diff --git a/tools/python/xen/xm/create.py b/tools/python/xen/xm/create.py
index 1c0fa6cb4f..9d977dd337 100644
--- a/tools/python/xen/xm/create.py
+++ b/tools/python/xen/xm/create.py
@@ -465,6 +465,8 @@ def main(argv):
     else:
         opts.load_defconfig()
         preprocess(opts, opts.vals)
+        if not opts.getopt('name') and opts.getopt('defconfig'):
+            opts.setopt('name', os.path.basename(opts.getopt('defconfig')))
         config = make_config(opts.vals)
     if opts.vals.dryrun:
         PrettyPrint.prettyprint(config)
diff --git a/tools/python/xen/xm/opts.py b/tools/python/xen/xm/opts.py
index 0dfee0b7c9..f92c82dfe6 100644
--- a/tools/python/xen/xm/opts.py
+++ b/tools/python/xen/xm/opts.py
@@ -313,6 +313,9 @@ class Opts:
                     print >>sys.stderr, "Error: Unknown option:", k
                     self.usage()
 
+            if not args:
+                break
+            
             # then process the 1st arg 
             (arg,args) = (args[0], args[1:])