diff --git a/scripts/portal-down.sh b/scripts/portal-down.sh
index 0b42b53a..a60ed863 100755
--- a/scripts/portal-down.sh
+++ b/scripts/portal-down.sh
@@ -2,15 +2,17 @@
 
 set -e # exit on first error
 
-while getopts d:t: flag
+while getopts d:t:r: flag
 do
     case "${flag}" in
         d) delay=${OPTARG};;
         t) timeout=${OPTARG};;
+        r) reason=${OPTARG};;
     esac
 done
 delay=${delay:-0} # default to no delay
 timeout=${timeout:-300} # default timeout is 300s
+reason=${reason:-"disabled manually"}
 
 countdown() {
     local secs=$1
@@ -25,7 +27,7 @@ countdown() {
 countdown $delay
 
 # stop healh-check so the server is taken our of load balancer
-docker exec health-check cli/disable
+docker exec health-check cli disable $reason
 
 # then wait 5 minutes for the load balancer to propagate the dns records
 countdown $timeout
diff --git a/scripts/portal-up.sh b/scripts/portal-up.sh
index 1a287f2f..fcd7fe80 100755
--- a/scripts/portal-up.sh
+++ b/scripts/portal-up.sh
@@ -3,4 +3,4 @@
 set -e # exit on first error
 
 # start the health-checks service
-docker exec health-check cli/enable
+docker exec health-check cli enable