diff --git a/cli/vm/cli.go b/cli/vm/cli.go
index 7ee1cb366..50e71ea45 100644
--- a/cli/vm/cli.go
+++ b/cli/vm/cli.go
@@ -151,9 +151,11 @@ Example:
 	{
 		Name:      "loadnef",
 		Usage:     "Load a NEF-consistent script into the VM optionally attaching to it provided signers with scopes",
-		UsageText: `loadnef [--historic <height>] [--gas <int>] <file> <manifest> [-- <signer-with-scope>, ...]`,
+		UsageText: `loadnef [--historic <height>] [--gas <int>] <file> [<manifest>] [-- <signer-with-scope>, ...]`,
 		Flags:     []cli.Flag{historicFlag, gasFlag},
-		Description: `<file> and <manifest> parameters are mandatory.
+		Description: `<file> parameter is mandatory, <manifest> parameter (if omitted) will
+   be guessed from the <file> parameter by replacing '.nef' suffix with '.manifest.json'
+   suffix.
 
 ` + cmdargs.SignersParsingDoc + `
 
@@ -671,10 +673,36 @@ func prepareVM(c *cli.Context, tx *transaction.Transaction) error {
 
 func handleLoadNEF(c *cli.Context) error {
 	args := c.Args()
-	if len(args) < 2 {
-		return fmt.Errorf("%w: <file> <manifest>", ErrMissingParameter)
+	if len(args) < 1 {
+		return fmt.Errorf("%w: <nef> is required", ErrMissingParameter)
 	}
-	b, err := os.ReadFile(args[0])
+	nefFile := args[0]
+	var (
+		manifestFile       string
+		signersStartOffset int
+	)
+	if len(args) == 2 {
+		manifestFile = args[1]
+	} else if len(args) == 3 {
+		if args[1] != cmdargs.CosignersSeparator {
+			return fmt.Errorf("%w: `%s` was expected as the second parameter, got %s", ErrInvalidParameter, cmdargs.CosignersSeparator, args[1])
+		}
+		signersStartOffset = 2
+	} else if len(args) > 3 {
+		if args[1] == cmdargs.CosignersSeparator {
+			signersStartOffset = 2
+		} else {
+			manifestFile = args[1]
+			if args[2] != cmdargs.CosignersSeparator {
+				return fmt.Errorf("%w: `%s` was expected as the third parameter, got %s", ErrInvalidParameter, cmdargs.CosignersSeparator, args[2])
+			}
+			signersStartOffset = 3
+		}
+	}
+	if len(manifestFile) == 0 {
+		manifestFile = strings.TrimSuffix(nefFile, ".nef") + ".manifest.json"
+	}
+	b, err := os.ReadFile(nefFile)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -682,21 +710,15 @@ func handleLoadNEF(c *cli.Context) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to decode NEF file: %w", err)
 	}
-	m, err := getManifestFromFile(args[1])
+	m, err := getManifestFromFile(manifestFile)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to read manifest: %w", err)
 	}
 	var signers []transaction.Signer
-	if len(args) > 2 {
-		if args[2] != cmdargs.CosignersSeparator {
-			return fmt.Errorf("%w: `%s` was expected as the third parameter, got %s", ErrInvalidParameter, cmdargs.CosignersSeparator, args[2])
-		}
-		if len(args) < 4 {
-			return fmt.Errorf("%w: signers expected after `%s`, got none", ErrInvalidParameter, cmdargs.CosignersSeparator)
-		}
-		signers, err = cmdargs.ParseSigners(c.Args()[3:])
+	if signersStartOffset != 0 && len(args) > signersStartOffset {
+		signers, err = cmdargs.ParseSigners(c.Args()[signersStartOffset:])
 		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("%w: %v", ErrInvalidParameter, err) //nolint:errorlint // errorlint: non-wrapping format verb for fmt.Errorf. Use `%w` to format errors
+			return fmt.Errorf("%w: failed to parse signers: %v", ErrInvalidParameter, err) //nolint:errorlint // errorlint: non-wrapping format verb for fmt.Errorf. Use `%w` to format errors
 		}
 	}
 	err = prepareVM(c, createFakeTransaction(nef.Script, signers))
diff --git a/cli/vm/cli_test.go b/cli/vm/cli_test.go
index 843782143..8cae8d017 100644
--- a/cli/vm/cli_test.go
+++ b/cli/vm/cli_test.go
@@ -527,7 +527,17 @@ go 1.18`)
 			"loadnef "+filename+" "+notExists,
 			"loadnef "+filename+" "+filename,
 			"loadnef "+filename+" "+manifestFile,
-			"run main add 3 5")
+			"run main add 3 5",
+			"loadnef "+filename,
+			"run main add 3 5",
+			"loadnef "+filename+" "+cmdargs.CosignersSeparator,
+			"loadnef "+filename+" "+manifestFile+" "+cmdargs.CosignersSeparator,
+			"loadnef "+filename+" "+manifestFile+" "+"not-a-separator",
+			"loadnef "+filename+" "+cmdargs.CosignersSeparator+" "+util.Uint160{1, 2, 3}.StringLE(),
+			"run main add 3 5",
+			"loadnef "+filename+" "+manifestFile+" "+cmdargs.CosignersSeparator+" "+util.Uint160{1, 2, 3}.StringLE(),
+			"run main add 3 5",
+		)
 
 		e.checkError(t, ErrMissingParameter)
 		e.checkNextLine(t, "Error:")
@@ -535,6 +545,15 @@ go 1.18`)
 		e.checkNextLine(t, "Error:")
 		e.checkNextLine(t, "READY: loaded \\d* instructions")
 		e.checkStack(t, 8)
+		e.checkNextLine(t, "READY: loaded \\d* instructions")
+		e.checkStack(t, 8)
+		e.checkNextLine(t, "Error:")                          // manifest missing, missing signer after --
+		e.checkNextLine(t, "Error:")                          // manifest present, missing signer after --
+		e.checkNextLine(t, "Error:")                          // manifest present, invalid separator
+		e.checkNextLine(t, "READY: loaded \\d* instructions") // manifest missing, signer present, OK
+		e.checkStack(t, 8)
+		e.checkNextLine(t, "READY: loaded \\d* instructions") // manifest present, signer present, OK
+		e.checkStack(t, 8)
 	})
 }