diff --git a/boards/arc/arduino_101_sss/Makefile.board b/boards/arc/arduino_101_sss/Makefile.board
index f4001bad4fc..4dc7665a495 100644
--- a/boards/arc/arduino_101_sss/Makefile.board
+++ b/boards/arc/arduino_101_sss/Makefile.board
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ FLASH_SCRIPT = openocd.sh
 endif
 DEBUG_SCRIPT = openocd.sh
 
-OPENOCD_PRE_CMD = "-c targets 1"
+OPENOCD_PRE_CMD = "targets 1"
 OPENOCD_LOAD_CMD = "load_image ${O}/${KERNEL_BIN_NAME} $(CONFIG_FLASH_BASE_ADDRESS)"
 OPENOCD_VERIFY_CMD = "verify_image ${O}/${KERNEL_BIN_NAME} $(CONFIG_FLASH_BASE_ADDRESS)"
 
diff --git a/boards/arc/em_starterkit/Makefile.board b/boards/arc/em_starterkit/Makefile.board
index 10e129b360c..4ee729b853b 100644
--- a/boards/arc/em_starterkit/Makefile.board
+++ b/boards/arc/em_starterkit/Makefile.board
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 #FLASH_SCRIPT = openocd.sh
 #  ^^ Keep FLASH_SCRIPT undefined for now since flashing a self-boot image
 #     is not yet supported by Zephyr Makefile.
-OPENOCD_PRE_CMD = "-c targets 1"
+OPENOCD_PRE_CMD = "targets 1"
 OPENOCD_LOAD_CMD = "load_image ${O}/${KERNEL_BIN_NAME} $(CONFIG_ICCM_BASE_ADDRESS)"
 OPENOCD_VERIFY_CMD = "verify_image ${O}/${KERNEL_BIN_NAME} $(CONFIG_ICCM_BASE_ADDRESS)"
 
diff --git a/boards/arc/panther_ss/Makefile.board b/boards/arc/panther_ss/Makefile.board
index 2c7ad79a9c4..e99bb120752 100644
--- a/boards/arc/panther_ss/Makefile.board
+++ b/boards/arc/panther_ss/Makefile.board
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 FLASH_SCRIPT = openocd.sh
 DEBUG_SCRIPT = openocd.sh
-OPENOCD_PRE_CMD = "-c targets 1"
+OPENOCD_PRE_CMD = "targets 1"
 OPENOCD_LOAD_CMD = "load_image ${O}/${KERNEL_BIN_NAME} $(CONFIG_FLASH_BASE_ADDRESS)"
 OPENOCD_VERIFY_CMD = "verify_image ${O}/${KERNEL_BIN_NAME} $(CONFIG_FLASH_BASE_ADDRESS)"
 
diff --git a/boards/arc/quark_se_c1000_ss_devboard/Makefile.board b/boards/arc/quark_se_c1000_ss_devboard/Makefile.board
index 2c7ad79a9c4..e99bb120752 100644
--- a/boards/arc/quark_se_c1000_ss_devboard/Makefile.board
+++ b/boards/arc/quark_se_c1000_ss_devboard/Makefile.board
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 FLASH_SCRIPT = openocd.sh
 DEBUG_SCRIPT = openocd.sh
-OPENOCD_PRE_CMD = "-c targets 1"
+OPENOCD_PRE_CMD = "targets 1"
 OPENOCD_LOAD_CMD = "load_image ${O}/${KERNEL_BIN_NAME} $(CONFIG_FLASH_BASE_ADDRESS)"
 OPENOCD_VERIFY_CMD = "verify_image ${O}/${KERNEL_BIN_NAME} $(CONFIG_FLASH_BASE_ADDRESS)"
 
diff --git a/boards/x86/arduino_101/Makefile.board b/boards/x86/arduino_101/Makefile.board
index 00ba144fd19..a7ef9587b97 100644
--- a/boards/x86/arduino_101/Makefile.board
+++ b/boards/x86/arduino_101/Makefile.board
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ else
 FLASH_SCRIPT = openocd.sh
 endif
 DEBUG_SCRIPT = openocd.sh
-OPENOCD_PRE_CMD = "-c targets 1"
+OPENOCD_PRE_CMD = "targets 1"
 OPENOCD_LOAD_CMD = "load_image ${O}/${KERNEL_BIN_NAME} ${CONFIG_PHYS_LOAD_ADDR}"
 OPENOCD_VERIFY_CMD = "verify_image ${O}/${KERNEL_BIN_NAME} ${CONFIG_PHYS_LOAD_ADDR}"
 
diff --git a/boards/x86/panther/Makefile.board b/boards/x86/panther/Makefile.board
index fd6d2f84b10..e79be2739f0 100644
--- a/boards/x86/panther/Makefile.board
+++ b/boards/x86/panther/Makefile.board
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 FLASH_SCRIPT = openocd.sh
 DEBUG_SCRIPT = openocd.sh
-OPENOCD_PRE_CMD = "-c targets 1"
+OPENOCD_PRE_CMD = "targets 1"
 OPENOCD_LOAD_CMD = "load_image ${O}/${KERNEL_BIN_NAME} ${CONFIG_PHYS_LOAD_ADDR}"
 OPENOCD_VERIFY_CMD = "verify_image ${O}/${KERNEL_BIN_NAME} ${CONFIG_PHYS_LOAD_ADDR}"
 
diff --git a/boards/x86/quark_se_c1000_devboard/Makefile.board b/boards/x86/quark_se_c1000_devboard/Makefile.board
index fd6d2f84b10..e79be2739f0 100644
--- a/boards/x86/quark_se_c1000_devboard/Makefile.board
+++ b/boards/x86/quark_se_c1000_devboard/Makefile.board
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 FLASH_SCRIPT = openocd.sh
 DEBUG_SCRIPT = openocd.sh
-OPENOCD_PRE_CMD = "-c targets 1"
+OPENOCD_PRE_CMD = "targets 1"
 OPENOCD_LOAD_CMD = "load_image ${O}/${KERNEL_BIN_NAME} ${CONFIG_PHYS_LOAD_ADDR}"
 OPENOCD_VERIFY_CMD = "verify_image ${O}/${KERNEL_BIN_NAME} ${CONFIG_PHYS_LOAD_ADDR}"
 
diff --git a/scripts/support/openocd.sh b/scripts/support/openocd.sh
index 6d8dd55aa29..55f0b0319b0 100755
--- a/scripts/support/openocd.sh
+++ b/scripts/support/openocd.sh
@@ -35,12 +35,12 @@ do_flash() {
     sh -c  "${OPENOCD_CMD} -f '${OPENOCD_CONFIG}' \
             -c 'init' \
             -c 'targets' \
-            ${OPENOCD_PRE_CMD} \
+            ${OPENOCD_PRE_CMD:+-c $OPENOCD_PRE_CMD} \
             -c 'reset halt' \
             -c ${OPENOCD_LOAD_CMD} \
             -c 'reset halt' \
             -c ${OPENOCD_VERIFY_CMD} \
-            ${OPENOCD_POST_CMD} \
+            ${OPENOCD_POST_CMD:+-c $OPENOCD_POST_CMD} \
             -c 'reset run' \
             -c 'shutdown'"
     echo 'Done flashing'