diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 7112ac11f..9a41247ba 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@
 * The adhoc, ping and playbook commands have been removed. These were ansible and vagrant commands that were not widely used.
 * Make the art command hidden, doesn't need to be removed, leave it as an easter egg
 * Move ziti ps command under ziti agent. Remove all ziti ps subcommands, as they already exist as ziti agent subcommands
+* Add `ziti controller` and `ziti router` commands
+    * They should work exactly the same as `ziti-controller` and `ziti router` 
+    * The standalone binaries for `ziti-controller` and `ziti-router` are deprecated and will be removed in a future release
 
 # Release 0.26.11
 
diff --git a/ziti/cmd/cmd.go b/ziti/cmd/cmd.go
index 53edfd8c3..774f5d836 100644
--- a/ziti/cmd/cmd.go
+++ b/ziti/cmd/cmd.go
@@ -28,7 +28,9 @@ import (
 	"github.com/openziti/ziti/ziti/cmd/templates"
 	"github.com/openziti/ziti/ziti/cmd/tutorial"
 	c "github.com/openziti/ziti/ziti/constants"
+	"github.com/openziti/ziti/ziti/controller"
 	"github.com/openziti/ziti/ziti/internal/log"
+	"github.com/openziti/ziti/ziti/router"
 	"github.com/openziti/ziti/ziti/util"
 	"io"
 	"os"
@@ -121,7 +123,8 @@ func NewCmdRoot(in io.Reader, out, err io.Writer, cmd *cobra.Command) *cobra.Com
 
 	initCommands := NewCmdInit(out, err)
 	createCommands := NewCmdCreate(out, err)
-	executeCommands := NewCmdExecute(out, err)
+	controllerCmd := controller.NewRunCmd()
+	routerCmd := router.NewRunCmd()
 	agentCommands := agentcli.NewAgentCmd(p)
 	pkiCommands := NewCmdPKI(out, err)
 	fabricCommand := fabric.NewFabricCmd(p)
@@ -153,8 +156,9 @@ func NewCmdRoot(in io.Reader, out, err io.Writer, cmd *cobra.Command) *cobra.Com
 		{
 			Message: "Executing Ziti components:",
 			Commands: []*cobra.Command{
-				executeCommands,
 				agentCommands,
+				controllerCmd,
+				routerCmd,
 				pkiCommands,
 				unwrapIdentityFileCommand,
 			},
diff --git a/ziti/cmd/execute.go b/ziti/cmd/execute.go
deleted file mode 100644
index c52b3f066..000000000
--- a/ziti/cmd/execute.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,82 +0,0 @@
-/*
-	Copyright NetFoundry Inc.
-
-	Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
-	you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
-	You may obtain a copy of the License at
-
-	https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
-
-	Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
-	distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
-	WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
-	See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
-	limitations under the License.
-*/
-
-package cmd
-
-import (
-	cmdhelper "github.com/openziti/ziti/ziti/cmd/helpers"
-	"github.com/openziti/ziti/ziti/cmd/templates"
-	"io"
-
-	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
-)
-
-// ExecuteOptions contains the command line options
-type ExecuteOptions struct {
-	CommonOptions
-
-	Flags ExecuteFlags
-
-	DisableImport bool
-	OutDir        string
-}
-
-type ExecuteFlags struct {
-	Identity string
-}
-
-var (
-	executeLong = templates.LongDesc(`
-		Executes a component.
-	`)
-)
-
-// NewCmdExecute Executes a command object for the "Execute" command
-func NewCmdExecute(out io.Writer, errOut io.Writer) *cobra.Command {
-	options := &ExecuteOptions{
-		CommonOptions: CommonOptions{
-			Out: out,
-			Err: errOut,
-		},
-	}
-
-	cmd := &cobra.Command{
-		Use:     "run",
-		Short:   "Execute a Ziti component/app",
-		Long:    executeLong,
-		Aliases: []string{},
-		Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
-			options.Cmd = cmd
-			options.Args = args
-			err := options.Run()
-			cmdhelper.CheckErr(err)
-		},
-	}
-
-	cmd.AddCommand(NewCmdExecuteController(out, errOut))
-
-	options.addExecuteFlags(cmd)
-	return cmd
-}
-
-func (options *ExecuteOptions) addExecuteFlags(cmd *cobra.Command) {
-	cmd.Flags().StringVarP(&options.Flags.Identity, "identity", "", "", "Which identity to use.")
-}
-
-// Run implements this command
-func (o *ExecuteOptions) Run() error {
-	return o.Cmd.Help()
-}
diff --git a/ziti/cmd/execute_controller.go b/ziti/cmd/execute_controller.go
deleted file mode 100644
index 3373bbd9a..000000000
--- a/ziti/cmd/execute_controller.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,112 +0,0 @@
-/*
-	Copyright NetFoundry Inc.
-
-	Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
-	you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
-	You may obtain a copy of the License at
-
-	https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
-
-	Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
-	distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
-	WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
-	See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
-	limitations under the License.
-*/
-
-package cmd
-
-import (
-	cmdhelper "github.com/openziti/ziti/ziti/cmd/helpers"
-	"github.com/openziti/ziti/ziti/cmd/templates"
-	c "github.com/openziti/ziti/ziti/constants"
-	"github.com/openziti/ziti/ziti/util"
-	"io"
-	"path/filepath"
-
-	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
-
-	"github.com/spf13/viper"
-)
-
-var (
-	executeControllerLong = templates.LongDesc(`
-		Executes the ziti-controller component
-	`)
-
-	executeControllerExample = templates.Examples(`
-		# Execute the ziti-controller component 
-		ziti execute ziti-controller
-
-	`)
-)
-
-// ExecuteControllerOptions the options for the create spring command
-type ExecuteControllerOptions struct {
-	ExecuteOptions
-
-	CtrlListener string
-}
-
-// NewCmdExecuteController creates a command object for the "create" command
-func NewCmdExecuteController(out io.Writer, errOut io.Writer) *cobra.Command {
-	options := &ExecuteControllerOptions{
-		ExecuteOptions: ExecuteOptions{
-			CommonOptions: CommonOptions{
-				Out: out,
-				Err: errOut,
-			},
-		},
-	}
-
-	cmd := &cobra.Command{
-		Use:     "controller",
-		Short:   "'Execute the ziti-controller component'",
-		Aliases: []string{"c", "ctrl"},
-		Long:    executeControllerLong,
-		Example: executeControllerExample,
-		Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
-			options.Cmd = cmd
-			options.Args = args
-			err := options.Run()
-			cmdhelper.CheckErr(err)
-		},
-	}
-
-	cmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVarP(&cliAgentEnabled, "cliagent", "a", false, "Enable CLI Agent (use in dev only)")
-
-	options.AddCommonFlags(cmd)
-
-	return cmd
-}
-
-// Run implements the command
-func (o *ExecuteControllerOptions) Run() error {
-
-	viper := viper.New()
-	viper.SetConfigType("json")
-	viper.SetConfigName(c.CONFIGFILENAME)
-	zitiConfigDir, err := util.ZitiAppConfigDir(c.ZITI)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	viper.AddConfigPath(zitiConfigDir)
-	err = viper.ReadInConfig()
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	zitiControllerConfigDir, err := util.ZitiAppConfigDir(c.ZITI_CONTROLLER)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	zitiControllerConfigFileName := filepath.Join(zitiControllerConfigDir, c.CONFIGFILENAME) + ".yml"
-
-	err = o.startCommandFromDir(viper.GetString("bin"), c.ZITI_CONTROLLER, "run", zitiControllerConfigFileName)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	return nil
-}
diff --git a/ziti/controller/delete_sessions.go b/ziti/controller/delete_sessions.go
index d157f09e2..2b8b30d64 100644
--- a/ziti/controller/delete_sessions.go
+++ b/ziti/controller/delete_sessions.go
@@ -26,15 +26,13 @@ import (
 	"go.etcd.io/bbolt"
 )
 
-func init() {
-	root.AddCommand(deleteSessionsCmd)
-}
-
-var deleteSessionsCmd = &cobra.Command{
-	Use:   "delete-sessions <config>",
-	Short: "Delete all API Sessions and Edge Sessions, controller must be shutdown",
-	Args:  cobra.ExactArgs(1),
-	Run:   deleteSessions,
+func NewDeleteSessionsCmd() *cobra.Command {
+	return &cobra.Command{
+		Use:   "delete-sessions <config>",
+		Short: "Delete all API Sessions and Edge Sessions, controller must be shutdown",
+		Args:  cobra.ExactArgs(1),
+		Run:   deleteSessions,
+	}
 }
 
 const (
diff --git a/ziti/controller/root.go b/ziti/controller/root.go
index 169dc140d..13396951b 100644
--- a/ziti/controller/root.go
+++ b/ziti/controller/root.go
@@ -27,37 +27,43 @@ import (
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 )
 
-func init() {
-	root.PersistentFlags().BoolVarP(&verbose, "verbose", "v", false, "Enable verbose logging")
-	root.PersistentFlags().BoolVarP(&cliAgentEnabled, "cliagent", "a", true, "Enable/disabled CLI Agent (enabled by default)")
-	root.PersistentFlags().StringVar(&cliAgentAddr, "cli-agent-addr", "", "Specify where CLI Agent should list (ex: unix:/tmp/myfile.sock or tcp:127.0.0.1:10001)")
-	root.PersistentFlags().StringVar(&logFormatter, "log-formatter", "", "Specify log formatter [json|pfxlog|text]")
-	root.PersistentFlags().BoolVar(&syncRaftToDb, "sync-raft-to-db", false, "Sync the current database state to raft as a snapshot. Use when moving an existing controller to run in HA/Raft")
+func NewControllerCmd() *cobra.Command {
+	cmd := &cobra.Command{
+		Use:   "ziti-controller",
+		Short: "Ziti Fabric Controller",
+		PersistentPreRun: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
+			if verbose {
+				logrus.SetLevel(logrus.DebugLevel)
+			}
 
-	edgeSubCmd.AddCommands(root, version.GetCmdBuildInfo())
-}
+			switch logFormatter {
+			case "pfxlog":
+				pfxlog.SetFormatter(pfxlog.NewFormatter(pfxlog.DefaultOptions().SetTrimPrefix("github.com/openziti/").StartingToday()))
+			case "json":
+				pfxlog.SetFormatter(&logrus.JSONFormatter{TimestampFormat: "2006-01-02T15:04:05.000Z"})
+			case "text":
+				pfxlog.SetFormatter(&logrus.TextFormatter{})
+			default:
+				// let logrus do its own thing
+			}
+			util.LogReleaseVersionCheck(constants.ZITI_CONTROLLER)
 
-var root = &cobra.Command{
-	Use:   "ziti-controller",
-	Short: "Ziti Fabric Controller",
-	PersistentPreRun: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
-		if verbose {
-			logrus.SetLevel(logrus.DebugLevel)
-		}
+		},
+	}
 
-		switch logFormatter {
-		case "pfxlog":
-			pfxlog.SetFormatter(pfxlog.NewFormatter(pfxlog.DefaultOptions().SetTrimPrefix("github.com/openziti/").StartingToday()))
-		case "json":
-			pfxlog.SetFormatter(&logrus.JSONFormatter{TimestampFormat: "2006-01-02T15:04:05.000Z"})
-		case "text":
-			pfxlog.SetFormatter(&logrus.TextFormatter{})
-		default:
-			// let logrus do its own thing
-		}
-		util.LogReleaseVersionCheck(constants.ZITI_CONTROLLER)
+	cmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVarP(&verbose, "verbose", "v", false, "Enable verbose logging")
+	cmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVarP(&cliAgentEnabled, "cliagent", "a", true, "Enable/disabled CLI Agent (enabled by default)")
+	cmd.PersistentFlags().StringVar(&cliAgentAddr, "cli-agent-addr", "", "Specify where CLI Agent should list (ex: unix:/tmp/myfile.sock or tcp:127.0.0.1:10001)")
+	cmd.PersistentFlags().StringVar(&logFormatter, "log-formatter", "", "Specify log formatter [json|pfxlog|text]")
+	cmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVar(&syncRaftToDb, "sync-raft-to-db", false, "Sync the current database state to raft as a snapshot. Use when moving an existing controller to run in HA/Raft")
 
-	},
+	cmd.AddCommand(NewRunCmd())
+	cmd.AddCommand(NewDeleteSessionsCmd())
+	cmd.AddCommand(NewVersionCmd())
+
+	edgeSubCmd.AddCommands(cmd, version.GetCmdBuildInfo())
+
+	return cmd
 }
 
 var verbose bool
@@ -67,7 +73,7 @@ var logFormatter string
 var syncRaftToDb bool
 
 func Execute() {
-	if err := root.Execute(); err != nil {
+	if err := NewControllerCmd().Execute(); err != nil {
 		fmt.Printf("error: %s\n", err)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/ziti/controller/run.go b/ziti/controller/run.go
index d38812aed..a0292969e 100644
--- a/ziti/controller/run.go
+++ b/ziti/controller/run.go
@@ -32,15 +32,13 @@ import (
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 )
 
-func init() {
-	root.AddCommand(runCmd)
-}
-
-var runCmd = &cobra.Command{
-	Use:   "run <config>",
-	Short: "Run controller configuration",
-	Args:  cobra.ExactArgs(1),
-	Run:   run,
+func NewRunCmd() *cobra.Command {
+	return &cobra.Command{
+		Use:   "run <config>",
+		Short: "Run controller configuration",
+		Args:  cobra.ExactArgs(1),
+		Run:   run,
+	}
 }
 
 func run(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
diff --git a/ziti/controller/version.go b/ziti/controller/version.go
index e93fd9d7d..99128008e 100644
--- a/ziti/controller/version.go
+++ b/ziti/controller/version.go
@@ -22,14 +22,12 @@ import (
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 )
 
-func init() {
-	root.AddCommand(versionCmd)
-}
-
-var versionCmd = &cobra.Command{
-	Use:   "version",
-	Short: "Show component version",
-	Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
-		fmt.Println(version.GetBuildMetadata(verbose))
-	},
+func NewVersionCmd() *cobra.Command {
+	return &cobra.Command{
+		Use:   "version",
+		Short: "Show component version",
+		Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
+			fmt.Println(version.GetBuildMetadata(verbose))
+		},
+	}
 }
diff --git a/ziti/router/enrollgw.go b/ziti/router/enrollgw.go
index c35114636..58b39b062 100644
--- a/ziti/router/enrollgw.go
+++ b/ziti/router/enrollgw.go
@@ -29,19 +29,20 @@ var jwtPath *string
 var engine *string
 var keyAlg config.KeyAlgVar
 
-func init() {
+func NewEnrollGwCmd() *cobra.Command {
+	var enrollEdgeRouterCmd = &cobra.Command{
+		Use:   "enroll <config>",
+		Short: "Enroll a router as an edge router",
+		Args:  cobra.ExactArgs(1),
+		Run:   enrollGw,
+	}
+
 	jwtPath = enrollEdgeRouterCmd.Flags().StringP("jwt", "j", "", "The path to a JWT file")
 	engine = enrollEdgeRouterCmd.Flags().StringP("engine", "e", "", "An engine")
 	keyAlg.Set("RSA") // set default
 	enrollEdgeRouterCmd.Flags().VarP(&keyAlg, "keyAlg", "a", "Crypto algorithm to use when generating private key")
-	root.AddCommand(enrollEdgeRouterCmd)
-}
 
-var enrollEdgeRouterCmd = &cobra.Command{
-	Use:   "enroll <config>",
-	Short: "Enroll a router as an edge router",
-	Args:  cobra.ExactArgs(1),
-	Run:   enrollGw,
+	return enrollEdgeRouterCmd
 }
 
 func enrollGw(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
diff --git a/ziti/router/root.go b/ziti/router/root.go
index 36541e87d..43cf57712 100644
--- a/ziti/router/root.go
+++ b/ziti/router/root.go
@@ -25,35 +25,41 @@ import (
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 )
 
-func init() {
-	root.PersistentFlags().BoolVarP(&verbose, "verbose", "v", false, "Enable verbose logging")
-	root.PersistentFlags().StringVar(&logFormatter, "log-formatter", "", "Specify log formatter [json|pfxlog|text]")
-	root.PersistentFlags().BoolVar(&cliAgentEnabled, "cli-agent", true, "Enable/disable CLI Agent (enabled by default)")
-	root.PersistentFlags().StringVar(&cliAgentAddr, "cli-agent-addr", "", "Specify where CLI Agent should list (ex: unix:/tmp/myfile.sock or tcp:127.0.0.1:10001)")
-	root.PersistentFlags().BoolVar(&enableDebugOps, "debug-ops", false, "Enable/disable debug agent operations (disabled by default)")
-}
+func NewRouterCmd() *cobra.Command {
+	var routerCmd = &cobra.Command{
+		Use:   "ziti-router",
+		Short: "Ziti Fabric Router",
+		PersistentPreRun: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
+			if verbose {
+				logrus.SetLevel(logrus.DebugLevel)
+			}
 
-var root = &cobra.Command{
-	Use:   "ziti-router",
-	Short: "Ziti Fabric Router",
-	PersistentPreRun: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
-		if verbose {
-			logrus.SetLevel(logrus.DebugLevel)
-		}
+			switch logFormatter {
+			case "pfxlog":
+				pfxlog.SetFormatter(pfxlog.NewFormatter(pfxlog.DefaultOptions().SetTrimPrefix("github.com/openziti/").StartingToday()))
+			case "json":
+				pfxlog.SetFormatter(&logrus.JSONFormatter{TimestampFormat: "2006-01-02T15:04:05.000Z"})
+			case "text":
+				pfxlog.SetFormatter(&logrus.TextFormatter{})
+			default:
+				// let logrus do its own thing
+			}
+			util.LogReleaseVersionCheck(constants.ZITI_ROUTER)
 
-		switch logFormatter {
-		case "pfxlog":
-			pfxlog.SetFormatter(pfxlog.NewFormatter(pfxlog.DefaultOptions().SetTrimPrefix("github.com/openziti/").StartingToday()))
-		case "json":
-			pfxlog.SetFormatter(&logrus.JSONFormatter{TimestampFormat: "2006-01-02T15:04:05.000Z"})
-		case "text":
-			pfxlog.SetFormatter(&logrus.TextFormatter{})
-		default:
-			// let logrus do its own thing
-		}
-		util.LogReleaseVersionCheck(constants.ZITI_ROUTER)
+		},
+	}
 
-	},
+	routerCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVarP(&verbose, "verbose", "v", false, "Enable verbose logging")
+	routerCmd.PersistentFlags().StringVar(&logFormatter, "log-formatter", "", "Specify log formatter [json|pfxlog|text]")
+	routerCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVar(&cliAgentEnabled, "cli-agent", true, "Enable/disable CLI Agent (enabled by default)")
+	routerCmd.PersistentFlags().StringVar(&cliAgentAddr, "cli-agent-addr", "", "Specify where CLI Agent should list (ex: unix:/tmp/myfile.sock or tcp:127.0.0.1:10001)")
+	routerCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVar(&enableDebugOps, "debug-ops", false, "Enable/disable debug agent operations (disabled by default)")
+
+	routerCmd.AddCommand(NewRunCmd())
+	routerCmd.AddCommand(NewEnrollGwCmd())
+	routerCmd.AddCommand(NewVersionCmd())
+
+	return routerCmd
 }
 
 var verbose bool
@@ -63,7 +69,7 @@ var enableDebugOps bool
 var cliAgentAddr string
 
 func Execute() {
-	if err := root.Execute(); err != nil {
+	if err := NewRouterCmd().Execute(); err != nil {
 		fmt.Printf("error: %s\n", err)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/ziti/router/run.go b/ziti/router/run.go
index d82fbfebb..9bab59655 100644
--- a/ziti/router/run.go
+++ b/ziti/router/run.go
@@ -39,19 +39,18 @@ import (
 	"syscall"
 )
 
-var forceEnrollmentExtension *bool
+func NewRunCmd() *cobra.Command {
+	var runCmd = &cobra.Command{
+		Use:   "run <config>",
+		Short: "Run router configuration",
+		Args:  cobra.ExactArgs(1),
+		Run:   run,
+	}
 
-func init() {
 	//flags are added to an internal map and read later on, see getFlags()
 	runCmd.Flags().BoolP("extend", "e", false, "force the router on startup to extend enrollment certificates")
-	root.AddCommand(runCmd)
-}
 
-var runCmd = &cobra.Command{
-	Use:   "run <config>",
-	Short: "Run router configuration",
-	Args:  cobra.ExactArgs(1),
-	Run:   run,
+	return runCmd
 }
 
 func run(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
diff --git a/ziti/router/version.go b/ziti/router/version.go
index 54180f00c..8dad7e7e1 100644
--- a/ziti/router/version.go
+++ b/ziti/router/version.go
@@ -22,14 +22,12 @@ import (
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 )
 
-func init() {
-	root.AddCommand(versionCmd)
-}
-
-var versionCmd = &cobra.Command{
-	Use:   "version",
-	Short: "Show component version",
-	Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
-		fmt.Println(version.GetBuildMetadata(verbose))
-	},
+func NewVersionCmd() *cobra.Command {
+	return &cobra.Command{
+		Use:   "version",
+		Short: "Show component version",
+		Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
+			fmt.Println(version.GetBuildMetadata(verbose))
+		},
+	}
 }