diff --git a/scalpels/cli/actions/report.py b/scalpels/cli/actions/report.py
index 529d23c..268edd2 100644
--- a/scalpels/cli/actions/report.py
+++ b/scalpels/cli/actions/report.py
@@ -6,6 +6,9 @@ from scalpels.db import api as db_api
 def run(config):
     print "command report: %s" % config
     last_task = db_api.task_get_last()
+    if not last_task:
+        print "no task yet."
+        return
     print "task: <%s>" % last_task.uuid
     results = []
     for ret_uuid in last_task.results:
diff --git a/scalpels/cli/actions/setup.py b/scalpels/cli/actions/setup.py
index 9412723..a8357e0 100644
--- a/scalpels/cli/actions/setup.py
+++ b/scalpels/cli/actions/setup.py
@@ -7,5 +7,6 @@ def run(config):
     print "command setup: %s" % config
     if config["force"]:
         db_api.db_drop()
+        db_api.db_create()
     else:
         db_api.db_create()
diff --git a/scalpels/cli/actions/start.py b/scalpels/cli/actions/start.py
index d8b9199..1541cc6 100644
--- a/scalpels/cli/actions/start.py
+++ b/scalpels/cli/actions/start.py
@@ -4,7 +4,18 @@
 
 from scalpels.db import api as db_api
 
+def _parse_agent_from_config(config):
+    if config.get("agent") is None:
+        return config
+    parsed_agents = []
+    for ag in config.get("agent"):
+        parsed_agents.extend(ag.split(","))
+    config.update({"agent":parsed_agents})
+    return config
+
+
 def run(config):
+    config = _parse_agent_from_config(config)
     print "command start: %s" % config
     data = [config]
     rets = []
diff --git a/scalpels/cli/shell.py b/scalpels/cli/shell.py
index 2854549..0359986 100755
--- a/scalpels/cli/shell.py
+++ b/scalpels/cli/shell.py
@@ -23,7 +23,8 @@ def main():
 
     # setup start actions
     start = subparsers.add_parser("start")
-    start.add_argument("--file", action="store", dest="file", help="config file for this task", required=True)
+    start.add_argument("-f", "--file", action="store", dest="file", help="config file for this task", required=False)
+    start.add_argument("-a", "--agent", action="append", dest="agent", help="agent(s) to run", required=False)
 
     # setup report actions
     report = subparsers.add_parser("report")
diff --git a/scalpels/db/sqlalchemy/api.py b/scalpels/db/sqlalchemy/api.py
index e02335c..dea48ff 100644
--- a/scalpels/db/sqlalchemy/api.py
+++ b/scalpels/db/sqlalchemy/api.py
@@ -66,5 +66,7 @@ def result_get(result_uuid):
     return ret
 
 def task_get_last():
-    tasks = model_query(models.Task)
-    return tasks[-1]
+    tasks = model_query(models.Task).all()
+    if len(tasks) > 0:
+        return tasks[-1]
+    return None