diff --git a/ccmlib/node.py b/ccmlib/node.py
index e559cb9c..767db401 100644
--- a/ccmlib/node.py
+++ b/ccmlib/node.py
@@ -858,8 +858,17 @@ def nodetool(self, cmd, capture_output=True, wait=True, timeout=None, verbose=Tr
         if not isinstance(nodetool, list):
             nodetool = [nodetool]
         # see https://www.oracle.com/java/technologies/javase/8u331-relnotes.html#JDK-8278972
-        nodetool.extend(['-h', host, '-p', str(self.jmx_port), '-Dcom.sun.jndi.rmiURLParsing=legacy'])
-        nodetool.extend(cmd.split())
+        args = ['-h', host, '-p', str(self.jmx_port), '-Dcom.sun.jndi.rmiURLParsing=legacy']
+        if len(nodetool) > 1:
+            nodetool.extend(cmd.split())
+            # put args at the end of command line options, as "scylla nodetool"
+            # expects them as options of the subcommand
+            nodetool.extend(args)
+        else:
+            # while java-based tool considers them as options of the nodetool
+            # itself
+            nodetool.extend(args)
+            nodetool.extend(cmd.split())
 
         return self._do_run_nodetool(nodetool, capture_output, wait, timeout, verbose)
 
diff --git a/ccmlib/scylla_node.py b/ccmlib/scylla_node.py
index d1bd6ad4..8bd2725e 100644
--- a/ccmlib/scylla_node.py
+++ b/ccmlib/scylla_node.py
@@ -776,16 +776,23 @@ def _update_jmx_pid(self, wait=True):
             self.jmx_pid = None
 
     def nodetool(self, cmd, capture_output=True, wait=True, timeout=None, verbose=True):
-        if not self.has_jmx:
+        try:
+            # nodetool subcommand was added in 5.5, so check if it is available
+            # before using it.
+            nodetool = [os.path.join(self.get_bin_dir(), "scylla"), "nodetool"]
+            subprocess.check_call(nodetool + ["help"], stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL, stderr=subprocess.STDOUT)
             if self.is_docker():
                 host = 'localhost'
             else:
                 host = self.address()
-            nodetool = [os.path.join(self.get_bin_dir(), "scylla"), "nodetool"]
             nodetool.extend(['-h', host, '-p', '10000'])
             nodetool.extend(cmd.split())
             return self._do_run_nodetool(nodetool, capture_output, wait, timeout, verbose)
+        except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
+            pass
 
+        # the java nodetool depends on JMX
+        assert self.has_jmx
         # Fall-back to the java nodetool for pre 5.5.0~dev versions, which don't yet have the native nodetool
         # Kill scylla-jmx in case of timeout, to supply enough debugging information