diff --git a/django/core/management/commands/sendtestemail.py b/django/core/management/commands/sendtestemail.py
index c0284bb95f..d10c438f91 100644
--- a/django/core/management/commands/sendtestemail.py
+++ b/django/core/management/commands/sendtestemail.py
@@ -7,14 +7,15 @@ from django.core.management.base import BaseCommand, CommandError
 
 class Command(BaseCommand):
     help = "Sends a test email to the email addresses specified as arguments."
-    args = "<email1 email2 ...>"
+
+    def add_arguments(self, parser):
+        parser.add_argument('email', nargs='+',
+            help='One or more email addresses to send the test mail to.')
 
     def handle(self, *args, **kwargs):
-        if not args:
-            raise CommandError('You must provide at least one destination email.')
         send_mail(
             subject='Test email from %s on %s' % (socket.gethostname(), datetime.datetime.now()),
             message="If you\'re reading this, it was successful.",
             from_email=None,
-            recipient_list=args,
+            recipient_list=kwargs['email'],
         )
diff --git a/tests/mail/test_sendtestemail.py b/tests/mail/test_sendtestemail.py
index 5fff7c8809..ccc54caefb 100644
--- a/tests/mail/test_sendtestemail.py
+++ b/tests/mail/test_sendtestemail.py
@@ -32,10 +32,3 @@ class SendTestEmailManagementCommand(SimpleTestCase):
         mail_message = mail.outbox[0]
         self.assertEqual(mail_message.subject[0:15], 'Test email from')
         self.assertEqual(mail_message.recipients(), recipients)
-
-    def test_send_test_email_missing_recipient(self):
-        """
-        A CommandError is raised if no recipients are specified.
-        """
-        with self.assertRaisesMessage(CommandError, 'You must provide at least one destination email'):
-            call_command("sendtestemail")