diff --git a/lib/src/cli.rs b/lib/src/cli.rs
index 287031ae..4641505e 100644
--- a/lib/src/cli.rs
+++ b/lib/src/cli.rs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 //! such as `rpm-ostree` can directly reuse it.
 
 use anyhow::{Context, Result};
-use camino::Utf8PathBuf;
+use camino::{Utf8Path, Utf8PathBuf};
 use clap::{Parser, Subcommand};
 use ostree::{cap_std, gio, glib};
 use std::collections::BTreeMap;
@@ -31,18 +31,19 @@ pub fn parse_base_imgref(s: &str) -> Result<ImageReference> {
 }
 
 /// Parse an [`ostree::Repo`] from a CLI arguemnt.
-pub fn parse_repo(s: &str) -> Result<ostree::Repo> {
-    let repofd = cap_std::fs::Dir::open_ambient_dir(s, cap_std::ambient_authority())?;
-    Ok(ostree::Repo::open_at_dir(&repofd, ".")?)
+pub fn parse_repo(s: &Utf8Path) -> Result<ostree::Repo> {
+    let repofd = cap_std::fs::Dir::open_ambient_dir(s, cap_std::ambient_authority())
+        .with_context(|| format!("Opening directory at '{s}'"))?;
+    ostree::Repo::open_at_dir(&repofd, ".")
+        .with_context(|| format!("Opening ostree repository at '{s}'"))
 }
 
 /// Options for importing a tar archive.
 #[derive(Debug, Parser)]
 struct ImportOpts {
     /// Path to the repository
-    #[clap(long)]
-    #[clap(parse(try_from_str = parse_repo))]
-    repo: ostree::Repo,
+    #[clap(long, value_parser)]
+    repo: Utf8PathBuf,
 
     /// Path to a tar archive; if unspecified, will be stdin.  Currently the tar archive must not be compressed.
     path: Option<String>,
@@ -52,9 +53,8 @@ struct ImportOpts {
 #[derive(Debug, Parser)]
 struct ExportOpts {
     /// Path to the repository
-    #[clap(long)]
-    #[clap(parse(try_from_str = parse_repo))]
-    repo: ostree::Repo,
+    #[clap(long, value_parser)]
+    repo: Utf8PathBuf,
 
     /// The format version.  Must be 0 or 1.
     #[clap(long)]
@@ -81,12 +81,11 @@ enum ContainerOpts {
     /// Import an ostree commit embedded in a remote container image
     Unencapsulate {
         /// Path to the repository
-        #[clap(long)]
-        #[clap(parse(try_from_str = parse_repo))]
-        repo: ostree::Repo,
+        #[clap(long, value_parser)]
+        repo: Utf8PathBuf,
 
         /// Image reference, e.g. registry:quay.io/exampleos/exampleos:latest
-        #[clap(parse(try_from_str = parse_imgref))]
+        #[clap(value_parser = parse_imgref)]
         imgref: OstreeImageReference,
 
         /// Create an ostree ref pointing to the imported commit
@@ -101,7 +100,7 @@ enum ContainerOpts {
     /// Print information about an exported ostree-container image.
     Info {
         /// Image reference, e.g. registry:quay.io/exampleos/exampleos:latest
-        #[clap(parse(try_from_str = parse_imgref))]
+        #[clap(value_parser = parse_imgref)]
         imgref: OstreeImageReference,
     },
 
@@ -109,15 +108,14 @@ enum ContainerOpts {
     #[clap(alias = "export")]
     Encapsulate {
         /// Path to the repository
-        #[clap(long)]
-        #[clap(parse(try_from_str = parse_repo))]
-        repo: ostree::Repo,
+        #[clap(long, value_parser)]
+        repo: Utf8PathBuf,
 
         /// The ostree ref or commit to export
         rev: String,
 
         /// Image reference, e.g. registry:quay.io/exampleos/exampleos:latest
-        #[clap(parse(try_from_str = parse_base_imgref))]
+        #[clap(value_parser = parse_base_imgref)]
         imgref: ImageReference,
 
         /// Additional labels for the container
@@ -174,19 +172,18 @@ enum ContainerImageOpts {
     /// List container images
     List {
         /// Path to the repository
-        #[clap(long)]
-        #[clap(parse(try_from_str = parse_repo))]
-        repo: ostree::Repo,
+        #[clap(long, value_parser)]
+        repo: Utf8PathBuf,
     },
 
     /// Pull (or update) a container image.
     Pull {
         /// Path to the repository
-        #[clap(parse(try_from_str = parse_repo))]
-        repo: ostree::Repo,
+        #[clap(value_parser)]
+        repo: Utf8PathBuf,
 
         /// Image reference, e.g. ostree-remote-image:someremote:registry:quay.io/exampleos/exampleos:latest
-        #[clap(parse(try_from_str = parse_imgref))]
+        #[clap(value_parser = parse_imgref)]
         imgref: OstreeImageReference,
 
         #[clap(flatten)]
@@ -200,28 +197,26 @@ enum ContainerImageOpts {
     /// Output metadata about an already stored container image.
     History {
         /// Path to the repository
-        #[clap(long, parse(try_from_str = parse_repo))]
-        repo: ostree::Repo,
+        #[clap(long, value_parser)]
+        repo: Utf8PathBuf,
 
         /// Container image reference, e.g. registry:quay.io/exampleos/exampleos:latest
-        #[clap(parse(try_from_str = parse_base_imgref))]
+        #[clap(value_parser = parse_base_imgref)]
         imgref: ImageReference,
     },
 
     /// Copy a pulled container image from one repo to another.
     Copy {
         /// Path to the source repository
-        #[clap(long)]
-        #[clap(parse(try_from_str = parse_repo))]
-        src_repo: ostree::Repo,
+        #[clap(long, value_parser)]
+        src_repo: Utf8PathBuf,
 
         /// Path to the destination repository
-        #[clap(long)]
-        #[clap(parse(try_from_str = parse_repo))]
-        dest_repo: ostree::Repo,
+        #[clap(long, value_parser)]
+        dest_repo: Utf8PathBuf,
 
         /// Image reference, e.g. ostree-remote-image:someremote:registry:quay.io/exampleos/exampleos:latest
-        #[clap(parse(try_from_str = parse_imgref))]
+        #[clap(value_parser = parse_imgref)]
         imgref: OstreeImageReference,
     },
 
@@ -229,12 +224,12 @@ enum ContainerImageOpts {
     ReplaceDetachedMetadata {
         /// Path to the source repository
         #[clap(long)]
-        #[clap(parse(try_from_str = parse_base_imgref))]
+        #[clap(value_parser = parse_base_imgref)]
         src: ImageReference,
 
         /// Target image
         #[clap(long)]
-        #[clap(parse(try_from_str = parse_base_imgref))]
+        #[clap(value_parser = parse_base_imgref)]
         dest: ImageReference,
 
         /// Path to file containing new detached metadata; if not provided,
@@ -245,12 +240,11 @@ enum ContainerImageOpts {
     /// Unreference one or more pulled container images and perform a garbage collection.
     Remove {
         /// Path to the repository
-        #[clap(long)]
-        #[clap(parse(try_from_str = parse_repo))]
-        repo: ostree::Repo,
+        #[clap(long, value_parser)]
+        repo: Utf8PathBuf,
 
         /// Image reference, e.g. quay.io/exampleos/exampleos:latest
-        #[clap(parse(try_from_str = parse_base_imgref))]
+        #[clap(value_parser = parse_base_imgref)]
         imgrefs: Vec<ImageReference>,
 
         /// Do not garbage collect unused layers
@@ -270,7 +264,7 @@ enum ContainerImageOpts {
 
         /// Source image reference, e.g. ostree-remote-image:someremote:registry:quay.io/exampleos/exampleos@sha256:abcd...
         #[clap(long)]
-        #[clap(parse(try_from_str = parse_imgref))]
+        #[clap(value_parser = parse_imgref)]
         imgref: OstreeImageReference,
 
         #[clap(flatten)]
@@ -281,7 +275,7 @@ enum ContainerImageOpts {
         /// If specified, `--imgref` will be used as a source, but this reference will be emitted into the origin
         /// so that later OS updates pull from it.
         #[clap(long)]
-        #[clap(parse(try_from_str = parse_imgref))]
+        #[clap(value_parser = parse_imgref)]
         target_imgref: Option<OstreeImageReference>,
 
         #[clap(long)]
@@ -298,9 +292,9 @@ enum ContainerImageOpts {
 #[derive(Debug, Parser)]
 struct ImaSignOpts {
     /// Path to the repository
-    #[clap(long)]
-    #[clap(parse(try_from_str = parse_repo))]
-    repo: ostree::Repo,
+    #[clap(long, value_parser)]
+    repo: Utf8PathBuf,
+
     /// The ostree ref or commit to use as a base
     src_rev: String,
     /// The ostree ref to use for writing the signed commit
@@ -365,12 +359,13 @@ impl Into<ostree_container::store::ImageProxyConfig> for ContainerProxyOpts {
 
 /// Import a tar archive containing an ostree commit.
 async fn tar_import(opts: &ImportOpts) -> Result<()> {
+    let repo = parse_repo(&opts.repo)?;
     let imported = if let Some(path) = opts.path.as_ref() {
         let instream = tokio::fs::File::open(path).await?;
-        crate::tar::import_tar(&opts.repo, instream, None).await?
+        crate::tar::import_tar(&repo, instream, None).await?
     } else {
         let stdin = tokio::io::stdin();
-        crate::tar::import_tar(&opts.repo, stdin, None).await?
+        crate::tar::import_tar(&repo, stdin, None).await?
     };
     println!("Imported: {}", imported);
     Ok(())
@@ -381,17 +376,13 @@ fn tar_export(opts: &ExportOpts) -> Result<()> {
     if !crate::tar::FORMAT_VERSIONS.contains(&opts.format_version) {
         anyhow::bail!("Invalid format version: {}", opts.format_version);
     }
+    let repo = parse_repo(&opts.repo)?;
     #[allow(clippy::needless_update)]
     let subopts = crate::tar::ExportOptions {
         format_version: opts.format_version,
         ..Default::default()
     };
-    crate::tar::export_commit(
-        &opts.repo,
-        opts.rev.as_str(),
-        std::io::stdout(),
-        Some(subopts),
-    )?;
+    crate::tar::export_commit(&repo, opts.rev.as_str(), std::io::stdout(), Some(subopts))?;
     Ok(())
 }
 
@@ -648,9 +639,10 @@ fn ima_sign(cmdopts: &ImaSignOpts) -> Result<()> {
         key: cmdopts.key.clone(),
         overwrite: cmdopts.overwrite,
     };
-    let tx = cmdopts.repo.auto_transaction(cancellable)?;
-    let signed_commit = crate::ima::ima_sign(&cmdopts.repo, cmdopts.src_rev.as_str(), &signopts)?;
-    cmdopts.repo.transaction_set_ref(
+    let repo = parse_repo(&cmdopts.repo)?;
+    let tx = repo.auto_transaction(cancellable)?;
+    let signed_commit = crate::ima::ima_sign(&repo, cmdopts.src_rev.as_str(), &signopts)?;
+    repo.transaction_set_ref(
         None,
         cmdopts.target_ref.as_str(),
         Some(signed_commit.as_str()),
@@ -684,7 +676,7 @@ where
     I: IntoIterator,
     I::Item: Into<OsString> + Clone,
 {
-    let opt = Opt::from_iter(args);
+    let opt = Opt::parse_from(args);
     match opt {
         Opt::Tar(TarOpts::Import(ref opt)) => tar_import(opt).await,
         Opt::Tar(TarOpts::Export(ref opt)) => tar_export(opt),
@@ -696,7 +688,10 @@ where
                 imgref,
                 write_ref,
                 quiet,
-            } => container_import(&repo, &imgref, write_ref.as_deref(), quiet).await,
+            } => {
+                let repo = parse_repo(&repo)?;
+                container_import(&repo, &imgref, write_ref.as_deref(), quiet).await
+            }
             ContainerOpts::Encapsulate {
                 repo,
                 rev,
@@ -715,6 +710,7 @@ where
                         Ok((k.to_string(), v.to_string()))
                     })
                     .collect();
+                let repo = parse_repo(&repo)?;
                 container_export(
                     &repo,
                     &rev,
@@ -728,6 +724,7 @@ where
             }
             ContainerOpts::Image(opts) => match opts {
                 ContainerImageOpts::List { repo } => {
+                    let repo = parse_repo(&repo)?;
                     for image in crate::container::store::list_images(&repo)? {
                         println!("{}", image);
                     }
@@ -738,8 +735,12 @@ where
                     imgref,
                     proxyopts,
                     quiet,
-                } => container_store(&repo, &imgref, proxyopts, quiet).await,
+                } => {
+                    let repo = parse_repo(&repo)?;
+                    container_store(&repo, &imgref, proxyopts, quiet).await
+                }
                 ContainerImageOpts::History { repo, imgref } => {
+                    let repo = parse_repo(&repo)?;
                     container_history(&repo, &imgref).await
                 }
                 ContainerImageOpts::Remove {
@@ -748,6 +749,7 @@ where
                     skip_gc,
                 } => {
                     let nimgs = imgrefs.len();
+                    let repo = parse_repo(&repo)?;
                     crate::container::store::remove_images(&repo, imgrefs.iter())?;
                     if !skip_gc {
                         let nlayers = crate::container::store::gc_image_layers(&repo)?;
@@ -761,7 +763,11 @@ where
                     src_repo,
                     dest_repo,
                     imgref,
-                } => crate::container::store::copy(&src_repo, &dest_repo, &imgref).await,
+                } => {
+                    let src_repo = parse_repo(&src_repo)?;
+                    let dest_repo = parse_repo(&dest_repo)?;
+                    crate::container::store::copy(&src_repo, &dest_repo, &imgref).await
+                }
                 ContainerImageOpts::ReplaceDetachedMetadata {
                     src,
                     dest,
diff --git a/lib/tests/it/main.rs b/lib/tests/it/main.rs
index dfcca571..17da67d6 100644
--- a/lib/tests/it/main.rs
+++ b/lib/tests/it/main.rs
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ static TEST_REGISTRY: Lazy<String> = Lazy::new(|| match std::env::var_os("TEST_R
 fn test_cli_fns() -> Result<()> {
     let fixture = Fixture::new_v1()?;
     let srcpath = fixture.path.join("src/repo");
-    let srcrepo_parsed = ostree_ext::cli::parse_repo(srcpath.as_str()).unwrap();
+    let srcrepo_parsed = ostree_ext::cli::parse_repo(&srcpath).unwrap();
     assert_eq!(srcrepo_parsed.mode(), fixture.srcrepo().mode());
 
     let ir =