diff --git a/cmd/root.go b/cmd/root.go
index 25e268e..cf44ce3 100644
--- a/cmd/root.go
+++ b/cmd/root.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 
+	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 )
@@ -48,23 +49,33 @@ func init() {
 	// will be global for your application.
 
 	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().StringVar(&cfgFile, "config", "", "config file (default is $HOME/.tps.yaml)")
-	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().StringVar(&Hostname, "hostname", "", "Environment hostname")
-	rootCmd.MarkFlagRequired("hostname")
-	viper.BindPFlag("hostname", rootCmd.PersistentFlags().Lookup("hostname"))
-	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().StringVar(&Username, "username", "apiclient", "API username")
-	viper.BindPFlag("username", rootCmd.PersistentFlags().Lookup("username"))
-	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().StringVar(&Password, "password", "apiclient", "API password")
-	viper.BindPFlag("password", rootCmd.PersistentFlags().Lookup("password"))
-	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().StringVar(&ClientId, "clientId", "default", "clientId or tenantId for API calls")
-	viper.BindPFlag("clientId", rootCmd.PersistentFlags().Lookup("clientId"))
+	addStringFlag(&Hostname, "hostname", "", "Environment hostname")
+	addStringFlag(&Username, "username", "apiclient", "API username")
+	addStringFlag(&Password, "password", "apiclient", "API password")
+	addStringFlag(&ClientId, "clientId", "default", "clientId or tenantId for API calls")
+
 	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVarP(&verbose, "verbose", "v", false, "verbose logging")
-	viper.BindPFlag("verbose", rootCmd.PersistentFlags().Lookup("verbose"))
+	err := viper.BindPFlag("verbose", rootCmd.PersistentFlags().Lookup("verbose"))
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Error(err)
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
 
 	// Cobra also supports local flags, which will only run
 	// when this action is called directly.
 	// rootCmd.Flags().BoolP("toggle", "t", false, "Help message for toggle")
 }
 
+func addStringFlag(p *string, key string, value string, usage string) {
+
+	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().StringVar(p, key, value, usage)
+	err := viper.BindPFlag(key, rootCmd.PersistentFlags().Lookup(key))
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Error(err)
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+}
+
 // initConfig reads in config file and ENV variables if set.
 func initConfig() {
 	if cfgFile != "" {