diff --git a/hbase-client/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/client/HBaseAdmin.java b/hbase-client/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/client/HBaseAdmin.java
index 617842f56b0..1ae01280f11 100644
--- a/hbase-client/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/client/HBaseAdmin.java
+++ b/hbase-client/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/client/HBaseAdmin.java
@@ -1664,10 +1664,12 @@ public class HBaseAdmin implements Abortable, Closeable {
    */
   public void assign(final byte[] regionName) throws MasterNotRunningException,
       ZooKeeperConnectionException, IOException {
+    final byte[] toBeAssigned = getRegionName(regionName);
     executeCallable(new MasterAdminCallable<Void>(getConnection()) {
       @Override
       public Void call() throws ServiceException {
-        AssignRegionRequest request = RequestConverter.buildAssignRegionRequest(regionName);
+        AssignRegionRequest request =
+          RequestConverter.buildAssignRegionRequest(toBeAssigned);
         masterAdmin.assignRegion(null,request);
         return null;
       }
@@ -1688,13 +1690,14 @@ public class HBaseAdmin implements Abortable, Closeable {
    * @throws ZooKeeperConnectionException
    * @throws IOException
    */
-  public void unassign(final byte [] regionName, final boolean force)
+  public void unassign(final byte [] getRegionName, final boolean force)
   throws MasterNotRunningException, ZooKeeperConnectionException, IOException {
+    final byte[] toBeUnassigned = getRegionName(getRegionName);
     executeCallable(new MasterAdminCallable<Void>(getConnection()) {
       @Override
       public Void call() throws ServiceException {
         UnassignRegionRequest request =
-          RequestConverter.buildUnassignRegionRequest(regionName, force);
+          RequestConverter.buildUnassignRegionRequest(toBeUnassigned, force);
         masterAdmin.unassignRegion(null,request);
         return null;
       }
@@ -2003,6 +2006,26 @@ public class HBaseAdmin implements Abortable, Closeable {
     return pair;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * If the input is a region name, it is returned as is. If it's an
+   * encoded region name, the corresponding region is found from meta
+   * and its region name is returned. If we can't find any region in
+   * meta matching the input as either region name or encoded region
+   * name, the input is returned as is. We don't throw unknown
+   * region exception.
+   */
+  private byte[] getRegionName(
+      final byte[] regionNameOrEncodedRegionName) throws IOException {
+    CatalogTracker ct = getCatalogTracker();
+    Pair<HRegionInfo, ServerName> regionServerPair
+      = getRegion(regionNameOrEncodedRegionName, ct);
+    byte[] tmp = regionNameOrEncodedRegionName;
+    if (regionServerPair != null && regionServerPair.getFirst() != null) {
+      tmp = regionServerPair.getFirst().getRegionName();
+    }
+    return tmp;
+  }
+
   /**
    * Check if table exists or not
    * @param tableName Name of a table.
diff --git a/hbase-server/src/main/ruby/shell/commands/assign.rb b/hbase-server/src/main/ruby/shell/commands/assign.rb
index 9978ff8075d..448a5460b4e 100644
--- a/hbase-server/src/main/ruby/shell/commands/assign.rb
+++ b/hbase-server/src/main/ruby/shell/commands/assign.rb
@@ -24,6 +24,10 @@ module Shell
         return <<-EOF
 Assign a region. Use with caution. If region already assigned,
 this command will do a force reassign. For experts only.
+Examples:
+
+  hbase> assign 'REGIONNAME'
+  hbase> assign 'ENCODED_REGIONNAME'
 EOF
       end
 
diff --git a/hbase-server/src/main/ruby/shell/commands/close_region.rb b/hbase-server/src/main/ruby/shell/commands/close_region.rb
index 1cd149725a7..b7cdf3dca24 100644
--- a/hbase-server/src/main/ruby/shell/commands/close_region.rb
+++ b/hbase-server/src/main/ruby/shell/commands/close_region.rb
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@ Examples:
 
   hbase> close_region 'REGIONNAME'
   hbase> close_region 'REGIONNAME', 'SERVER_NAME'
+  hbase> close_region 'ENCODED_REGIONNAME'
+  hbase> close_region 'ENCODED_REGIONNAME', 'SERVER_NAME'
 EOF
       end
 
diff --git a/hbase-server/src/main/ruby/shell/commands/flush.rb b/hbase-server/src/main/ruby/shell/commands/flush.rb
index 185b4731706..2aefec52e9d 100644
--- a/hbase-server/src/main/ruby/shell/commands/flush.rb
+++ b/hbase-server/src/main/ruby/shell/commands/flush.rb
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ flush an individual region.  For example:
 
   hbase> flush 'TABLENAME'
   hbase> flush 'REGIONNAME'
+  hbase> flush 'ENCODED_REGIONNAME'
 EOF
       end
 
diff --git a/hbase-server/src/main/ruby/shell/commands/unassign.rb b/hbase-server/src/main/ruby/shell/commands/unassign.rb
index 60cc6ca3fc8..5eea71f6e08 100644
--- a/hbase-server/src/main/ruby/shell/commands/unassign.rb
+++ b/hbase-server/src/main/ruby/shell/commands/unassign.rb
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ Use with caution.  For expert use only.  Examples:
 
   hbase> unassign 'REGIONNAME'
   hbase> unassign 'REGIONNAME', true
+  hbase> unassign 'ENCODED_REGIONNAME'
+  hbase> unassign 'ENCODED_REGIONNAME', true
 EOF
       end