diff --git a/host/utils/usrp2_recovery.py b/host/utils/usrp2_recovery.py
index dc4ea31a9..7446ec481 100755
--- a/host/utils/usrp2_recovery.py
+++ b/host/utils/usrp2_recovery.py
@@ -17,42 +17,52 @@ The packet will contain a known ip address to burn into eeprom.
 Because the recovery packet is sent with a broadcast mac address,
 only one usrp2 should be present on the interface upon execution.
 
-This app requires super-user privileges and only works on linux. 
+This app requires super-user privileges and only works on linux.
 """
 
 import socket
 import struct
-import optparse
+import argparse
 
 BCAST_MAC_ADDR = 'ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff'
 RECOVERY_ETHERTYPE = 0xbeee
-IP_RECOVERY_CODE = 'addr'
+IP_RECOVERY_CODE = b'addr'
 
 def mac_addr_repr_to_binary_string(mac_addr):
-    return ''.join([chr(int(x, 16)) for x in mac_addr.split(':')])
+    """
+    Convert string representation of MAC address (xx:yy:zz:aa:bb:cc) into a
+    binary string.
+    """
+    return bytes(bytearray([int(x, 16) for x in mac_addr.split(':')]))
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
-    parser = optparse.OptionParser(usage='usage: %prog [options]\n'+__doc__)
-    parser.add_option('--ifc', type='string', help='ethernet interface name [default=%default]', default='eth0')
-    parser.add_option('--new-ip', type='string', help='ip address to set [default=%default]', default='192.168.10.2')
-    (options, args) = parser.parse_args()
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(usage='usage: %(prog)s [options]\n'+__doc__)
+    parser.add_argument(
+        '--ifc',
+        help='ethernet interface name [default=%(default)s]',
+        default='eth0')
+    parser.add_argument(
+        '--new-ip',
+        help='ip address to set [default=%(default)s]',
+        default='192.168.10.2')
+    args = parser.parse_args()
 
     #create the raw socket
-    print("Opening raw socket on interface:", options.ifc)
+    print("Opening raw socket on interface:", args.ifc)
     soc = socket.socket(socket.PF_PACKET, socket.SOCK_RAW)
-    soc.bind((options.ifc, RECOVERY_ETHERTYPE))
+    soc.bind((args.ifc, RECOVERY_ETHERTYPE))
 
     #create the recovery packet
-    print("Loading packet with ip address:", options.new_ip)
+    print("Loading packet with ip address:", args.new_ip)
     packet = struct.pack(
         '!6s6sH4s4s',
         mac_addr_repr_to_binary_string(BCAST_MAC_ADDR),
         mac_addr_repr_to_binary_string(BCAST_MAC_ADDR),
         RECOVERY_ETHERTYPE,
         IP_RECOVERY_CODE,
-        socket.inet_aton(options.new_ip),
+        socket.inet_aton(args.new_ip),
     )
 
-    print("Sending packet (%d bytes)"%len(packet))
+    print("Sending packet ({} bytes)".format(len(packet)))
     soc.send(packet)
     print("Done")