diff --git a/cmd/root.go b/cmd/root.go
index b9f752a..de10ffc 100644
--- a/cmd/root.go
+++ b/cmd/root.go
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import (
 	"gitea.elkins.co/Networking/ccl/internal/pkg/config"
 	"github.com/containers/podman/v4/pkg/bindings"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+	"golang.org/x/exp/slices"
 )
 
 // rootCmd represents the base command when called without any subcommands
@@ -42,12 +43,24 @@ to define, start, stop, or update the container images. Configuration is read
 from a toml configuration file, and the utility uses this information to
 execute the necessary podman commands.`,
 	ValidArgsFunction: cobra.NoFileCompletions,
-	PersistentPreRun: func(*cobra.Command, []string) {
-		if incDisabled {
-			contMask = []string{}
-		} else {
+	PersistentPreRun: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
+		if !incDisabled {
 			contMask = []string{"disabled"}
 		}
+
+		requireConn := []string{"create", "ls", "pull", "recreate", "restart", "rm", "show", "start", "stop", "update"}
+		if slices.Contains(requireConn, cmd.Name()) {
+			// connect to podman
+			conn, err := bindings.NewConnection(context.Background(), socket)
+			if err != nil {
+				fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "Could not connect:", err)
+				os.Exit(1)
+			}
+			err = config.Init(conn)
+			if err != nil {
+				fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "Warning: Could not initialize configuration:", err)
+			}
+		}
 	},
 }
 
@@ -76,17 +89,6 @@ func init() {
 		} else {
 			output = io.Discard
 		}
-
-		// connect to podman
-		conn, err := bindings.NewConnection(context.Background(), socket)
-		if err != nil {
-			fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "Could not connect:", err)
-			os.Exit(1)
-		}
-		err = config.Init(conn)
-		if err != nil {
-			fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "Warning: Could not initialize configuration:", err)
-		}
 	})
 	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().StringVarP(&config.ConfigFile, "config", "c", config.CONFIG_FILE_DEFAULT, "pathname of config file")
 	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVarP(&verbose, "verbose", "v", false, "show additional info from command execution")