diff --git a/empty-bucket.py b/empty-bucket.py
index 048b341..2f683e8 100644
--- a/empty-bucket.py
+++ b/empty-bucket.py
@@ -15,15 +15,31 @@
 # 3. You can empty the entire bucket by using '/' as the prefix. It will work, but this is
 #    probably not the most efficient way to empty a whole bucket.
 
-
 import botocore
 import boto3
+import argparse
+import sys
+
+# a couple globals
+debug     = False
+pageSize  = 1000 # Will handle this many objects per API call. 1000 is AWS max.
+
+class initArgs(object):
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
+        self.parser.add_argument(
+            "--bucket", type=str, help="Bucket name", required=True)
+        self.parser.add_argument(
+            "--prefix", type=str, help="Prefix inside the bucket. Must end in /", required=True)
+        self.parser.add_argument(
+            "--pagesize", type=int, help="Number of objects to delete per run, max 1000. Default 1000.",
+            default=1000, required=False)
+        self.parser.add_argument( "--debug", action='store_true', help="don't actually do anything")
+        self.args = self.parser.parse_args(sys.argv[1:])
 
-# prefix must NOT start with a /, but MUST end with a slash:
-# "prefix/" = OK. "/prefix/" = BAD. "/prefix" = BAD. "prefix" = BAD.
-prefix     = "myprefixname/"
-bucketname = "mybucketname"
-pageSize   = 1000 # Will handle this many objects per API call. 1000 is AWS max.
+    def get_args(self):
+        return self.args
 
 def emptyFolder( bucketname: str, prefix: str):
     """Given a bucket name and prefix, delete all objects in that bucket with
@@ -51,7 +67,8 @@ def emptyFolder( bucketname: str, prefix: str):
         page += 1
         objectList = [{'Key': obj.get('Key')} for obj in s3Page.get('Contents', []) ]
         print( f"Deleting {len(objectList)} objects, page {page}")
-        if objectList:
+        # only delete if debug is false
+        if objectList and (not debug):
             try:
                 response = s3.delete_objects( Bucket=bucketname,
                     Delete={ 'Objects': objectList } )
@@ -63,4 +80,22 @@ def emptyFolder( bucketname: str, prefix: str):
                 raise Exception("Unexpected HTTP response: " + 
                     response.get('ResponseMetadata')['HTTPStatusCode'] )
 if __name__ == "__main__":
-    emptyFolder(bucketname=bucketname, prefix=prefix)
\ No newline at end of file
+    args = initArgs().get_args()
+    pagesize=args.pagesize
+    if( args.debug == True ):
+        debug = True
+    if( not args.prefix.endswith('/') ):
+        print( f"ERROR: prefix doesn't end in a slash: \"{args.prefix}\"")
+        exit(1)
+    if( args.prefix.startswith('/') ):
+        print( f"ERROR: prefix must NOT start with a slash: \"{args.prefix}\"")
+        exit(1)
+    if( (args.pagesize <= 0) or (args.pagesize > 1000) ):
+        print( f"ERROR: pagesize must be > 0 and must be < 1000: pagesize=\"{args.pagesize}\"")
+        exit(1)
+    else:
+        pageSize = args.pagesize
+    if( args.prefix == "/" ):
+        print( "WARNING: prefix is /. DELETING ALL OBJECTS" )
+    
+    emptyFolder(bucketname=args.bucket, prefix=args.prefix)
\ No newline at end of file