diff --git a/convert-hf-to-gguf.py b/convert-hf-to-gguf.py
index 28ecaea7a..fe0066442 100755
--- a/convert-hf-to-gguf.py
+++ b/convert-hf-to-gguf.py
@@ -2799,10 +2799,6 @@ def parse_args() -> argparse.Namespace:
         "--verbose", action="store_true",
         help="increase output verbosity",
     )
-    parser.add_argument(
-        "--split", action="store_true",
-        help="split the converted model into multiple files",
-    )
     parser.add_argument(
         "--split-max-tensors", type=int,
         help="max tensors in each split",
@@ -2816,8 +2812,8 @@ def parse_args() -> argparse.Namespace:
         help="only print out a split plan and exit, without writing any new files",
     )
     parser.add_argument(
-        "--small-first-shard", action="store_true",
-        help="do not add tensors to the first shard (disabled by default)",
+        "--no-tensor-first-split", action="store_true",
+        help="do not add tensors to the first split (disabled by default)"
     )
 
     return parser.parse_args()
@@ -2847,9 +2843,6 @@ def main() -> None:
         logger.error(f'Error: {args.model} is not a directory')
         sys.exit(1)
 
-    if args.split and not (args.split_max_tensors or args.split_max_size):
-        raise ValueError("Need to specify one of --split-max-tensors or --split-max-size when splitting")
-
     if args.split_max_tensors and args.split_max_size:
         raise ValueError("Can't specify both --split-max-tensors and --split-max-size")
 
diff --git a/gguf-py/gguf/gguf_writer_split.py b/gguf-py/gguf/gguf_writer_split.py
index 655cddbfe..b4836737a 100644
--- a/gguf-py/gguf/gguf_writer_split.py
+++ b/gguf-py/gguf/gguf_writer_split.py
@@ -48,14 +48,13 @@ class SplitStyle(IntEnum):
 
 class SplitArguments:
     def __init__(self, args: Namespace) -> None:
-        self.split = args.split
-        self.split_max_tensors = args.split_max_tensors if args.split else 0
-        self.split_max_size = GGUFWriterSplit.split_str_to_n_bytes(args.split_max_size) if args.split and args.split_max_size else 0
-        self.split_style = SplitStyle.NONE if not self.split \
-            else SplitStyle.TENSORS if self.split_max_tensors \
-            else SplitStyle.SIZE
+        self.split_max_tensors = args.split_max_tensors if args.split_max_tensors else 0
+        self.split_max_size = GGUFWriterSplit.split_str_to_n_bytes(args.split_max_size) if args.split_max_size else 0
+        self.split_style = SplitStyle.TENSORS if self.split_max_tensors \
+            else SplitStyle.SIZE if self.split_max_size \
+            else SplitStyle.NONE
         self.dry_run = args.dry_run
-        self.small_first_shard = args.small_first_shard
+        self.small_first_shard = args.no_tensor_first_split
 
 
 class GGUFWriterSplit(GGUFWriter):