diff --git a/internal/registry/cobra.go b/internal/registry/cobra.go
index 983e739..2c993ca 100644
--- a/internal/registry/cobra.go
+++ b/internal/registry/cobra.go
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ func newCobraRoot(root *command.Command) *cobra.Command {
 	}
 }
 
-func ToCobra(cmd *command.Command, globalOptions command.Options) *cobra.Command {
+func ToCobra(cmd *command.Command, globalOptions command.Options, parent *cobra.Command) *cobra.Command {
 	localName := cmd.Name()
 	useSpec := []string{localName, "[options]"}
 	for _, arg := range cmd.Arguments {
@@ -97,8 +97,20 @@ func ToCobra(cmd *command.Command, globalOptions command.Options) *cobra.Command
 			log.Errorf("Failed setting up autocompletion for option <%s> of command <%s>", name, cmd.FullName())
 		}
 	}
+	parent.AddCommand(cc)
 
-	cc.SetHelpFunc(cmd.HelpRenderer(globalOptions))
+	cmdGlobalOptions := globalOptions
+	if parent != cc.Root() {
+		cmdGlobalOptions = subOptions(globalOptions)
+		log.Tracef("Adding subflags from %s to child %s", parent.Name(), cmd.FullName())
+		if p := FromCobra(parent); p != nil {
+			for key, opt := range p.Options {
+				cmdGlobalOptions[key] = opt
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	cc.SetHelpFunc(cmd.HelpRenderer(cmdGlobalOptions))
 	cmd.SetCobra(cc)
 	return cc
 }
diff --git a/internal/registry/registry.go b/internal/registry/registry.go
index 352ac53..e0ae596 100644
--- a/internal/registry/registry.go
+++ b/internal/registry/registry.go
@@ -62,6 +62,14 @@ func CommandList() []*command.Command {
 	return registry.byPath
 }
 
+func subOptions(m command.Options) command.Options {
+	m2 := make(map[string]*command.Option, len(m))
+	for id, opt := range m {
+		m2[id] = opt
+	}
+	return m2
+}
+
 func Execute(version string) error {
 	log.Debug("starting execution")
 	cmdRoot := command.Root
@@ -97,10 +105,15 @@ func Execute(version string) error {
 		container := ccRoot
 		for idx, cp := range cmd.Path {
 			if idx == len(cmd.Path)-1 {
-				leaf := ToCobra(cmd, globalOptions)
-				container.AddCommand(leaf)
-				log.Tracef("cobra: %s => %s", leaf.Name(), container.CommandPath())
-				break
+				if cmd.Action != nil {
+					// nil actions come when the current command consists only
+					// of metadata for a "group parent" command
+					// and we don't wanna cobraize it like a regular, actionable one
+					leaf := ToCobra(cmd, globalOptions, container)
+					log.Tracef("cobra: %s => %s", leaf.Name(), container.CommandPath())
+					break
+				}
+				log.Tracef("Found command with no action: %s, assuming group parent action", cmd.Path)
 			}
 
 			query := []string{cp}
@@ -112,6 +125,11 @@ func Execute(version string) error {
 
 			for _, sub := range container.Commands() {
 				if sub.Name() == cp {
+					if parent := FromCobra(container); parent != nil {
+						log.Tracef("pflags to %s from %s", sub.Name(), parent.FullName())
+						fs := parent.FlagSet()
+						sub.PersistentFlags().AddFlagSet(fs)
+					}
 					container = sub
 					found = true
 				}
@@ -119,16 +137,35 @@ func Execute(version string) error {
 
 			if !found {
 				groupName := strings.Join(query, " ")
-				groupPath := append(cmdRoot.Path, append(cmd.Path[0:idx], query...)...) // nolint:gocritic
+				cleanPath := append(cmd.Path[0:idx], query...)
+				groupPath := append(cmdRoot.Path, cleanPath...) // nolint:gocritic
+
+				cmdGlobalOptions := globalOptions
+
+				groupParent := Get(groupName)
+				if groupParent == nil {
+					log.Tracef("creating group parent for %s", groupPath)
+					groupParent = &command.Command{
+						Path:        cleanPath,
+						Summary:     fmt.Sprintf("%s subcommands", groupName),
+						Description: fmt.Sprintf("Runs subcommands within %s", groupName),
+						Arguments:   command.Arguments{},
+						Options:     command.Options{},
+					}
+					Register(groupParent)
+				} else {
+					log.Tracef("using pre-existing group parent for %s (%s)", groupPath, groupParent.Path)
+				}
+
 				cc := &cobra.Command{
 					Use:                        cp,
-					Short:                      fmt.Sprintf("%s subcommands", groupName),
+					Short:                      groupParent.Summary,
 					DisableAutoGenTag:          true,
 					SuggestionsMinimumDistance: 2,
 					SilenceUsage:               true,
 					SilenceErrors:              true,
 					Annotations: map[string]string{
-						ContextKeyRuntimeIndex: strings.Join(groupPath, " "),
+						ContextKeyRuntimeIndex: strings.Join(cleanPath, " "),
 					},
 					ValidArgs: []string{},
 					Args: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
@@ -161,15 +198,23 @@ func Execute(version string) error {
 					},
 				}
 
-				groupParent := &command.Command{
-					Path:        groupPath,
-					Summary:     fmt.Sprintf("%s subcommands", groupName),
-					Description: fmt.Sprintf("Runs subcommands within %s", groupName),
-					Arguments:   command.Arguments{},
-					Options:     command.Options{},
+				if len(groupParent.Options) > 0 {
+					fs := cmd.FlagSet()
+					cc.PersistentFlags().AddFlagSet(fs)
+					log.Debugf("adding sub-global option set to %s", groupName)
 				}
-				Register(groupParent)
-				cc.SetHelpFunc(groupParent.HelpRenderer(globalOptions))
+
+				if container != cc.Root() {
+					cmdGlobalOptions = subOptions(globalOptions)
+					if p := FromCobra(container); p != nil {
+						for key, opt := range p.Options {
+							cmdGlobalOptions[key] = opt
+						}
+					}
+				}
+				cc.PersistentFlags().AddFlagSet(container.PersistentFlags())
+
+				cc.SetHelpFunc(groupParent.HelpRenderer(cmdGlobalOptions))
 				cc.SetHelpCommand(commands.Help)
 				container.AddCommand(cc)
 				container = cc
diff --git a/pkg/command/command.go b/pkg/command/command.go
index f00e913..fd6adbe 100644
--- a/pkg/command/command.go
+++ b/pkg/command/command.go
@@ -73,7 +73,6 @@ func (cmd *Command) FlagSet() *pflag.FlagSet {
 		fs := pflag.NewFlagSet(strings.Join(cmd.Path, " "), pflag.ContinueOnError)
 		fs.SortFlags = false
 		fs.Usage = func() {}
-
 		for name, opt := range cmd.Options {
 			switch opt.Type {
 			case ValueTypeBoolean:
@@ -81,7 +80,6 @@ func (cmd *Command) FlagSet() *pflag.FlagSet {
 				if opt.Default != nil {
 					def = opt.Default.(bool)
 				}
-
 				fs.BoolP(name, opt.ShortName, def, opt.Description)
 			case ValueTypeInt:
 				def := -1
@@ -97,7 +95,6 @@ func (cmd *Command) FlagSet() *pflag.FlagSet {
 						def = casted
 					}
 				}
-
 				fs.IntP(name, opt.ShortName, def, opt.Description)
 			case ValueTypeDefault, ValueTypeString:
 				opt.Type = ValueTypeString
@@ -112,6 +109,7 @@ func (cmd *Command) FlagSet() *pflag.FlagSet {
 				continue
 			}
 		}
+
 		cmd.runtimeFlags = fs
 	}
 	return cmd.runtimeFlags