diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d52b3b5c1..443b4e98c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -4637,7 +4637,7 @@ wp user add-cap <user> <cap>
 Adds a role for a user.
 
 ~~~
-wp user add-role <user> <role>
+wp user add-role <user> [<role>...]
 ~~~
 
 **OPTIONS**
@@ -4645,14 +4645,17 @@ wp user add-role <user> <role>
 	<user>
 		User ID, user email, or user login.
 
-	<role>
-		Add the specified role to the user.
+	[<role>...]
+		Add the specified role(s) to the user.
 
 **EXAMPLES**
 
     $ wp user add-role 12 author
     Success: Added 'author' role for johndoe (12).
 
+    $ wp user add-role 12 author editor
+    Success: Added 'author', 'editor' roles for johndoe (12).
+
 
 
 ### wp user create
@@ -5357,7 +5360,7 @@ wp user remove-cap <user> <cap>
 Removes a user's role.
 
 ~~~
-wp user remove-role <user> [<role>]
+wp user remove-role <user> [<role>...]
 ~~~
 
 **OPTIONS**
@@ -5365,14 +5368,17 @@ wp user remove-role <user> [<role>]
 	<user>
 		User ID, user email, or user login.
 
-	[<role>]
-		A specific role to remove.
+	[<role>...]
+		Remove the specified role(s) from the user.
 
 **EXAMPLES**
 
     $ wp user remove-role 12 author
     Success: Removed 'author' role for johndoe (12).
 
+    $ wp user remove-role 12 author editor
+    Success: Removed 'author', 'editor' roles for johndoe (12).
+
 
 
 ### wp user reset-password
diff --git a/features/user.feature b/features/user.feature
index 3537f0899..53d380a4d 100644
--- a/features/user.feature
+++ b/features/user.feature
@@ -209,14 +209,50 @@ Feature: Manage WordPress users
   Scenario: Managing user roles
     Given a WP install
 
+    When I try `wp user add-role 1`
+    Then the return code should be 1
+    And STDERR should be:
+      """
+      Error: Please specify at least one role to add.
+      """
+    And STDOUT should be empty
+
     When I run `wp user add-role 1 editor`
-    Then STDOUT should not be empty
-    And I run `wp user get 1 --field=roles`
+    Then STDOUT should be:
+      """
+      Success: Added 'editor' role for admin (1).
+      """
+
+    When I run `wp user get 1 --field=roles`
     Then STDOUT should be:
       """
       administrator, editor
       """
 
+    When I run `wp user add-role 1 editor contributor`
+    Then STDOUT should be:
+      """
+      Success: Added 'editor', 'contributor' roles for admin (1).
+      """
+
+    When I run `wp user get 1 --field=roles`
+    Then STDOUT should be:
+      """
+      administrator, editor, contributor
+      """
+
+    When I run `wp user remove-role 1 editor contributor`
+    Then STDOUT should be:
+      """
+      Success: Removed 'editor', 'contributor' roles from admin (1).
+      """
+
+    When I run `wp user get 1 --field=roles`
+    Then STDOUT should be:
+      """
+      administrator
+      """
+
     When I try `wp user add-role 1 edit`
     Then STDERR should contain:
       """
diff --git a/src/User_Command.php b/src/User_Command.php
index e0fbd867c..defd6b304 100644
--- a/src/User_Command.php
+++ b/src/User_Command.php
@@ -692,26 +692,39 @@ public function set_role( $args, $assoc_args ) {
 	 * <user>
 	 * : User ID, user email, or user login.
 	 *
-	 * <role>
-	 * : Add the specified role to the user.
+	 * [<role>...]
+	 * : Add the specified role(s) to the user.
 	 *
 	 * ## EXAMPLES
 	 *
 	 *     $ wp user add-role 12 author
 	 *     Success: Added 'author' role for johndoe (12).
 	 *
+	 *     $ wp user add-role 12 author editor
+	 *     Success: Added 'author', 'editor' roles for johndoe (12).
+	 *
 	 * @subcommand add-role
 	 */
 	public function add_role( $args, $assoc_args ) {
 		$user = $this->fetcher->get_check( $args[0] );
 
-		$role = $args[1];
+		$roles = $args;
+		array_shift( $roles );
 
-		self::validate_role( $role );
+		if ( empty( $roles ) ) {
+			WP_CLI::error( 'Please specify at least one role to add.' );
+		}
 
-		$user->add_role( $role );
+		foreach ( $roles as $role ) {
+			self::validate_role( $role );
+		}
 
-		WP_CLI::success( "Added '{$role}' role for {$user->user_login} ({$user->ID})." );
+		foreach ( $roles as $role ) {
+			$user->add_role( $role );
+		}
+		$message = implode( "', '", $roles );
+		$label   = count( $roles ) > 1 ? 'roles' : 'role';
+		WP_CLI::success( "Added '{$message}' {$label} for {$user->user_login} ({$user->ID})." );
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -722,27 +735,36 @@ public function add_role( $args, $assoc_args ) {
 	 * <user>
 	 * : User ID, user email, or user login.
 	 *
-	 * [<role>]
-	 * : A specific role to remove.
+	 * [<role>...]
+	 * : Remove the specified role(s) from the user.
 	 *
 	 * ## EXAMPLES
 	 *
 	 *     $ wp user remove-role 12 author
 	 *     Success: Removed 'author' role for johndoe (12).
 	 *
+	 *     $ wp user remove-role 12 author editor
+	 *     Success: Removed 'author', 'editor' roles for johndoe (12).
+	 *
 	 * @subcommand remove-role
 	 */
 	public function remove_role( $args, $assoc_args ) {
 		$user = $this->fetcher->get_check( $args[0] );
 
 		if ( isset( $args[1] ) ) {
-			$role = $args[1];
-
-			self::validate_role( $role );
+			$roles = $args;
+			array_shift( $roles );
 
-			$user->remove_role( $role );
+			foreach ( $roles as $role ) {
+				self::validate_role( $role );
+			}
 
-			WP_CLI::success( "Removed '{$role}' role for {$user->user_login} ({$user->ID})." );
+			foreach ( $roles as $role ) {
+				$user->remove_role( $role );
+			}
+			$message = implode( "', '", $roles );
+			$label   = count( $roles ) > 1 ? 'roles' : 'role';
+			WP_CLI::success( "Removed '{$message}' {$label} from {$user->user_login} ({$user->ID})." );
 		} else {
 			// Multisite
 			if ( function_exists( 'remove_user_from_blog' ) ) {