellInitialFiler *string
 )
 
 func init() {
 	cmdShell.Run = runShell // break init cycle
 	shellOptions.Masters = cmdShell.Flag.String("master", "localhost:9333", "comma-separated master servers")
-	shellInitialFilerUrl = cmdShell.Flag.String("filer.url", "http://localhost:8888/", "initial filer url")
+	shellInitialFiler = cmdShell.Flag.String("filer", "localhost:8888", "filer host and port")
 }
 
 var cmdShell = &Command{
@@ -32,12 +32,13 @@ func runShell(command *Command, args []string) bool {
 	util.LoadConfiguration("security", false)
 	shellOptions.GrpcDialOption = security.LoadClientTLS(util.GetViper(), "grpc.client")
 
-	var filerPwdErr error
-	shellOptions.FilerHost, shellOptions.FilerPort, shellOptions.Directory, filerPwdErr = util.ParseFilerUrl(*shellInitialFilerUrl)
-	if filerPwdErr != nil {
-		fmt.Printf("failed to parse url filer.url=%s : %v\n", *shellInitialFilerUrl, filerPwdErr)
+	var err error
+	shellOptions.FilerHost, shellOptions.FilerPort, err = util.ParseHostPort(*shellInitialFiler)
+	if err != nil {
+		fmt.Printf("failed to parse filer %s: %v\n", *shellInitialFiler, err)
 		return false
 	}
+	shellOptions.Directory = "/"
 
 	shell.RunShell(shellOptions)
 
diff --git a/weed/server/master_server.go b/weed/server/master_server.go
index 497990f29..4a264d432 100644
--- a/weed/server/master_server.go
+++ b/weed/server/master_server.go
@@ -197,8 +197,8 @@ func (ms *MasterServer) startAdminScripts() {
 	v.SetDefault("master.maintenance.sleep_minutes", 17)
 	sleepMinutes := v.GetInt("master.maintenance.sleep_minutes")
 
-	v.SetDefault("master.filer.default_filer_url", "http://localhost:8888/")
-	filerURL := v.GetString("master.filer.default_filer_url")
+	v.SetDefault("master.filer.default", "localhost:8888")
+	filerHostPort := v.GetString("master.filer.default")
 
 	scriptLines := strings.Split(adminScripts, "\n")
 
@@ -208,9 +208,10 @@ func (ms *MasterServer) startAdminScripts() {
 	shellOptions.GrpcDialOption = security.LoadClientTLS(v, "grpc.master")
 	shellOptions.Masters = &masterAddress
 
-	shellOptions.FilerHost, shellOptions.FilerPort, shellOptions.Directory, err = util.ParseFilerUrl(filerURL)
+	shellOptions.FilerHost, shellOptions.FilerPort, err = util.ParseHostPort(filerHostPort)
+	shellOptions.Directory = "/"
 	if err != nil {
-		glog.V(0).Infof("failed to parse master.filer.default_filer_urll=%s : %v\n", filerURL, err)
+		glog.V(0).Infof("failed to parse master.filer.default = %s : %v\n", filerHostPort, err)
 		return
 	}
 
diff --git a/weed/util/parse.go b/weed/util/parse.go
index 6593d43b6..0955db682 100644
--- a/weed/util/parse.go
+++ b/weed/util/parse.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package util
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"net/url"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
@@ -45,3 +46,18 @@ func ParseFilerUrl(entryPath string) (filerServer string, filerPort int64, path
 	path = u.Path
 	return
 }
+
+func ParseHostPort(hostPort string) (filerServer string, filerPort int64, err error) {
+	parts := strings.Split(hostPort, ":")
+	if len(parts) != 2 {
+		err = fmt.Errorf("failed to parse %s\n", hostPort)
+		return
+	}
+
+	filerPort, err = strconv.ParseInt(parts[1], 10, 64)
+	if err == nil {
+		filerServer = parts[0]
+	}
+
+	return
+}