diff --git a/yarn/common/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/deploy/yarn/ClientArguments.scala b/yarn/common/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/deploy/yarn/ClientArguments.scala
index 40d8d6d6e6961..83781b3e7515b 100644
--- a/yarn/common/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/deploy/yarn/ClientArguments.scala
+++ b/yarn/common/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/deploy/yarn/ClientArguments.scala
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ class ClientArguments(val args: Array[String], val sparkConf: SparkConf) {
       "Options:\n" +
       "  --jar JAR_PATH             Path to your application's JAR file (required in yarn-cluster mode)\n" +
       "  --class CLASS_NAME         Name of your application's main class (required)\n" +
-      "  --arg ARGS                 Argument to be passed to your application's main class.\n" +
+      "  --arg ARG                  Argument to be passed to your application's main class.\n" +
       "                             Multiple invocations are possible, each will be passed in order.\n" +
       "  --num-executors NUM        Number of executors to start (Default: 2)\n" +
       "  --executor-cores NUM       Number of cores for the executors (Default: 1).\n" +
diff --git a/yarn/common/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/scheduler/cluster/YarnClientSchedulerBackend.scala b/yarn/common/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/scheduler/cluster/YarnClientSchedulerBackend.scala
index a825c41667e25..da4196843629b 100644
--- a/yarn/common/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/scheduler/cluster/YarnClientSchedulerBackend.scala
+++ b/yarn/common/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/scheduler/cluster/YarnClientSchedulerBackend.scala
@@ -39,45 +39,22 @@ private[spark] class YarnClientSchedulerBackend(
   var stopping: Boolean = false
   var totalExpectedExecutors = 0
 
-  private[spark] def addArg(optionName: String, envVar: String, sysProp: String,
-      arrayBuf: ArrayBuffer[String]) {
-    if (System.getenv(envVar) != null) {
-      arrayBuf += (optionName, System.getenv(envVar))
-    } else if (sc.getConf.contains(sysProp)) {
-      arrayBuf += (optionName, sc.getConf.get(sysProp))
-    }
-  }
-
+  /**
+   * Create a Yarn client to submit an application to the ResourceManager.
+   * This waits until the application is running.
+   */
   override def start() {
     super.start()
-
     val driverHost = conf.get("spark.driver.host")
     val driverPort = conf.get("spark.driver.port")
     val hostport = driverHost + ":" + driverPort
     conf.set("spark.driver.appUIAddress", sc.ui.appUIHostPort)
 
     val argsArrayBuf = new ArrayBuffer[String]()
-    argsArrayBuf += (
-      "--args", hostport
-    )
-
-    // process any optional arguments, given either as environment variables
-    // or system properties. use the defaults already defined in ClientArguments
-    // if things aren't specified. system properties override environment
-    // variables.
-    List(("--driver-memory", "SPARK_MASTER_MEMORY", "spark.master.memory"),
-      ("--driver-memory", "SPARK_DRIVER_MEMORY", "spark.driver.memory"),
-      ("--num-executors", "SPARK_WORKER_INSTANCES", "spark.executor.instances"),
-      ("--num-executors", "SPARK_EXECUTOR_INSTANCES", "spark.executor.instances"),
-      ("--executor-memory", "SPARK_WORKER_MEMORY", "spark.executor.memory"),
-      ("--executor-memory", "SPARK_EXECUTOR_MEMORY", "spark.executor.memory"),
-      ("--executor-cores", "SPARK_WORKER_CORES", "spark.executor.cores"),
-      ("--executor-cores", "SPARK_EXECUTOR_CORES", "spark.executor.cores"),
-      ("--queue", "SPARK_YARN_QUEUE", "spark.yarn.queue"),
-      ("--name", "SPARK_YARN_APP_NAME", "spark.app.name"))
-    .foreach { case (optName, envVar, sysProp) => addArg(optName, envVar, sysProp, argsArrayBuf) }
-
-    logDebug("ClientArguments called with: " + argsArrayBuf)
+    argsArrayBuf += ("--arg", hostport)
+    argsArrayBuf ++= getExtraClientArguments
+
+    logDebug("ClientArguments called with: " + argsArrayBuf.mkString(" "))
     val args = new ClientArguments(argsArrayBuf.toArray, conf)
     totalExpectedExecutors = args.numExecutors
     client = new Client(args, conf)
@@ -86,6 +63,35 @@ private[spark] class YarnClientSchedulerBackend(
     asyncMonitorApplication()
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Return any extra command line arguments to be passed to Client provided in the form of
+   * environment variables or Spark properties.
+   */
+  private def getExtraClientArguments: Seq[String] = {
+    val extraArgs = new ArrayBuffer[String]
+    val optionTuples = // List of (target Client argument, environment variable, Spark property)
+      List(
+        ("--driver-memory", "SPARK_MASTER_MEMORY", "spark.master.memory"),
+        ("--driver-memory", "SPARK_DRIVER_MEMORY", "spark.driver.memory"),
+        ("--num-executors", "SPARK_WORKER_INSTANCES", "spark.executor.instances"),
+        ("--num-executors", "SPARK_EXECUTOR_INSTANCES", "spark.executor.instances"),
+        ("--executor-memory", "SPARK_WORKER_MEMORY", "spark.executor.memory"),
+        ("--executor-memory", "SPARK_EXECUTOR_MEMORY", "spark.executor.memory"),
+        ("--executor-cores", "SPARK_WORKER_CORES", "spark.executor.cores"),
+        ("--executor-cores", "SPARK_EXECUTOR_CORES", "spark.executor.cores"),
+        ("--queue", "SPARK_YARN_QUEUE", "spark.yarn.queue"),
+        ("--name", "SPARK_YARN_APP_NAME", "spark.app.name")
+      )
+    optionTuples.foreach { case (argName, envVar, sparkProp) =>
+      if (System.getenv(envVar) != null) {
+        extraArgs += (optionName, System.getenv(envVar))
+      } else if (sc.getConf.contains(sysProp)) {
+        extraArgs += (optionName, sc.getConf.get(sysProp))
+      }
+    }
+    extraArgs
+  }
+
   /**
    * Report the state of the application until it is running.
    * If the application has finished, failed or been killed in the process, throw an exception.