diff --git a/peer/chaincode/common.go b/peer/chaincode/common.go
index cf0f6f8d254..2ef4e60a0a2 100755
--- a/peer/chaincode/common.go
+++ b/peer/chaincode/common.go
@@ -187,19 +187,17 @@ func checkChaincodeCmdParams(cmd *cobra.Command) error {
 			return fmt.Errorf("Chaincode argument error: %s", err)
 		}
 		m := f.(map[string]interface{})
-		if len(m) != 2 {
-			return fmt.Errorf("Non-empty JSON chaincode parameters must contain exactly 2 keys: 'Function' and 'Args'")
-		}
+		sm := make(map[string]interface{})
 		for k := range m {
-			switch strings.ToLower(k) {
-			case "args":
-			case "function":
-			default:
-				return fmt.Errorf("Illegal chaincode key '%s' - must be 'Function' or 'Args'", k)
-			}
+			sm[strings.ToLower(k)] = m[k]
+		}
+		_, argsPresent := sm["args"]
+		_, funcPresent := sm["function"]
+		if !argsPresent || (len(m) == 2 && !funcPresent) || len(m) > 2 {
+			return fmt.Errorf("Non-empty JSON chaincode parameters must contain the following keys: 'Args' or 'Function' and 'Args'")
 		}
 	} else {
-		return errors.New("Empty JSON chaincode parameters must contain exactly 2 keys: 'Function' and 'Args'")
+		return errors.New("Empty JSON chaincode parameters must contain the following keys: 'Args' or 'Function' and 'Args'")
 	}
 
 	if chaincodeAttributesJSON != "[]" {
diff --git a/peer/chaincode/common_test.go b/peer/chaincode/common_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..2ba6fc592f1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/peer/chaincode/common_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+/*
+ Copyright Digital Asset Holdings, LLC 2016 All Rights Reserved.
+
+ Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+ Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package chaincode
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+func TestCheckChaincodeCmdParamsWithNewCallingSchema(t *testing.T) {
+	chaincodeAttributesJSON = "[]"
+	chaincodeCtorJSON = `{ "Args":["func", "param"] }`
+	chaincodePath = "some/path"
+	require := require.New(t)
+	result := checkChaincodeCmdParams(nil)
+
+	require.Nil(result)
+}
+
+func TestCheckChaincodeCmdParamsWithOldCallingSchema(t *testing.T) {
+	chaincodeAttributesJSON = "[]"
+	chaincodeCtorJSON = `{ "Function":"func", "Args":["param"] }`
+	chaincodePath = "some/path"
+	require := require.New(t)
+	result := checkChaincodeCmdParams(nil)
+
+	require.Nil(result)
+}
+
+func TestCheckChaincodeCmdParamsWithFunctionOnly(t *testing.T) {
+	chaincodeAttributesJSON = "[]"
+	chaincodeCtorJSON = `{ "Function":"func" }`
+	chaincodePath = "some/path"
+	require := require.New(t)
+	result := checkChaincodeCmdParams(nil)
+
+	require.Error(result)
+}
+
+func TestCheckChaincodeCmdParamsEmptyCtor(t *testing.T) {
+	chaincodeAttributesJSON = "[]"
+	chaincodeCtorJSON = `{}`
+	chaincodePath = "some/path"
+	require := require.New(t)
+	result := checkChaincodeCmdParams(nil)
+
+	require.Error(result)
+}