diff --git a/packages/cli/bin/cli-actions/build.js b/packages/cli/bin/cli-actions/build.js
index aca73760c..b9a752665 100644
--- a/packages/cli/bin/cli-actions/build.js
+++ b/packages/cli/bin/cli-actions/build.js
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ const { error, info, wrapAsync } = require('../utils');
 const build = (options) =>
   wrapAsync(function* () {
     try {
-      const config = yield resolveConfig(options.parent.config);
+      const config = yield resolveConfig(options.config);
       yield buildPatterns(config, options);
       info(`build: Yay, your Pattern Lab project was successfully built ☺`);
     } catch (err) {
diff --git a/packages/cli/bin/cli-actions/disable.js b/packages/cli/bin/cli-actions/disable.js
index 75a534b5a..35a460dc7 100644
--- a/packages/cli/bin/cli-actions/disable.js
+++ b/packages/cli/bin/cli-actions/disable.js
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ const enable = (options) =>
         }
       });
     }
-    yield writeJsonAsync(options.parent.config, config);
+    yield writeJsonAsync(options.config, config);
     spinner.succeed(`⊙ patternlab → Updated config`);
   });
 
diff --git a/packages/cli/bin/cli-actions/enable.js b/packages/cli/bin/cli-actions/enable.js
index 4c493cc51..f5a3c67fb 100644
--- a/packages/cli/bin/cli-actions/enable.js
+++ b/packages/cli/bin/cli-actions/enable.js
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ const enable = (options) =>
         }
       });
     }
-    yield writeJsonAsync(options.parent.config, config);
+    yield writeJsonAsync(options.config, config);
     spinner.succeed(`⊙ patternlab → Updated config`);
   });
 
diff --git a/packages/cli/bin/cli-actions/export.js b/packages/cli/bin/cli-actions/export.js
index 8f67251e2..bfe674770 100644
--- a/packages/cli/bin/cli-actions/export.js
+++ b/packages/cli/bin/cli-actions/export.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ const wrapAsync = require('../utils').wrapAsync;
 
 const _export = (options) =>
   wrapAsync(function* () {
-    const config = yield resolveConfig(options.parent.config);
+    const config = yield resolveConfig(options.config);
     archive(config);
   });
 
diff --git a/packages/cli/bin/cli-actions/install.js b/packages/cli/bin/cli-actions/install.js
index 9c070bb17..a00fca97f 100644
--- a/packages/cli/bin/cli-actions/install.js
+++ b/packages/cli/bin/cli-actions/install.js
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ const writeJsonAsync = require('../utils').writeJsonAsync;
  */
 const install = (options) =>
   wrapAsync(function* () {
-    const config = yield resolveConfig(options.parent.config);
+    const config = yield resolveConfig(options.config);
 
     const spinner = ora(
       `⊙ patternlab → Installing additional resources …`
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ const install = (options) =>
         `⊙ patternlab → Installed following plugins: ${plugins.join(', ')}`
       );
     }
-    yield writeJsonAsync(options.parent.config, config);
+    yield writeJsonAsync(options.config, config);
     spinner.succeed(`⊙ patternlab → Updated config`);
   });
 
diff --git a/packages/cli/bin/cli-actions/serve.js b/packages/cli/bin/cli-actions/serve.js
index 9ef4e42f2..40576a761 100644
--- a/packages/cli/bin/cli-actions/serve.js
+++ b/packages/cli/bin/cli-actions/serve.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ const wrapAsync = require('../utils').wrapAsync;
 
 const serve = (options) =>
   wrapAsync(function* () {
-    const config = yield resolveConfig(options.parent.config);
+    const config = yield resolveConfig(options.config);
     servePatterns(config, options);
   });
 
diff --git a/packages/cli/bin/patternlab.js b/packages/cli/bin/patternlab.js
index e2ed6cd1e..a645f3259 100755
--- a/packages/cli/bin/patternlab.js
+++ b/packages/cli/bin/patternlab.js
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env node
 /* eslint-disable no-unused-vars */
 'use strict';
-const cli = require('commander');
+const { Command } = require('commander');
+const cli = new Command();
 const path = require('path');
 const build = require('./cli-actions/build');
 const disable = require('./cli-actions/disable');
@@ -38,15 +39,7 @@ const list = (val) => val.split(',');
 cli
   .version(version(pkg), '-V, --version')
   .usage('<cmd> [options]')
-  .arguments('<cmd> [options]')
-  .option(
-    '-c, --config <path>',
-    'Specify config file. Default looks up the project dir',
-    (val) => val.trim(),
-    path.resolve(process.cwd(), 'patternlab-config.json')
-  )
-  .option('-v, --verbose', 'Show verbose console logs', verboseLogs)
-  .option('--silent', 'Turn off console logs', silenceLogs);
+  .arguments('<cmd> [options]');
 
 /**
  * build
@@ -134,6 +127,20 @@ cli
   .option('--no-watch', 'Start watching for changes')
   .action(serve);
 
+// Common options can be added manually after setting up program and subcommands.
+// If the options are unsorted in the help, these will appear last.
+cli.commands.forEach((command) => {
+  command
+    .option(
+      '-c, --config <path>',
+      'Specify config file. Default looks up the project dir',
+      (val) => val.trim(),
+      path.resolve(process.cwd(), 'patternlab-config.json')
+    )
+    .option('-v, --verbose', 'Show verbose console logs', verboseLogs)
+    .option('--silent', 'Turn off console logs', silenceLogs);
+});
+
 // Show additional help
 cli.on('--help', help);
 
diff --git a/packages/cli/package.json b/packages/cli/package.json
index 6eedcf29a..659f427ec 100644
--- a/packages/cli/package.json
+++ b/packages/cli/package.json
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
     "@pattern-lab/core": "^5.17.0",
     "archiver": "5.3.0",
     "chalk": "4.1.0",
-    "commander": "6.2.1",
+    "commander": "9.4.1",
     "deepmerge": "^4.2.2",
     "execa": "5.0.0",
     "fs-extra": "10.0.0",
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index d1161a3e4..6740ab53d 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -4676,10 +4676,10 @@ commander@2.17.x:
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/commander/-/commander-2.17.1.tgz#bd77ab7de6de94205ceacc72f1716d29f20a77bf"
   integrity sha512-wPMUt6FnH2yzG95SA6mzjQOEKUU3aLaDEmzs1ti+1E9h+CsrZghRlqEM/EJ4KscsQVG8uNN4uVreUeT8+drlgg==
 
-commander@6.2.1:
-  version "6.2.1"
-  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/commander/-/commander-6.2.1.tgz#0792eb682dfbc325999bb2b84fddddba110ac73c"
-  integrity sha512-U7VdrJFnJgo4xjrHpTzu0yrHPGImdsmD95ZlgYSEajAn2JKzDhDTPG9kBTefmObL2w/ngeZnilk+OV9CG3d7UA==
+commander@9.4.1:
+  version "9.4.1"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/commander/-/commander-9.4.1.tgz#d1dd8f2ce6faf93147295c0df13c7c21141cfbdd"
+  integrity sha512-5EEkTNyHNGFPD2H+c/dXXfQZYa/scCKasxWcXJaWnNJ99pnQN9Vnmqow+p+PlFPE63Q6mThaZws1T+HxfpgtPw==
 
 commander@^2.19.0, commander@^2.2.0, commander@^2.20.0:
   version "2.20.3"