diff --git a/cli/js/lib.deno_runtime.d.ts b/cli/js/lib.deno_runtime.d.ts
index 85052dd16c..619efed55f 100644
--- a/cli/js/lib.deno_runtime.d.ts
+++ b/cli/js/lib.deno_runtime.d.ts
@@ -517,6 +517,11 @@ declare namespace Deno {
 
   // @url js/mkdir.d.ts
 
+  export interface MkdirOption {
+    recursive?: boolean;
+    mode?: number;
+  }
+
   /** Creates a new directory with the specified path synchronously.
    * If `recursive` is set to true, nested directories will be created (also known
    * as "mkdir -p").
@@ -524,13 +529,17 @@ declare namespace Deno {
    * Windows.
    *
    *       Deno.mkdirSync("new_dir");
-   *       Deno.mkdirSync("nested/directories", true);
+   *       Deno.mkdirSync("nested/directories", { recursive: true });
    */
+  export function mkdirSync(path: string, options?: MkdirOption): void;
+
+  /** Deprecated */
   export function mkdirSync(
     path: string,
     recursive?: boolean,
     mode?: number
   ): void;
+
   /** Creates a new directory with the specified path.
    * If `recursive` is set to true, nested directories will be created (also known
    * as "mkdir -p").
@@ -538,8 +547,11 @@ declare namespace Deno {
    * Windows.
    *
    *       await Deno.mkdir("new_dir");
-   *       await Deno.mkdir("nested/directories", true);
+   *       await Deno.mkdir("nested/directories", { recursive: true });
    */
+  export function mkdir(path: string, options?: MkdirOption): Promise<void>;
+
+  /** Deprecated */
   export function mkdir(
     path: string,
     recursive?: boolean,
diff --git a/cli/js/mkdir.ts b/cli/js/mkdir.ts
index c97778ffb6..836b785cfe 100644
--- a/cli/js/mkdir.ts
+++ b/cli/js/mkdir.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,35 @@
 import { sendSync, sendAsync } from "./dispatch_json.ts";
 import * as dispatch from "./dispatch.ts";
 
+// TODO(ry) The complexity in argument parsing is to support deprecated forms of
+// mkdir and mkdirSync.
+function mkdirArgs(
+  path: string,
+  optionsOrRecursive?: MkdirOption | boolean,
+  mode?: number
+): { path: string; recursive: boolean; mode: number } {
+  const args = { path, recursive: false, mode: 0o777 };
+  if (typeof optionsOrRecursive == "boolean") {
+    args.recursive = optionsOrRecursive;
+    if (mode) {
+      args.mode = mode;
+    }
+  } else if (optionsOrRecursive) {
+    if (typeof optionsOrRecursive.recursive == "boolean") {
+      args.recursive = optionsOrRecursive.recursive;
+    }
+    if (optionsOrRecursive.mode) {
+      args.mode = optionsOrRecursive.mode;
+    }
+  }
+  return args;
+}
+
+export interface MkdirOption {
+  recursive?: boolean;
+  mode?: number;
+}
+
 /** Creates a new directory with the specified path synchronously.
  * If `recursive` is set to true, nested directories will be created (also known
  * as "mkdir -p").
@@ -9,10 +38,14 @@ import * as dispatch from "./dispatch.ts";
  * Windows.
  *
  *       Deno.mkdirSync("new_dir");
- *       Deno.mkdirSync("nested/directories", true);
+ *       Deno.mkdirSync("nested/directories", { recursive: true });
  */
-export function mkdirSync(path: string, recursive = false, mode = 0o777): void {
-  sendSync(dispatch.OP_MKDIR, { path, recursive, mode });
+export function mkdirSync(
+  path: string,
+  optionsOrRecursive?: MkdirOption | boolean,
+  mode?: number
+): void {
+  sendSync(dispatch.OP_MKDIR, mkdirArgs(path, optionsOrRecursive, mode));
 }
 
 /** Creates a new directory with the specified path.
@@ -22,12 +55,12 @@ export function mkdirSync(path: string, recursive = false, mode = 0o777): void {
  * Windows.
  *
  *       await Deno.mkdir("new_dir");
- *       await Deno.mkdir("nested/directories", true);
+ *       await Deno.mkdir("nested/directories", { recursive: true });
  */
 export async function mkdir(
   path: string,
-  recursive = false,
-  mode = 0o777
+  optionsOrRecursive?: MkdirOption | boolean,
+  mode?: number
 ): Promise<void> {
-  await sendAsync(dispatch.OP_MKDIR, { path, recursive, mode });
+  await sendAsync(dispatch.OP_MKDIR, mkdirArgs(path, optionsOrRecursive, mode));
 }
diff --git a/cli/js/mkdir_test.ts b/cli/js/mkdir_test.ts
index c6fa6326c2..dad61c1a47 100644
--- a/cli/js/mkdir_test.ts
+++ b/cli/js/mkdir_test.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ testPerm({ read: true, write: true }, function mkdirSyncSuccess(): void {
 
 testPerm({ read: true, write: true }, function mkdirSyncMode(): void {
   const path = Deno.makeTempDirSync() + "/dir";
-  Deno.mkdirSync(path, false, 0o755); // no perm for x
+  Deno.mkdirSync(path, { mode: 0o755 }); // no perm for x
   const pathInfo = Deno.statSync(path);
   if (pathInfo.mode !== null) {
     // Skip windows
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ testPerm({ write: true }, function mkdirErrIfExists(): void {
 
 testPerm({ read: true, write: true }, function mkdirSyncRecursive(): void {
   const path = Deno.makeTempDirSync() + "/nested/directory";
-  Deno.mkdirSync(path, true);
+  Deno.mkdirSync(path, { recursive: true });
   const pathInfo = Deno.statSync(path);
   assert(pathInfo.isDirectory());
 });
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ testPerm({ read: true, write: true }, async function mkdirRecursive(): Promise<
   void
 > {
   const path = Deno.makeTempDirSync() + "/nested/directory";
-  await Deno.mkdir(path, true);
+  await Deno.mkdir(path, { recursive: true });
   const pathInfo = Deno.statSync(path);
   assert(pathInfo.isDirectory());
 });
diff --git a/std/fs/empty_dir.ts b/std/fs/empty_dir.ts
index a838de3b88..e3d08ef70a 100644
--- a/std/fs/empty_dir.ts
+++ b/std/fs/empty_dir.ts
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ export async function emptyDir(dir: string): Promise<void> {
     }
 
     // if not exist. then create it
-    await mkdir(dir, true);
+    await mkdir(dir, { recursive: true });
   }
 }
 
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ export function emptyDirSync(dir: string): void {
       throw err;
     }
     // if not exist. then create it
-    mkdirSync(dir, true);
+    mkdirSync(dir, { recursive: true });
     return;
   }
 }
diff --git a/std/fs/ensure_dir.ts b/std/fs/ensure_dir.ts
index 92db873b3e..d4b30dd2d9 100644
--- a/std/fs/ensure_dir.ts
+++ b/std/fs/ensure_dir.ts
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ export async function ensureDir(dir: string): Promise<void> {
   } catch (err) {
     if (err instanceof Deno.DenoError && err.kind === ErrorKind.NotFound) {
       // if dir not exists. then create it.
-      await mkdir(dir, true);
+      await mkdir(dir, { recursive: true });
       return;
     }
     throw err;
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ export function ensureDirSync(dir: string): void {
   } catch (err) {
     if (err instanceof Deno.DenoError && err.kind == ErrorKind.NotFound) {
       // if dir not exists. then create it.
-      mkdirSync(dir, true);
+      mkdirSync(dir, { recursive: true });
       return;
     }
     throw err;
diff --git a/std/fs/ensure_dir_test.ts b/std/fs/ensure_dir_test.ts
index 998b74e2de..231196ae9d 100644
--- a/std/fs/ensure_dir_test.ts
+++ b/std/fs/ensure_dir_test.ts
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ test(async function ensureDirIfItExist(): Promise<void> {
   const testDir = path.join(baseDir, "test");
 
   // create test directory
-  await Deno.mkdir(testDir, true);
+  await Deno.mkdir(testDir, { recursive: true });
 
   await ensureDir(testDir);
 
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ test(function ensureDirSyncIfItExist(): void {
   const testDir = path.join(baseDir, "test");
 
   // create test directory
-  Deno.mkdirSync(testDir, true);
+  Deno.mkdirSync(testDir, { recursive: true });
 
   ensureDirSync(testDir);
 
diff --git a/std/fs/ensure_file_test.ts b/std/fs/ensure_file_test.ts
index 855ad4f50d..a5d237e5f4 100644
--- a/std/fs/ensure_file_test.ts
+++ b/std/fs/ensure_file_test.ts
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ test(async function ensureFileIfItExist(): Promise<void> {
   const testDir = path.join(testdataDir, "ensure_file_3");
   const testFile = path.join(testDir, "test.txt");
 
-  await Deno.mkdir(testDir, true);
+  await Deno.mkdir(testDir, { recursive: true });
   await Deno.writeFile(testFile, new Uint8Array());
 
   await ensureFile(testFile);
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ test(function ensureFileSyncIfItExist(): void {
   const testDir = path.join(testdataDir, "ensure_file_4");
   const testFile = path.join(testDir, "test.txt");
 
-  Deno.mkdirSync(testDir, true);
+  Deno.mkdirSync(testDir, { recursive: true });
   Deno.writeFileSync(testFile, new Uint8Array());
 
   ensureFileSync(testFile);
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ test(function ensureFileSyncIfItExist(): void {
 test(async function ensureFileIfItExistAsDir(): Promise<void> {
   const testDir = path.join(testdataDir, "ensure_file_5");
 
-  await Deno.mkdir(testDir, true);
+  await Deno.mkdir(testDir, { recursive: true });
 
   await assertThrowsAsync(
     async (): Promise<void> => {
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ test(async function ensureFileIfItExistAsDir(): Promise<void> {
 test(function ensureFileSyncIfItExistAsDir(): void {
   const testDir = path.join(testdataDir, "ensure_file_6");
 
-  Deno.mkdirSync(testDir, true);
+  Deno.mkdirSync(testDir, { recursive: true });
 
   assertThrows(
     (): void => {
diff --git a/std/fs/ensure_link_test.ts b/std/fs/ensure_link_test.ts
index e438bf0e3f..daf216c492 100644
--- a/std/fs/ensure_link_test.ts
+++ b/std/fs/ensure_link_test.ts
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ test(async function ensureLinkIfItExist(): Promise<void> {
   const testFile = path.join(testDir, "test.txt");
   const linkFile = path.join(testDir, "link.txt");
 
-  await Deno.mkdir(testDir, true);
+  await Deno.mkdir(testDir, { recursive: true });
   await Deno.writeFile(testFile, new Uint8Array());
 
   await ensureLink(testFile, linkFile);
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ test(function ensureLinkSyncIfItExist(): void {
   const testFile = path.join(testDir, "test.txt");
   const linkFile = path.join(testDir, "link.txt");
 
-  Deno.mkdirSync(testDir, true);
+  Deno.mkdirSync(testDir, { recursive: true });
   Deno.writeFileSync(testFile, new Uint8Array());
 
   ensureLinkSync(testFile, linkFile);
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ test(async function ensureLinkDirectoryIfItExist(): Promise<void> {
   const linkDir = path.join(testdataDir, "ensure_link_link_3");
   const testFile = path.join(testDir, "test.txt");
 
-  await Deno.mkdir(testDir, true);
+  await Deno.mkdir(testDir, { recursive: true });
   await Deno.writeFile(testFile, new Uint8Array());
 
   await assertThrowsAsync(
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ test(function ensureLinkSyncDirectoryIfItExist(): void {
   const linkDir = path.join(testdataDir, "ensure_link_link_3");
   const testFile = path.join(testDir, "test.txt");
 
-  Deno.mkdirSync(testDir, true);
+  Deno.mkdirSync(testDir, { recursive: true });
   Deno.writeFileSync(testFile, new Uint8Array());
 
   assertThrows(
diff --git a/std/fs/ensure_symlink_test.ts b/std/fs/ensure_symlink_test.ts
index ee32d48610..0470af57e9 100644
--- a/std/fs/ensure_symlink_test.ts
+++ b/std/fs/ensure_symlink_test.ts
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ test(async function ensureSymlinkIfItExist(): Promise<void> {
   const testFile = path.join(testDir, "test.txt");
   const linkFile = path.join(testDir, "link.txt");
 
-  await Deno.mkdir(testDir, true);
+  await Deno.mkdir(testDir, { recursive: true });
   await Deno.writeFile(testFile, new Uint8Array());
 
   if (isWindows) {
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ test(function ensureSymlinkSyncIfItExist(): void {
   const testFile = path.join(testDir, "test.txt");
   const linkFile = path.join(testDir, "link.txt");
 
-  Deno.mkdirSync(testDir, true);
+  Deno.mkdirSync(testDir, { recursive: true });
   Deno.writeFileSync(testFile, new Uint8Array());
 
   if (isWindows) {
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ test(async function ensureSymlinkDirectoryIfItExist(): Promise<void> {
   const linkDir = path.join(testdataDir, "link_file_link_3");
   const testFile = path.join(testDir, "test.txt");
 
-  await Deno.mkdir(testDir, true);
+  await Deno.mkdir(testDir, { recursive: true });
   await Deno.writeFile(testFile, new Uint8Array());
 
   if (isWindows) {
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ test(function ensureSymlinkSyncDirectoryIfItExist(): void {
   const linkDir = path.join(testdataDir, "link_file_link_3");
   const testFile = path.join(testDir, "test.txt");
 
-  Deno.mkdirSync(testDir, true);
+  Deno.mkdirSync(testDir, { recursive: true });
   Deno.writeFileSync(testFile, new Uint8Array());
 
   if (isWindows) {
diff --git a/std/fs/move_test.ts b/std/fs/move_test.ts
index 27f66f7de8..7958935091 100644
--- a/std/fs/move_test.ts
+++ b/std/fs/move_test.ts
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ test(async function moveDirectoryIfDestNotExists(): Promise<void> {
   const srcDir = path.join(testdataDir, "move_test_src_2");
   const destDir = path.join(testdataDir, "move_test_dest_2");
 
-  await Deno.mkdir(srcDir, true);
+  await Deno.mkdir(srcDir, { recursive: true });
 
   // if dest directory not exist
   await assertThrowsAsync(
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ test(async function moveDirectory(): Promise<void> {
   const destFile = path.join(destDir, "test.txt");
   const srcContent = new TextEncoder().encode("src");
 
-  await Deno.mkdir(srcDir, true);
+  await Deno.mkdir(srcDir, { recursive: true });
   assertEquals(await exists(srcDir), true);
   await Deno.writeFile(srcFile, srcContent);
 
@@ -140,7 +140,10 @@ test(async function moveIfSrcAndDestDirectoryExistsAndOverwrite(): Promise<
   const srcContent = new TextEncoder().encode("src");
   const destContent = new TextEncoder().encode("dest");
 
-  await Promise.all([Deno.mkdir(srcDir, true), Deno.mkdir(destDir, true)]);
+  await Promise.all([
+    Deno.mkdir(srcDir, { recursive: true }),
+    Deno.mkdir(destDir, { recursive: true })
+  ]);
   assertEquals(await exists(srcDir), true);
   assertEquals(await exists(destDir), true);
   await Promise.all([
@@ -191,7 +194,7 @@ test(function moveSyncDirectoryIfDestNotExists(): void {
   const srcDir = path.join(testdataDir, "move_sync_test_src_2");
   const destDir = path.join(testdataDir, "move_sync_test_dest_2");
 
-  Deno.mkdirSync(srcDir, true);
+  Deno.mkdirSync(srcDir, { recursive: true });
 
   // if dest directory not exist
   assertThrows(
@@ -270,7 +273,7 @@ test(function moveSyncDirectory(): void {
   const destFile = path.join(destDir, "test.txt");
   const srcContent = new TextEncoder().encode("src");
 
-  Deno.mkdirSync(srcDir, true);
+  Deno.mkdirSync(srcDir, { recursive: true });
   assertEquals(existsSync(srcDir), true);
   Deno.writeFileSync(srcFile, srcContent);
 
@@ -294,8 +297,8 @@ test(function moveSyncIfSrcAndDestDirectoryExistsAndOverwrite(): void {
   const srcContent = new TextEncoder().encode("src");
   const destContent = new TextEncoder().encode("dest");
 
-  Deno.mkdirSync(srcDir, true);
-  Deno.mkdirSync(destDir, true);
+  Deno.mkdirSync(srcDir, { recursive: true });
+  Deno.mkdirSync(destDir, { recursive: true });
   assertEquals(existsSync(srcDir), true);
   assertEquals(existsSync(destDir), true);
   Deno.writeFileSync(srcFile, srcContent);
diff --git a/std/fs/walk_test.ts b/std/fs/walk_test.ts
index c0884175f6..8f218eca6c 100644
--- a/std/fs/walk_test.ts
+++ b/std/fs/walk_test.ts
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ testWalk(
 
 testWalk(
   async (d: string): Promise<void> => {
-    await mkdir(d + "/a/b/c/d", true);
+    await mkdir(d + "/a/b/c/d", { recursive: true });
     await touch(d + "/a/b/c/d/x");
   },
   async function depth(): Promise<void> {
diff --git a/std/io/util.ts b/std/io/util.ts
index 1226640bd4..4bcf7d2e9d 100644
--- a/std/io/util.ts
+++ b/std/io/util.ts
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ export async function tempFile(
   const filepath = path.resolve(
     `${dir}/${opts.prefix || ""}${r}${opts.postfix || ""}`
   );
-  await mkdir(path.dirname(filepath), true);
+  await mkdir(path.dirname(filepath), { recursive: true });
   const file = await open(filepath, "a");
   return { file, filepath };
 }