diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index b7eb0f0f4..1af13311b 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ Target Layer:
 		- recognize TrustZone "Secure Monitor" mode
 		- "arm regs" command output changed
 		- register names use "sp" not "r13"
+		- add top-level "mcr" and "mrc" commands, replacing
+		  various core-specific operations
 	ARM11
 		- Preliminary ETM and ETB hookup
 		- accelerated "flash erase_check"
diff --git a/doc/openocd.texi b/doc/openocd.texi
index ea300925c..7e232117c 100644
--- a/doc/openocd.texi
+++ b/doc/openocd.texi
@@ -1524,7 +1524,7 @@ proc setc15 @{regs value@} @{
 
     echo [format "set p15 0x%04x, 0x%08x" $regs $value]
 
-    mcr 15 [expr ($regs>>12)&0x7] \
+    arm mcr 15 [expr ($regs>>12)&0x7] \
         [expr ($regs>>0)&0xf] [expr ($regs>>4)&0xf] \
         [expr ($regs>>8)&0x7] $value
 @}
@@ -5609,6 +5609,24 @@ with a handful of exceptions.
 ThumbEE disassembly currently has no explicit support.
 @end deffn
 
+@deffn Command {arm mcr} pX op1 CRn CRm op2 value
+Write @var{value} to a coprocessor @var{pX} register
+passing parameters @var{CRn},
+@var{CRm}, opcodes @var{opc1} and @var{opc2},
+and using the MCR instruction.
+(Parameter sequence matches the ARM instruction, but omits
+an ARM register.)
+@end deffn
+
+@deffn Command {arm mrc} pX coproc op1 CRn CRm op2 
+Read a coprocessor @var{pX} register passing parameters @var{CRn},
+@var{CRm}, opcodes @var{opc1} and @var{opc2},
+and the MRC instruction.
+Returns the result so it can be manipulated by Jim scripts.
+(Parameter sequence matches the ARM instruction, but omits
+an ARM register.)
+@end deffn
+
 @deffn Command {arm reg}
 Display a table of all banked core registers, fetching the current value from every
 core mode if necessary.
diff --git a/tcl/board/csb732.cfg b/tcl/board/csb732.cfg
index 9022fafcb..cad38e2e5 100644
--- a/tcl/board/csb732.cfg
+++ b/tcl/board/csb732.cfg
@@ -19,13 +19,13 @@ proc csb732_init { } {
 	# We assume the interpreter latency is enough.
 
 	# Allow access to all coprocessors
-	mcr 15 0 15 1 0 0x2001
+	arm mcr 15 0 15 1 0 0x2001
 
 	# Disable MMU, caches, write buffer
-	mcr 15 0 1 0 0 0x78
+	arm mcr 15 0 1 0 0 0x78
 
 	# Grant manager access to all domains
-	mcr 15 0 3 0 0 0xFFFFFFFF
+	arm mcr 15 0 3 0 0 0xFFFFFFFF
 
 	# Set ARM clock to 532 MHz, AHB to 133 MHz
 	mww 0x53F80004 0x1000
diff --git a/tcl/board/dm355evm.cfg b/tcl/board/dm355evm.cfg
index 2c8bea829..db47b8d4d 100644
--- a/tcl/board/dm355evm.cfg
+++ b/tcl/board/dm355evm.cfg
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ proc dm355evm_init {} {
 	########################
 
 	# turn on icache - set I bit in cp15 register c1
-	mcr 15 0 0 1 0 0x00051078
+	arm mcr 15 0 0 1 0 0x00051078
 }
 
 # NAND -- socket has two chipselects, MT29F16G08FAA puts 1GByte on each one.
diff --git a/tcl/board/openrd.cfg b/tcl/board/openrd.cfg
index 12cc79e49..6371effab 100644
--- a/tcl/board/openrd.cfg
+++ b/tcl/board/openrd.cfg
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ proc openrd_init { } {
 	jtag_reset 0 0
 	wait_halt
 
-	mcr 15 0 0 1 0 0x00052078
+	arm mcr 15 0 0 1 0 0x00052078
 
 	mww 0xD0001400 0x43000C30 #  DDR SDRAM Configuration Register
 	mww 0xD0001404 0x37543000 #  Dunit Control Low Register
diff --git a/tcl/board/sheevaplug.cfg b/tcl/board/sheevaplug.cfg
index 9267eb957..b843213be 100644
--- a/tcl/board/sheevaplug.cfg
+++ b/tcl/board/sheevaplug.cfg
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ proc sheevaplug_init { } {
 	jtag_reset 0 0
 	wait_halt
 
-	mcr 15 0 0 1 0 0x00052078
+	arm mcr 15 0 0 1 0 0x00052078
 
 	mww 0xD0001400 0x43000C30 #  DDR SDRAM Configuration Register
 	mww 0xD0001404 0x39543000 #  Dunit Control Low Register
diff --git a/tcl/target/c100helper.tcl b/tcl/target/c100helper.tcl
index 54fe07f08..965887131 100644
--- a/tcl/target/c100helper.tcl
+++ b/tcl/target/c100helper.tcl
@@ -436,22 +436,22 @@ proc initC100 {} {
     #	 */
     #	mov	r0, #0
     #	mcr	p15, 0, r0, c7, c7, 0	/* flush v3/v4 cache */
-    mcr 15 0 7 7 0 0x0
+    arm mcr 15 0 7 7 0 0x0
     #	mcr	p15, 0, r0, c8, c7, 0	/* flush v4 TLB */
-    mcr 15 0 8 7 0 0x0
+    arm mcr 15 0 8 7 0 0x0
 
     #	/*
     #	 * disable MMU stuff and caches
     #	 */
     #	mrc	p15, 0, r0, c1, c0, 0
-    mrc 15 0 1 0 0
+    arm mrc 15 0 1 0 0
     #	bic	r0, r0, #0x00002300	@ clear bits 13, 9:8 (--V- --RS)
     #	bic	r0, r0, #0x00000087	@ clear bits 7, 2:0 (B--- -CAM)
     #	orr	r0, r0, #0x00000002	@ set bit 2 (A) Align
     #	orr	r0, r0, #0x00001000	@ set bit 12 (I) I-Cache
     #	orr	r0, r0, #0x00400000	@ set bit 22 (U)
     #	mcr	p15, 0, r0, c1, c0, 0
-    mcr 15 0 1 0 0 0x401002
+    arm mcr 15 0 1 0 0 0x401002
     # This is from bsp_init() in u-boot/boards/mindspeed/ooma-darwin/board.c
     # APB init
     #    	// Setting APB Bus Wait states to 1, set post write
diff --git a/tcl/target/imx.cfg b/tcl/target/imx.cfg
index bfcc65255..547ec56cc 100644
--- a/tcl/target/imx.cfg
+++ b/tcl/target/imx.cfg
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ proc setc15 {regs value} {
 
 	echo [format "set p15 0x%04x, 0x%08x" $regs $value] 
 
-	mcr 15 [expr ($regs>>12)&0x7] [expr ($regs>>0)&0xf] [expr ($regs>>4)&0xf] [expr ($regs>>8)&0x7] $value 
+	arm mcr 15 [expr ($regs>>12)&0x7] [expr ($regs>>0)&0xf] [expr ($regs>>4)&0xf] [expr ($regs>>8)&0x7] $value 
 }