diff --git a/confluent_client/confluent/client.py b/confluent_client/confluent/client.py
index c2c2a560..5f322705 100644
--- a/confluent_client/confluent/client.py
+++ b/confluent_client/confluent/client.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # vim: tabstop=4 shiftwidth=4 softtabstop=4
 
 # Copyright 2014 IBM Corporation
-# Copyright 2015-2016 Lenovo
+# Copyright 2015-2018 Lenovo
 #
 # Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 # you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -483,23 +483,23 @@ def updateattrib(session, updateargs, nodetype, noderange, options):
     else:
         if "=" in updateargs[1]:
             try:
-                if len(updateargs[1:]) > 1:
-                    for val in updateargs[1:]:
-                        val = val.split('=')
-                        if (nodetype == "nodegroups"):
-                            exitcode =  session.simple_nodegroups_command(noderange, 'attributes/all',
-                                                                         val[1],val[0])
-                        else:
-                            exitcode = session.simple_noderange_command(noderange, 'attributes/all',
-                                                                        val[1], val[0])
-                else:
-                    val = updateargs[1].split('=')
-                    if nodetype == "nodegroups" :
-                        exitcode = session.simple_nodegroups_command(noderange, 'attributes/all',
-                                                                     val[1], val[0])
+                for val in updateargs[1:]:
+                    val = val.split('=')
+                    if val[0][-1] in (',', '-'):
+                        key = val[0][:-1]
+                        if val[0][-1] == ',':
+                            value = {'prepend': val[1]}
+                        elif val[0][-1] in ('-', '^'):
+                            value = {'remove': val[1]}
+                    else:
+                        key = val[0]
+                        value = val[1]
+                    if (nodetype == "nodegroups"):
+                        exitcode =  session.simple_nodegroups_command(noderange, 'attributes/all',
+                                                                     value, key)
                     else:
                         exitcode = session.simple_noderange_command(noderange, 'attributes/all',
-                                                                    val[1], val[0])
+                                                                    value, key)
             except:
                 sys.stderr.write('Error: {0} not a valid expression\n'.format(str(updateargs[1:])))
                 exitcode = 1
diff --git a/confluent_client/doc/man/nodeattrib.ronn b/confluent_client/doc/man/nodeattrib.ronn
index 92f2f89b..ca3f830a 100644
--- a/confluent_client/doc/man/nodeattrib.ronn
+++ b/confluent_client/doc/man/nodeattrib.ronn
@@ -21,6 +21,9 @@ For a full list of attributes, run `nodeattrib <node> all` against a node.
 If `-c` is specified, this will set the nodeattribute to a null valid.
 This is different from setting the value to an empty string.
 
+For the `groups` attribute, it is possible to add a group by doing
+`groups,=<newgroup>`` and to remove by doing `groups^=<oldgroup>`
+
 Note that `nodeattrib <group>` will likely not provide the expected behavior.
 See nodegroupattrib(8) command on how to manage attributes on a group level.
 
diff --git a/confluent_server/confluent/config/configmanager.py b/confluent_server/confluent/config/configmanager.py
index ea952f38..1ba5ec10 100644
--- a/confluent_server/confluent/config/configmanager.py
+++ b/confluent_server/confluent/config/configmanager.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # vim: tabstop=4 shiftwidth=4 softtabstop=4
 
 # Copyright 2014 IBM Corporation
-# Copyright 2015 Lenovo
+# Copyright 2015-2018 Lenovo
 #
 # Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 # you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -1043,6 +1043,18 @@ class ConfigManager(object):
                         raise ValueError(errstr)
                     attribmap[group][attr] = attrval
                 if attr == 'nodes':
+                    if isinstance(attribmap[group][attr], dict):
+                        currnodes = list(self.get_nodegroup_attributes(
+                            group, ['nodes']).get('nodes', []))
+                        if attribmap[group][attr].get('prepend', False):
+                            newnodes = attribmap[group][attr][
+                                'prepend'].split(',')
+                            attribmap[group][attr] = newnodes + currnodes
+                        elif attribmap[group][attr].get('remove', False):
+                            delnodes = attribmap[group][attr][
+                                'remove'].split(',')
+                            attribmap[group][attr] = [
+                                x for x in currnodes if x not in delnodes]
                     if not isinstance(attribmap[group][attr], list):
                         if type(attribmap[group][attr]) is unicode or type(attribmap[group][attr]) is str:
                             attribmap[group][attr]=attribmap[group][attr].split(",")
@@ -1291,7 +1303,20 @@ class ConfigManager(object):
                 except KeyError:
                     pass
                 if attrname == 'groups':
-                    if type(attribmap[node]['groups']) != list:
+                    if isinstance(attribmap[node]['groups'], dict):
+                        currgroups = self.get_node_attributes(
+                            node, 'groups').get(node, {}).get('groups', [])
+                        if attribmap[node]['groups'].get('prepend', False):
+                            newgroups = attribmap[node]['groups'][
+                                'prepend'].split(',')
+                            attribmap[node]['groups'] = newgroups + currgroups
+                        elif attribmap[node]['groups'].get('remove', False):
+                            delgroups = attribmap[node]['groups'][
+                                'remove'].split(',')
+                            newgroups = [
+                                x for x in currgroups if x not in delgroups]
+                            attribmap[node]['groups'] = newgroups
+                    elif type(attribmap[node]['groups']) != list:
                         attribmap[node]['groups']=attribmap[node]['groups'].split(",")
                     for group in attribmap[node]['groups']:
                         if group not in self._cfgstore['nodegroups']: