diff --git a/doc/man1/flux-kvs.adoc b/doc/man1/flux-kvs.adoc
index e2345af78d29..db0716f5d73a 100644
--- a/doc/man1/flux-kvs.adoc
+++ b/doc/man1/flux-kvs.adoc
@@ -132,11 +132,13 @@ an RFC 11 snapshot reference.
 Create an empty directory and commit the change.  If 'key' exists,
 it is overwritten.
 
-*copy* 'source' 'destination'::
-Copy 'source' key to 'destination' key.  If a directory is copied, a new
-reference is created; it is unnecessary for *copy* to recurse into 'source'.
+*copy* [-S src-ns] [-D dst-ns] 'source' 'destination'::
+Copy 'source' key to 'destination' key.  Optionally, specify a source
+and/or destination namespace to override the one specified via 'N'.
+If a directory is copied, a new reference is created; it is
+unnecessary for *copy* to recurse into 'source'.
 
-*move* 'source' 'destination'::
+*move* [-S src-ns] [-D dst-ns] 'source' 'destination'::
 Like *copy*, but 'source' is unlinked after the copy.
 
 *dropcache* [--all]::
diff --git a/src/cmd/flux-kvs.c b/src/cmd/flux-kvs.c
index 6b203ded480f..990ed4d73144 100644
--- a/src/cmd/flux-kvs.c
+++ b/src/cmd/flux-kvs.c
@@ -205,6 +205,16 @@ static struct optparse_option getroot_opts[] =  {
     OPTPARSE_TABLE_END
 };
 
+static struct optparse_option copy_opts[] =  {
+    { .name = "src-namespace", .key = 'S', .has_arg = 1,
+      .usage = "Specify source key's namespace",
+    },
+    { .name = "dst-namespace", .key = 'D', .has_arg = 1,
+      .usage = "Specify destination key's namespace",
+    },
+    OPTPARSE_TABLE_END
+};
+
 static struct optparse_subcommand subcommands[] = {
     { "namespace-create",
       "name [name...]",
@@ -288,14 +298,14 @@ static struct optparse_subcommand subcommands[] = {
       "Copy source key to destination key",
       cmd_copy,
       0,
-      NULL
+      copy_opts
     },
     { "move",
       "source destination",
       "Move source key to destination key",
       cmd_move,
       0,
-      NULL
+      copy_opts
     },
     { "dropcache",
       "[--all]",
@@ -1619,14 +1629,19 @@ int cmd_copy (optparse_t *p, int argc, char **argv)
     int optindex;
     flux_future_t *f;
     const char *srckey, *dstkey;
+    const char *srcns, *dstns;
 
     optindex = optparse_option_index (p);
     if (optindex != (argc - 2))
         log_msg_exit ("copy: specify srckey dstkey");
+
+    srcns = optparse_get_str (p, "src-namespace", NULL);
+    dstns = optparse_get_str (p, "dst-namespace", NULL);
+
     srckey = argv[optindex];
     dstkey = argv[optindex + 1];
 
-    if (!(f = flux_kvs_copy (h, NULL, srckey, NULL, dstkey, 0))
+    if (!(f = flux_kvs_copy (h, srcns, srckey, dstns, dstkey, 0))
             || flux_future_get (f, NULL) < 0)
         log_err_exit ("flux_kvs_copy");
     flux_future_destroy (f);
@@ -1640,16 +1655,21 @@ int cmd_move (optparse_t *p, int argc, char **argv)
     int optindex;
     flux_future_t *f;
     const char *srckey, *dstkey;
+    const char *srcns, *dstns;
 
     h = (flux_t *)optparse_get_data (p, "flux_handle");
 
     optindex = optparse_option_index (p);
     if (optindex != (argc - 2))
         log_msg_exit ("move: specify srckey dstkey");
+
+    srcns = optparse_get_str (p, "src-namespace", NULL);
+    dstns = optparse_get_str (p, "dst-namespace", NULL);
+
     srckey = argv[optindex];
     dstkey = argv[optindex + 1];
 
-    if (!(f = flux_kvs_move (h, NULL, srckey, NULL, dstkey, 0))
+    if (!(f = flux_kvs_move (h, srcns, srckey, dstns, dstkey, 0))
             || flux_future_get (f, NULL) < 0)
         log_err_exit ("flux_kvs_move");
     flux_future_destroy (f);
diff --git a/t/t1009-kvs-copy.t b/t/t1009-kvs-copy.t
index ba3421def9e1..8946dfd0107c 100755
--- a/t/t1009-kvs-copy.t
+++ b/t/t1009-kvs-copy.t
@@ -78,21 +78,21 @@ test_expect_success 'kvs-move dir dst contains expected value' '
 	test "$value" = "bar"
 '
 
-# from namespace
+# from namespace, via nsprefix
 #   copy a value, move a dir
 
 test_expect_success 'create test namespace' '
-	flux kvs namespace-create fromns
+	flux kvs namespace-create fromns-prefix
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'kvs-copy from namespace works' '
         flux kvs unlink -Rf test &&
-        flux kvs unlink -Rf ns:fromns/test &&
-	flux kvs put ns:fromns/test.src=foo &&
-        flux kvs copy ns:fromns/test.src test.dst
+        flux kvs unlink -Rf ns:fromns-prefix/test &&
+	flux kvs put ns:fromns-prefix/test.src=foo &&
+        flux kvs copy ns:fromns-prefix/test.src test.dst
 '
 test_expect_success 'kvs-copy from namespace does not unlink src' '
-	value=$(flux kvs get ns:fromns/test.src) &&
+	value=$(flux kvs get ns:fromns-prefix/test.src) &&
 	test "$value" = "foo"
 '
 test_expect_success 'kvs-copy from namespace dst contains expected value' '
@@ -102,12 +102,12 @@ test_expect_success 'kvs-copy from namespace dst contains expected value' '
 
 test_expect_success 'kvs-move from namespace works' '
         flux kvs unlink -Rf test &&
-        flux kvs unlink -Rf ns:fromns/test &&
-	flux kvs put ns:fromns/test.src.a.b.c=foo &&
-        flux kvs move ns:fromns/test.src test.dst
+        flux kvs unlink -Rf ns:fromns-prefix/test &&
+	flux kvs put ns:fromns-prefix/test.src.a.b.c=foo &&
+        flux kvs move ns:fromns-prefix/test.src test.dst
 '
 test_expect_success 'kvs-move from namespace unlinks src' '
-	test_must_fail flux kvs get --treeobj ns:fromns/test.src
+	test_must_fail flux kvs get --treeobj ns:fromns-prefix/test.src
 '
 test_expect_success 'kvs-move from namespace dst contains expected value' '
 	value=$(flux kvs get test.dst.a.b.c) &&
@@ -115,49 +115,128 @@ test_expect_success 'kvs-move from namespace dst contains expected value' '
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'remove test namespace' '
-	flux kvs namespace-remove fromns
+	flux kvs namespace-remove fromns-prefix
 '
 
-# to namespace
+# to namespace, via nsprefix
 #   copy a value, move a dir
 
 test_expect_success 'create test namespace' '
-	flux kvs namespace-create tons
+	flux kvs namespace-create tons-prefix
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'kvs-copy to namespace works' '
-        flux kvs unlink -Rf ns:tons/test &&
+        flux kvs unlink -Rf ns:tons-prefix/test &&
         flux kvs unlink -Rf test &&
 	flux kvs put test.src=foo &&
-        flux kvs copy test.src ns:tons/test.dst
+        flux kvs copy test.src ns:tons-prefix/test.dst
 '
 test_expect_success 'kvs-copy to namespace does not unlink src' '
 	value=$(flux kvs get test.src) &&
 	test "$value" = "foo"
 '
 test_expect_success 'kvs-copy to namespace dst contains expected value' '
-	value=$(flux kvs get ns:tons/test.dst) &&
+	value=$(flux kvs get ns:tons-prefix/test.dst) &&
 	test "$value" = "foo"
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'kvs-move to namespace works' '
-        flux kvs unlink -Rf ns:tons/test &&
+        flux kvs unlink -Rf ns:tons-prefix/test &&
         flux kvs unlink -Rf test &&
 	flux kvs put test.src.a.b.c=foo &&
-        flux kvs move test.src ns:tons/test.dst
+        flux kvs move test.src ns:tons-prefix/test.dst
 '
 test_expect_success 'kvs-move to namespace unlinks src' '
 	test_must_fail flux kvs get --treeobj test.src
 '
 test_expect_success 'kvs-move to namespace dst contains expected value' '
-	value=$(flux kvs get ns:tons/test.dst.a.b.c) &&
+	value=$(flux kvs get ns:tons-prefix/test.dst.a.b.c) &&
 	test "$value" = "foo"
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'remove test namespace' '
-	flux kvs namespace-remove tons
+	flux kvs namespace-remove tons-prefix
 '
 
+# from namespace, via option
+#   copy a value, move a dir
+
+test_expect_success 'create test namespace' '
+	flux kvs namespace-create fromns-option
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'kvs-copy from namespace works' '
+        flux kvs unlink -Rf test &&
+        flux kvs --namespace=fromns-option unlink -Rf test &&
+	flux kvs --namespace=fromns-option put test.src=foo &&
+        flux kvs copy --src-namespace=fromns-option test.src test.dst
+'
+test_expect_success 'kvs-copy from namespace does not unlink src' '
+	value=$(flux kvs --namespace=fromns-option get test.src) &&
+	test "$value" = "foo"
+'
+test_expect_success 'kvs-copy from namespace dst contains expected value' '
+	value=$(flux kvs get test.dst) &&
+	test "$value" = "foo"
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'kvs-move from namespace works' '
+        flux kvs unlink -Rf test &&
+        flux kvs --namespace=fromns-option unlink -Rf test &&
+	flux kvs --namespace=fromns-option put test.src.a.b.c=foo &&
+        flux kvs move --src-namespace=fromns-option test.src test.dst
+'
+test_expect_success 'kvs-move from namespace unlinks src' '
+	test_must_fail flux kvs --namespace=fromns-option get --treeobj test.src
+'
+test_expect_success 'kvs-move from namespace dst contains expected value' '
+	value=$(flux kvs get test.dst.a.b.c) &&
+	test "$value" = "foo"
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'remove test namespace' '
+	flux kvs namespace-remove fromns-option
+'
+
+# to namespace, via option
+#   copy a value, move a dir
+
+test_expect_success 'create test namespace' '
+	flux kvs namespace-create tons-option
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'kvs-copy to namespace works' '
+        flux kvs --namespace=tons-option unlink -Rf test &&
+        flux kvs unlink -Rf test &&
+	flux kvs put test.src=foo &&
+        flux kvs copy --dst-namespace=tons-option test.src test.dst
+'
+test_expect_success 'kvs-copy to namespace does not unlink src' '
+	value=$(flux kvs get test.src) &&
+	test "$value" = "foo"
+'
+test_expect_success 'kvs-copy to namespace dst contains expected value' '
+	value=$(flux kvs --namespace=tons-option get test.dst) &&
+	test "$value" = "foo"
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'kvs-move to namespace works' '
+        flux kvs --namespace=tons-option unlink -Rf test &&
+        flux kvs unlink -Rf test &&
+	flux kvs put test.src.a.b.c=foo &&
+        flux kvs move --dst-namespace=tons-option test.src test.dst
+'
+test_expect_success 'kvs-move to namespace unlinks src' '
+	test_must_fail flux kvs get --treeobj test.src
+'
+test_expect_success 'kvs-move to namespace dst contains expected value' '
+	value=$(flux kvs --namespace=tons-option get test.dst.a.b.c) &&
+	test "$value" = "foo"
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'remove test namespace' '
+	flux kvs namespace-remove tons-option
+'
 
 # expected failures