diff --git a/completions/bash/riverctl b/completions/bash/riverctl
index f3d8674..395c6f2 100644
--- a/completions/bash/riverctl
+++ b/completions/bash/riverctl
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 function __riverctl_completion ()
 {
+	local rule_actions="float no-float ssd csd tag"
 	if [ "${COMP_CWORD}" -eq 1 ]
 	then
 		OPTS=" \
@@ -63,7 +64,7 @@ function __riverctl_completion ()
 			"focus-view"|"swap") OPTS="next previous up down left right" ;;
 			"move"|"snap") OPTS="up down left right" ;;
 			"resize") OPTS="horizontal vertical" ;;
-			"rule-add"|"rule-del") OPTS="float no-float ssd csd tag" ;;
+			"rule-add"|"rule-del") OPTS="-app-id -title $rule_actions" ;;
 			"list-rules") OPTS="float ssd tag" ;;
 			"map") OPTS="-release -repeat -layout" ;;
 			"unmap") OPTS="-release" ;;
@@ -114,6 +115,24 @@ function __riverctl_completion ()
 				"scroll-method") OPTS="none two-finger edge button" ;;
 				*) return ;;
 			esac
+		elif [ "${COMP_WORDS[1]:0:5}" == "rule-" ]
+		then
+			case "${COMP_WORDS[2]}" in
+				"-app-id") OPTS="-title $rule_actions" ;;
+				"-title") OPTS="-app-id $rule_actions" ;;
+				*) return ;;
+			esac
+			COMPREPLY=($(compgen -W "${OPTS}" -- "${COMP_WORDS[4]}"))
+		fi
+	elif [ "${COMP_CWORD}" -eq 6 ]
+	then
+		if [ "${COMP_WORDS[1]:0:5}" == "rule-" ]
+		then
+			case "${COMP_WORDS[4]}" in
+				"-app-id"|"-title") OPTS="$rule_actions" ;;
+				*) return ;;
+			esac
+			COMPREPLY=($(compgen -W "${OPTS}" -- "${COMP_WORDS[6]}"))
 		fi
 	else
 		return
diff --git a/doc/riverctl.1.scd b/doc/riverctl.1.scd
index e08cd44..b599a90 100644
--- a/doc/riverctl.1.scd
+++ b/doc/riverctl.1.scd
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ For example, _abc_ is matched by _a\*_, _\*a\*_, _\*b\*_, _\*c_, _abc_, and
 _\*_ but not matched by _\*a_, _b\*_, _\*b_, _c\*_, or _ab_. Note that _\*_
 matches everything while _\*\*_ and the empty string are invalid.
 
-*rule-add* _action_ [*-app-id* _glob_|*-title* _glob_] [_argument_]
+*rule-add* [*-app-id* _glob_|*-title* _glob_] _action_ [_argument_]
 	Add a rule that applies an _action_ to views with *app-id* and *title*
 	matched by the respective _glob_. Omitting *-app-id* or *-title*
 	is equivalent to passing *-app-id* _\*_ or *-title* _\*_.
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ matches everything while _\*\*_ and the empty string are invalid.
 	wishes of the client and may start the view floating based on simple
 	heuristics intended to catch popup-like views.
 
-*rule-del* _action_ [*-app-id* _glob_|*-title* _glob_]
+*rule-del* [*-app-id* _glob_|*-title* _glob_] _action_
 	Delete a rule created using *rule-add* with the given arguments.
 
 *list-rules* *float*|*ssd*|*tag*
diff --git a/example/init b/example/init
index a8e120f..dff995c 100755
--- a/example/init
+++ b/example/init
@@ -151,10 +151,10 @@ riverctl border-color-unfocused 0x586e75
 riverctl set-repeat 50 300
 
 # Make all views with an app-id that starts with "float" and title "foo" start floating.
-riverctl rule-add float -app-id 'float*' -title 'foo'
+riverctl rule-add -app-id 'float*' -title 'foo' float
 
 # Make all views with app-id "bar" and any title use client-side decorations
-riverctl rule-add csd -app-id "bar"
+riverctl rule-add -app-id "bar" csd
 
 # Set the default layout generator to be rivertile and start it.
 # River will send the process group of the init executable SIGTERM on exit.
diff --git a/river/command/rule.zig b/river/command/rule.zig
index 87e7511..33b9b3b 100644
--- a/river/command/rule.zig
+++ b/river/command/rule.zig
@@ -36,20 +36,20 @@ const Action = enum {
 };
 
 pub fn ruleAdd(_: *Seat, args: []const [:0]const u8, _: *?[]const u8) Error!void {
-    if (args.len < 2) return Error.NotEnoughArguments;
-
     const result = flags.parser([:0]const u8, &.{
         .{ .name = "app-id", .kind = .arg },
         .{ .name = "title", .kind = .arg },
-    }).parse(args[2..]) catch {
+    }).parse(args[1..]) catch {
         return error.InvalidValue;
     };
 
-    const action = std.meta.stringToEnum(Action, args[1]) orelse return Error.UnknownOption;
+    if (result.args.len < 1) return Error.NotEnoughArguments;
+
+    const action = std.meta.stringToEnum(Action, result.args[0]) orelse return Error.UnknownOption;
 
     const positional_arguments_count: u8 = switch (action) {
-        .float, .@"no-float", .ssd, .csd => 0,
-        .tag => 1,
+        .float, .@"no-float", .ssd, .csd => 1,
+        .tag => 2,
     };
     if (result.args.len > positional_arguments_count) return Error.TooManyArguments;
     if (result.args.len < positional_arguments_count) return Error.NotEnoughArguments;
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ pub fn ruleAdd(_: *Seat, args: []const [:0]const u8, _: *?[]const u8) Error!void
             server.root.applyPending();
         },
         .tag => {
-            const tag = try fmt.parseInt(u32, result.args[0], 10);
+            const tag = try fmt.parseInt(u32, result.args[1], 10);
             try server.config.tag_rules.add(.{
                 .app_id_glob = app_id_glob,
                 .title_glob = title_glob,
@@ -89,18 +89,17 @@ pub fn ruleAdd(_: *Seat, args: []const [:0]const u8, _: *?[]const u8) Error!void
 }
 
 pub fn ruleDel(_: *Seat, args: []const [:0]const u8, _: *?[]const u8) Error!void {
-    if (args.len < 2) return Error.NotEnoughArguments;
-
     const result = flags.parser([:0]const u8, &.{
         .{ .name = "app-id", .kind = .arg },
         .{ .name = "title", .kind = .arg },
-    }).parse(args[2..]) catch {
+    }).parse(args[1..]) catch {
         return error.InvalidValue;
     };
 
-    if (result.args.len > 0) return Error.TooManyArguments;
+    if (result.args.len > 1) return Error.TooManyArguments;
+    if (result.args.len < 1) return Error.NotEnoughArguments;
 
-    const action = std.meta.stringToEnum(Action, args[1]) orelse return Error.UnknownOption;
+    const action = std.meta.stringToEnum(Action, result.args[0]) orelse return Error.UnknownOption;
     const app_id_glob = result.flags.@"app-id" orelse "*";
     const title_glob = result.flags.title orelse "*";