diff --git a/builtin/game/chat.lua b/builtin/game/chat.lua
index 10da054fd..0bd12c25f 100644
--- a/builtin/game/chat.lua
+++ b/builtin/game/chat.lua
@@ -167,6 +167,18 @@ core.register_chatcommand("admin", {
 	end,
 })
 
+local function privileges_of(name, privs)
+	if not privs then
+		privs = core.get_player_privs(name)
+	end
+	local privstr = core.privs_to_string(privs, ", ")
+	if privstr == "" then
+		return S("@1 does not have any privileges.", name)
+	else
+		return S("Privileges of @1: @2", name, privstr)
+	end
+end
+
 core.register_chatcommand("privs", {
 	params = S("[<name>]"),
 	description = S("Show privileges of yourself or another player"),
@@ -176,9 +188,7 @@ core.register_chatcommand("privs", {
 		if not core.player_exists(name) then
 			return false, S("Player @1 does not exist.", name)
 		end
-		return true, S("Privileges of @1: @2", name,
-				core.privs_to_string(
-				core.get_player_privs(name), ", "))
+		return true, privileges_of(name)
 	end,
 })
 
@@ -227,7 +237,10 @@ local function handle_grant_command(caller, grantname, grantprivstr)
 		core.string_to_privs(core.settings:get("basic_privs") or "interact,shout")
 	for priv, _ in pairs(grantprivs) do
 		if not basic_privs[priv] and not caller_privs.privs then
-			return false, S("Your privileges are insufficient.")
+			return false, S("Your privileges are insufficient. "..
+					"'@1' only allows you to grant: @2",
+					"basic_privs",
+					core.privs_to_string(basic_privs, ', '))
 		end
 		if not core.registered_privileges[priv] then
 			privs_unknown = privs_unknown .. S("Unknown privilege: @1", priv) .. "\n"
@@ -246,15 +259,13 @@ local function handle_grant_command(caller, grantname, grantprivstr)
 	if grantname ~= caller then
 		core.chat_send_player(grantname,
 				S("@1 granted you privileges: @2", caller,
-				core.privs_to_string(grantprivs, ' ')))
+				core.privs_to_string(grantprivs, ', ')))
 	end
-	return true, S("Privileges of @1: @2", grantname,
-			core.privs_to_string(
-			core.get_player_privs(grantname), ' '))
+	return true, privileges_of(grantname)
 end
 
 core.register_chatcommand("grant", {
-	params = S("<name> (<privilege> | all)"),
+	params = S("<name> (<privilege> [, <privilege2> [<...>]] | all)"),
 	description = S("Give privileges to player"),
 	func = function(name, param)
 		local grantname, grantprivstr = string.match(param, "([^ ]+) (.+)")
@@ -266,7 +277,7 @@ core.register_chatcommand("grant", {
 })
 
 core.register_chatcommand("grantme", {
-	params = S("<privilege> | all"),
+	params = S("<privilege> [, <privilege2> [<...>]] | all"),
 	description = S("Grant privileges to yourself"),
 	func = function(name, param)
 		if param == "" then
@@ -286,16 +297,13 @@ local function handle_revoke_command(caller, revokename, revokeprivstr)
 		return false, S("Player @1 does not exist.", revokename)
 	end
 
-	local revokeprivs = core.string_to_privs(revokeprivstr)
 	local privs = core.get_player_privs(revokename)
-	local basic_privs =
-		core.string_to_privs(core.settings:get("basic_privs") or "interact,shout")
-	for priv, _ in pairs(revokeprivs) do
-		if not basic_privs[priv] and not caller_privs.privs then
-			return false, S("Your privileges are insufficient.")
-		end
-	end
 
+	local revokeprivs = core.string_to_privs(revokeprivstr)
+	local is_singleplayer = core.is_singleplayer()
+	local is_admin = not is_singleplayer
+			and revokename == core.settings:get("name")
+			and revokename ~= ""
 	if revokeprivstr == "all" then
 		revokeprivs = privs
 		privs = {}
@@ -305,27 +313,73 @@ local function handle_revoke_command(caller, revokename, revokeprivstr)
 		end
 	end
 
+	local privs_unknown = ""
+	local basic_privs =
+		core.string_to_privs(core.settings:get("basic_privs") or "interact,shout")
+	local irrevokable = {}
+	local has_irrevokable_priv = false
+	for priv, _ in pairs(revokeprivs) do
+		if not basic_privs[priv] and not caller_privs.privs then
+			return false, S("Your privileges are insufficient. "..
+					"'@1' only allows you to revoke: @2",
+					"basic_privs",
+					core.privs_to_string(basic_privs, ', '))
+		end
+		local def = core.registered_privileges[priv]
+		if not def then
+			privs_unknown = privs_unknown .. S("Unknown privilege: @1", priv) .. "\n"
+		elseif is_singleplayer and def.give_to_singleplayer then
+			irrevokable[priv] = true
+		elseif is_admin and def.give_to_admin then
+			irrevokable[priv] = true
+		end
+	end
+	for priv, _ in pairs(irrevokable) do
+		revokeprivs[priv] = nil
+		has_irrevokable_priv = true
+	end
+	if privs_unknown ~= "" then
+		return false, privs_unknown
+	end
+	if has_irrevokable_priv then
+		if is_singleplayer then
+			core.chat_send_player(caller,
+					S("Note: Cannot revoke in singleplayer: @1",
+					core.privs_to_string(irrevokable, ', ')))
+		elseif is_admin then
+			core.chat_send_player(caller,
+					S("Note: Cannot revoke from admin: @1",
+					core.privs_to_string(irrevokable, ', ')))
+		end
+	end
+
+	local revokecount = 0
 	for priv, _ in pairs(revokeprivs) do
 		-- call the on_revoke callbacks
 		core.run_priv_callbacks(revokename, priv, caller, "revoke")
+		revokecount = revokecount + 1
 	end
 
 	core.set_player_privs(revokename, privs)
+	local new_privs = core.get_player_privs(revokename)
+
+	if revokecount == 0 then
+		return false, S("No privileges were revoked.")
+	end
+
 	core.log("action", caller..' revoked ('
 			..core.privs_to_string(revokeprivs, ', ')
 			..') privileges from '..revokename)
 	if revokename ~= caller then
 		core.chat_send_player(revokename,
 			S("@1 revoked privileges from you: @2", caller,
-			core.privs_to_string(revokeprivs, ' ')))
+			core.privs_to_string(revokeprivs, ', ')))
 	end
-	return true, S("Privileges of @1: @2", revokename,
-			core.privs_to_string(
-			core.get_player_privs(revokename), ' '))
+	return true, privileges_of(revokename, new_privs)
 end
 
 core.register_chatcommand("revoke", {
-	params = S("<name> (<privilege> | all)"),
+	params = S("<name> (<privilege> [, <privilege2> [<...>]] | all)"),
 	description = S("Remove privileges from player"),
 	privs = {},
 	func = function(name, param)
@@ -338,7 +392,7 @@ core.register_chatcommand("revoke", {
 })
 
 core.register_chatcommand("revokeme", {
-	params = S("<privilege> | all"),
+	params = S("<privilege> [, <privilege2> [<...>]] | all"),
 	description = S("Revoke privileges from yourself"),
 	privs = {},
 	func = function(name, param)
diff --git a/builtin/game/privileges.lua b/builtin/game/privileges.lua
index aee32a34e..1d3efb525 100644
--- a/builtin/game/privileges.lua
+++ b/builtin/game/privileges.lua
@@ -32,7 +32,13 @@ end
 
 core.register_privilege("interact", S("Can interact with things and modify the world"))
 core.register_privilege("shout", S("Can speak in chat"))
-core.register_privilege("basic_privs", S("Can modify 'shout' and 'interact' privileges"))
+
+local basic_privs =
+	core.string_to_privs((core.settings:get("basic_privs") or "shout,interact"))
+local basic_privs_desc = S("Can modify basic privileges (@1)",
+	core.privs_to_string(basic_privs, ', '))
+core.register_privilege("basic_privs", basic_privs_desc)
+
 core.register_privilege("privs", S("Can modify privileges"))
 
 core.register_privilege("teleport", {