diff --git a/cmd/warren/cmd_build.go b/cmd/warren/cmd_build.go
index f071b1e..faa36cb 100644
--- a/cmd/warren/cmd_build.go
+++ b/cmd/warren/cmd_build.go
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ var buildCmd = &warren.Command{
 }
 
 func buildRun(cmd *warren.Command, args ...string) {
+
 	if len(args) > 0 && args[0] == "help" {
 		fmt.Print(cmd.Help)
 		return
diff --git a/cmd/warren/main.go b/cmd/warren/main.go
index 17ffdb9..a9166a9 100644
--- a/cmd/warren/main.go
+++ b/cmd/warren/main.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package main
 
 import (
-	"flag"
 	"fmt"
 	"github.com/dballard/warren/lib/warren"
 	"os"
@@ -34,25 +33,21 @@ func main() {
 	warren.RegisterCommand(buildCmd)
 	warren.RegisterCommand(deployCmd)
 	warren.RegisterCommand(runCmd)
-
-	flag.Usage = usage
-	flag.Parse()
-
-	args := flag.Args()
+	args := os.Args[1:]
 	if len(args) == 0 || args[0] == "-h" {
-		flag.Usage()
+		usage()
 		return
 	}
 
 	name := args[0]
-	var cmd *warren.Command = warren.GetCommand(name)
+	var icmd = warren.GetCommand(name)
 
-	if cmd == nil {
+	if icmd == nil {
 		fmt.Printf("error: unknown command %q\n", name)
-		flag.Usage()
+		usage()
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 
-	cmd.Exec(args[1:])
+	icmd.(*warren.Command).Exec(args[1:])
 
 }
diff --git a/cmd/warrend/cmd_status.go b/cmd/warrend/cmd_status.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9c63dba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/warrend/cmd_status.go
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"github.com/dballard/warren/lib/warren"
+	"net"
+)
+
+var statusUsage = `
+status - 
+`
+
+var statusCmd = &SockCommand{
+	Command: warren.Command{
+		Name:    "status",
+		Usage:   "",
+		Summary: "Print status of warrend",
+		Help:    statusUsage,
+	},
+	Run: statusRun,
+}
+
+func statusRun(cmd *SockCommand, c net.Conn, args ...string) {
+	if len(args) == 0 || args[0] == "help" {
+		fmt.Print(cmd.Help)
+		return
+	}
+
+	c.Write([]byte("status\000"))
+}
diff --git a/cmd/warrend/main.go b/cmd/warrend/main.go
index 150a058..ba112ac 100644
--- a/cmd/warrend/main.go
+++ b/cmd/warrend/main.go
@@ -10,7 +10,24 @@ import (
 	"syscall"
 )
 
-func cmdHandle(c net.Conn) {
+type SockCommand struct {
+	warren.Command
+	Run func(cmd *SockCommand, c net.Conn, args ...string)
+}
+
+func (cmd *SockCommand) GetName() string {
+	return cmd.Name
+}
+
+func (cmd *SockCommand) Exec(c net.Conn, args []string) {
+	cmd.Flag.Usage = func() {
+		// helpFunc(c, c.Name)
+	}
+	cmd.Flag.Parse(args)
+	cmd.Run(cmd, c, cmd.Flag.Args()...)
+}
+
+func sockCmdHandle(c net.Conn) {
 	defer c.Close()
 	fmt.Println("cmdHandle")
 	data, err := warren.ReadStringz(c)
@@ -19,10 +36,15 @@ func cmdHandle(c net.Conn) {
 		return
 	}
 	fmt.Println("cmdHandle got command:", string(data))
+
+	// parse args
+	// get and run cmd
+
 	c.Write([]byte("echo: " + data))
 }
 
 func main() {
+	warren.RegisterCommand(statusCmd)
 
 	cmdSock, err := net.Listen(warren.CmdSockType(), warren.CmdSockAddr())
 	defer cmdSock.Close()
@@ -49,7 +71,7 @@ func main() {
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Fatal("accpet error:", err)
 		}
-		go cmdHandle(fd)
+		go sockCmdHandle(fd)
 	}
 
 }
diff --git a/lib/warren/cmd.go b/lib/warren/cmd.go
index 8dfa11d..75f5420 100644
--- a/lib/warren/cmd.go
+++ b/lib/warren/cmd.go
@@ -6,6 +6,12 @@ import (
 	"text/template"
 )
 
+type ICommand interface {
+	GetName() string
+}
+
+var commands map[string]ICommand = make(map[string]ICommand)
+
 // shamelessly snagged from the go tool
 // each command gets its own set of args,
 // defines its own entry point, and provides its own help
@@ -20,7 +26,9 @@ type Command struct {
 	Help    string
 }
 
-var commands map[string]*Command = make(map[string]*Command)
+func (c *Command) GetName() string {
+	return c.Name
+}
 
 func (c *Command) Exec(args []string) {
 	c.Flag.Usage = func() {
@@ -30,11 +38,11 @@ func (c *Command) Exec(args []string) {
 	c.Run(c, c.Flag.Args()...)
 }
 
-func RegisterCommand(c *Command) {
-	commands[c.Name] = c
+func RegisterCommand(c ICommand) {
+	commands[c.GetName()] = c
 }
 
-func GetCommand(name string) *Command {
+func GetCommand(name string) ICommand {
 	return commands[name]
 }