diff --git a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/command_context.rs b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/command_context.rs
index 6e3c48dfa..5dcbe533c 100644
--- a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/command_context.rs
+++ b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/command_context.rs
@@ -37,6 +37,47 @@ pub(crate) struct CommandContext {
     server:             OnceCell<Arc<Client>>,
 }
 
+pub(crate) struct ResolvedBaseContext {
+    printer:            Printer,
+    process_local_json: bool,
+    cli_layer:          CliLayer,
+    machine_settings:   SettingsLayer,
+    user_settings:      UserSettings,
+}
+
+impl ResolvedBaseContext {
+    pub(crate) fn from_disk(cli_layer: &CliLayer, process_local_json: bool) -> Result<Self> {
+        let (machine_settings, user_settings) = load_merged_settings(cli_layer, &ServerMode::None)?;
+        let printer = crate::args::printer_from_verbosity(user_settings.cli.output.verbosity);
+
+        Ok(Self {
+            printer,
+            process_local_json,
+            cli_layer: cli_layer.clone(),
+            machine_settings,
+            user_settings,
+        })
+    }
+
+    pub(crate) fn printer(&self) -> Printer {
+        self.printer
+    }
+
+    pub(crate) fn user_settings(&self) -> &UserSettings {
+        &self.user_settings
+    }
+
+    pub(crate) fn to_context(&self) -> Result<CommandContext> {
+        CommandContext::base_with_settings(
+            self.printer,
+            &self.cli_layer,
+            self.process_local_json,
+            self.machine_settings.clone(),
+            self.user_settings.clone(),
+        )
+    }
+}
+
 impl CommandContext {
     pub(crate) fn base(
         printer: Printer,
@@ -53,7 +94,7 @@ impl CommandContext {
         )
     }
 
-    pub(crate) fn base_with_settings(
+    fn base_with_settings(
         printer: Printer,
         cli_layer: &CliLayer,
         process_local_json: bool,
diff --git a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/main.rs b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/main.rs
index a163ea8b1..d041040f0 100644
--- a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/main.rs
+++ b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/main.rs
@@ -24,12 +24,10 @@ use std::ffi::OsString;
 use anyhow::Result;
 use args::{
     Commands, GlobalArgs, LONG_VERSION, RunCommands, ServerCommand, ServerNamespace,
-    global_args_cli_layer, printer_from_verbosity, require_no_json_override,
+    global_args_cli_layer, require_no_json_override,
 };
 use clap::{CommandFactory, Parser};
-use fabro_config::merge::combine_files;
 use fabro_telemetry::{git, panic as tel_panic, sanitize, sender};
-use fabro_types::settings::SettingsLayer;
 use fabro_util::exit::ExitClass;
 use fabro_util::printer::Printer;
 use fabro_util::terminal::Styles;
@@ -37,7 +35,7 @@ use fabro_util::{browser, exit};
 use rustls::crypto::ring::default_provider;
 use tracing::debug;
 
-use crate::command_context::CommandContext;
+use crate::command_context::ResolvedBaseContext;
 
 #[derive(Parser)]
 #[command(name = "fabro", version, long_version = LONG_VERSION)]
@@ -166,20 +164,12 @@ async fn main_inner() -> (String, Result<()>) {
         Err(err) => return (command_name, Err(err)),
     };
 
-    let disk_settings = match user_config::load_settings() {
-        Ok(settings) => settings,
+    let resolved_base = match ResolvedBaseContext::from_disk(&cli_layer, process_local_json) {
+        Ok(resolved) => resolved,
         Err(err) => return (command_name, Err(err)),
     };
-    let machine_settings = combine_files(disk_settings, SettingsLayer {
-        cli: Some(cli_layer.clone()),
-        ..SettingsLayer::default()
-    });
-    let user_settings = match fabro_config::UserSettings::from_layer(&machine_settings) {
-        Ok(settings) => settings,
-        Err(err) => return (command_name, Err(err.into())),
-    };
-    let cli_settings = user_settings.cli.clone();
-    let printer = printer_from_verbosity(cli_settings.output.verbosity);
+    let cli_settings = resolved_base.user_settings().cli.clone();
+    let printer = resolved_base.printer();
 
     let config_log_level = match &pre_tracing_bootstrap.sink {
         logging::InternalLogSink::Cli => cli_settings.logging.level.clone(),
@@ -212,15 +202,7 @@ async fn main_inner() -> (String, Result<()>) {
     };
 
     let result = Box::pin(async move {
-        let build_base_ctx = || {
-            CommandContext::base_with_settings(
-                printer,
-                &cli_layer,
-                process_local_json,
-                machine_settings.clone(),
-                user_settings.clone(),
-            )
-        };
+        let build_base_ctx = || resolved_base.to_context();
 
         match *command {
             Commands::Exec(args) => commands::exec::execute(args, &cli_settings, printer).await?,