diff --git a/bin/nuxt-build b/bin/nuxt-build
index 12a52eb1fa..1d3a290e89 100755
--- a/bin/nuxt-build
+++ b/bin/nuxt-build
@@ -15,10 +15,11 @@ const argv = parseArgs(process.argv.slice(2), {
     h: 'help',
     c: 'config-file',
     a: 'analyze',
-    m: 'mode'
+    s: 'spa',
+    u: 'universal'
   },
-  boolean: ['h', 'a'],
-  string: ['c', 'm'],
+  boolean: ['h', 'a', 's', 'u'],
+  string: ['c'],
   default: {
     c: 'nuxt.config.js'
   }
@@ -31,10 +32,11 @@ if (argv.help) {
     Usage
       $ nuxt build <dir>
     Options
-      --analyze, -a                       Launch webpack-bundle-analyzer to optimize your bundles.
-      --mode, -m [spa|universal|ssr-only] Nuxt Mode (default: universal)
-      --config-file, -c                  Path to Nuxt.js config file (default: nuxt.config.js)
-      --help, -h                         Displays this message
+      --analyze, -a        Launch webpack-bundle-analyzer to optimize your bundles.
+      --spa                Launch in SPA mode
+      --universal          Launch in Universal mode (default)
+      --config-file, -c    Path to Nuxt.js config file (default: nuxt.config.js)
+      --help, -h           Displays this message
   `)
   process.exit(0)
 }
@@ -56,9 +58,7 @@ if (typeof options.rootDir !== 'string') {
 options.dev = false
 
 // Nuxt Mode
-if (argv['mode']) {
-  options.mode = argv['mode']
-}
+options.mode = (argv['spa'] && 'spa') || (argv['universal'] && 'universal') || options.mode
 
 // Analyze option
 options.build = options.build || {}
@@ -89,4 +89,3 @@ if (options.mode !== 'spa') {
     }
   })
 }
-
diff --git a/bin/nuxt-dev b/bin/nuxt-dev
index 5d680140dc..488d3970c2 100755
--- a/bin/nuxt-dev
+++ b/bin/nuxt-dev
@@ -18,10 +18,11 @@ const argv = parseArgs(process.argv.slice(2), {
     H: 'hostname',
     p: 'port',
     c: 'config-file',
-    m: 'mode'
+    s: 'spa',
+    u: 'universal'
   },
-  boolean: ['h'],
-  string: ['H', 'c', 'm'],
+  boolean: ['h', 's', 'u'],
+  string: ['H', 'c'],
   default: {
     c: 'nuxt.config.js'
   }
@@ -40,11 +41,12 @@ if (argv.help) {
     Usage
       $ nuxt dev <dir> -p <port number> -H <hostname>
     Options
-      --port, -p                          A port number on which to start the application
-      --hostname, -H                      Hostname on which to start the application
-      --mode, -m [spa|universal|ssr-only] Nuxt Mode (default: universal)
-      --config-file, -c                   Path to Nuxt.js config file (default: nuxt.config.js)
-      --help, -h                          Displays this message
+      --port, -p          A port number on which to start the application
+      --hostname, -H      Hostname on which to start the application
+      --spa               Launch in SPA mode
+      --universal         Launch in Universal mode (default)
+      --config-file, -c   Path to Nuxt.js config file (default: nuxt.config.js)
+      --help, -h          Displays this message
   `)
   process.exit(0)
 }
@@ -112,9 +114,7 @@ function loadNuxtConfig () {
   options.dev = true
 
   // Nuxt Mode
-  if (argv['mode']) {
-    options.mode = argv['mode']
-  }
+  options.mode = (argv['spa'] && 'spa') || (argv['universal'] && 'universal') || options.mode
 
   return options
 }
diff --git a/bin/nuxt-generate b/bin/nuxt-generate
index 5f549abd0c..f86cd43eba 100755
--- a/bin/nuxt-generate
+++ b/bin/nuxt-generate
@@ -14,10 +14,11 @@ const argv = parseArgs(process.argv.slice(2), {
   alias: {
     h: 'help',
     c: 'config-file',
-    m: 'mode'
+    s: 'spa',
+    u: 'universal'
   },
-  boolean: ['h'],
-  string: ['c', 'm'],
+  boolean: ['h', 's', 'u'],
+  string: ['c'],
   default: {
     c: 'nuxt.config.js'
   }
@@ -30,9 +31,11 @@ if (argv.help) {
     Usage
       $ nuxt generate <dir>
     Options
-      --mode, -m [spa|universal|ssr-only] Nuxt Mode (default: universal)
-      --config-file, -c                   Path to Nuxt.js config file (default: nuxt.config.js)
-      --help, -h                          Displays this message
+      --spa              Launch in SPA mode
+      --spa              Launch in SPA mode
+      --universal        Launch in Universal mode (default)
+      --config-file, -c  Path to Nuxt.js config file (default: nuxt.config.js)
+      --help, -h         Displays this message
   `)
   process.exit(0)
 }
@@ -53,9 +56,7 @@ if (typeof options.rootDir !== 'string') {
 options.dev = false // Force production mode (no webpack middleware called)
 
 // Nuxt Mode
-if (argv['mode']) {
-  options.mode = argv['mode']
-}
+options.mode = (argv['spa'] && 'spa') || (argv['universal'] && 'universal') || options.mode
 
 debug('Generating...')
 const nuxt = new Nuxt(options)
diff --git a/bin/nuxt-start b/bin/nuxt-start
index b8c26b9321..632bba2726 100755
--- a/bin/nuxt-start
+++ b/bin/nuxt-start
@@ -11,10 +11,11 @@ const argv = parseArgs(process.argv.slice(2), {
     H: 'hostname',
     p: 'port',
     c: 'config-file',
-    m: 'mode'
+    s: 'spa',
+    u: 'universal'
   },
-  boolean: ['h'],
-  string: ['H', 'c', 'm'],
+  boolean: ['h', 's', 'u'],
+  string: ['H', 'c'],
   default: {
     c: 'nuxt.config.js'
   }
@@ -33,11 +34,12 @@ if (argv.help) {
     Usage
       $ nuxt start <dir> -p <port number> -H <hostname>
     Options
-      --port, -p                          A port number on which to start the application
-      --hostname, -H                      Hostname on which to start the application
-      --mode, -m [spa|universal|ssr-only] Nuxt Mode (default: universal)
-      --config-file, -c                   Path to Nuxt.js config file (default: nuxt.config.js)
-      --help, -h                          Displays this message
+      --port, -p            A port number on which to start the application
+      --hostname, -H        Hostname on which to start the application
+      --spa                 Launch in SPA mode
+      --universal           Launch in Universal mode (default)
+      --config-file, -c     Path to Nuxt.js config file (default: nuxt.config.js)
+      --help, -h            Displays this message
   `)
   process.exit(0)
 }
@@ -62,9 +64,7 @@ if (typeof options.rootDir !== 'string') {
 options.dev = false
 
 // Nuxt Mode
-if (argv['mode']) {
-  options.mode = argv['mode']
-}
+options.mode = (argv['spa'] && 'spa') || (argv['universal'] && 'universal') || options.mode
 
 const nuxt = new Nuxt(options)
 
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ if (nuxt.options.render.ssr === true) {
   const ssrBundlePath = resolve(distDir, 'server-bundle.json')
   if (!fs.existsSync(ssrBundlePath)) {
     // eslint-disable-next-line no-console
-    console.error('> No SSR build! Please start with `-m spa` flag or build using `nuxt build -m universal`')
+    console.error('> No SSR build! Please start with `nuxt start --spa` or build using `nuxt build --universal`')
     process.exit(1)
   }
 }
diff --git a/lib/common/options.js b/lib/common/options.js
index 28ad3a3e2a..c25e68371f 100755
--- a/lib/common/options.js
+++ b/lib/common/options.js
@@ -126,17 +126,9 @@ Options.from = function (_options) {
     options.cssSourceMap = options.dev
   }
 
-  // Resolve mode
-  let mode = options.mode
-  if (typeof mode === 'function') {
-    mode = mode()
-  }
-  if (typeof mode === 'string') {
-    mode = Options.modes[mode]
-  }
-
-  // Apply mode
-  _.defaultsDeep(options, mode)
+  // Apply mode preset
+  let modePreset = Options.modes[options.mode || 'universal'] || Options.modes['universal']
+  _.defaultsDeep(options, modePreset)
 
   // If no server-side rendering, add appear true transition
   if (options.render.ssr === false) {
@@ -162,14 +154,6 @@ Options.modes = {
     render: {
       ssr: false
     }
-  },
-  static: {
-    build: {
-      ssr: true
-    },
-    render: {
-      ssr: 'only'
-    }
   }
 }