diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b0bad54..41bf2d0 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -35,29 +35,22 @@
 Local instances require a blessed syncbase instance. To attain blessings and
 start syncbase, use:
 
-    make bootstrap
-
-or
-
-    make boostrap port=<syncbase port>
+    make bootstrap [creds=<creds subdir>] [port=<syncbase port>]
 
 Related targets:
 
-    make creds
-    make syncbase [port=<syncbase port>]
+    make creds [creds=<creds subdir>]
+    make syncbase [creds=<creds subdir>] [port=<syncbase port>]
+
+You can similarly run with fresh creds or syncbase data via:
+
+    make clean-creds
+    make clean-syncbase
 
 To run a local dev server use:
 
-    make start
-
-If you would like to change the port that is used:
-
-    make start port=<port>
+    make start [port=<port>]
 
 To connect to a syncbase instance other than the default, navigate to:
 
-    localhost:<server port>
-
-or
-
     localhost:<server port>/?syncbase=<syncbase port>
diff --git a/tools/start_services.sh b/tools/start_services.sh
index 7803c80..4d2030a 100644
--- a/tools/start_services.sh
+++ b/tools/start_services.sh
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
 # Expects credentials in tmp/creds, generated as follows:
 #
 # make creds
+#
+# Optionally, the creds variable can specify a subdirectory.
 
 set -euo pipefail
 trap kill_child_processes INT TERM EXIT
@@ -33,13 +35,9 @@
   local -r BLESSINGS=`principal dump --v23.credentials=${CREDS} -s=true`
 
   if [ ${client-} ]; then
-    local -r MOUNTTABLED_ADDR=":$((PORT+1))"
-    mounttabled \
-      --v23.tcp.address=${MOUNTTABLED_ADDR} \
-      --v23.credentials=${CREDS} &
+    local -r SG_NAME=dummy
 
-    local -r SG_NAME=syncbase
-    local -r NS_ROOT=/${MOUNTTABLED_ADDR}
+    echo "Starting syncbased on ${SYNCBASED_ADDR}"
   else
     local -r RE="dev\.v\.io/u/(.*)"
     if [[ ${BLESSINGS} =~ ${RE} ]]; then
@@ -47,9 +45,10 @@
     fi
     local -r SG_NAME=users/${V_USER}/travel/sgadmin
     local -r NS_ROOT=/ns.dev.v.io:8101
-  fi
+    local -r NS_OPT="--v23.namespace.root=${NS_ROOT}"
 
-  echo "Starting syncbased on ${SYNCBASED_ADDR} mounted at ${NS_ROOT}/${SG_NAME}"
+    echo "Starting syncbased on ${SYNCBASED_ADDR} mounted at ${NS_ROOT}/${SG_NAME}"
+  fi
 
   mkdir -p $TMP
   ./bin/syncbased \
@@ -57,7 +56,7 @@
     --alsologtostderr=false \
     --root-dir=${TMP}/syncbase_${PORT} \
     --name=${SG_NAME} \
-    --v23.namespace.root=${NS_ROOT} \
+    ${NS_OPT-} \
     --v23.tcp.address=${SYNCBASED_ADDR} \
     --v23.credentials=${CREDS} \
     --v23.permissions.literal="{\"Admin\":{\"In\":[\"${BLESSINGS}\"]},\"Write\":{\"In\":[\"${BLESSINGS}\"]},\"Read\":{\"In\":[\"${BLESSINGS}\"]},\"Resolve\":{\"In\":[\"${BLESSINGS}\"]},\"Debug\":{\"In\":[\"...\"]}}"