diff --git a/cli/src/helpers.rs b/cli/src/helpers.rs
index 715f76bc5..8386378b1 100644
--- a/cli/src/helpers.rs
+++ b/cli/src/helpers.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 use std::{
+    env,
     fs::{self, File},
     io::{Read, Write},
     net::IpAddr,
@@ -272,12 +273,20 @@ pub fn gen_periphery_config(sub_matches: &ArgMatches) {
         .map(|p| p.as_str())
         .unwrap_or("")
         .split(",")
+        .filter(|ip| ip.len() > 0)
         .map(|ip| {
             ip.parse()
                 .expect("given allowed ip address is not valid ip")
         })
         .collect::<Vec<IpAddr>>();
 
+    let repo_dir = sub_matches
+        .get_one::<String>("repo_dir")
+        .map(|p| p.as_str())
+        .unwrap_or("~/.monitor/repos")
+        .to_string()
+        .replace("~", env::var("HOME").unwrap().as_str());
+
     let config = PeripheryConfig {
         port,
         stats_polling_rate,
@@ -344,7 +353,10 @@ pub fn start_periphery_daemon(sub_matches: &ArgMatches) {
     if install_output.success() {
         println!("\ninstallation finished, starting monitor periphery daemon\n")
     } else {
-        eprintln!("\n❌ there was some {} during periphery installation ❌\n", "error".red());
+        eprintln!(
+            "\n❌ there was some {} during periphery installation ❌\n",
+            "error".red()
+        );
         return;
     }
 
diff --git a/cli/src/main.rs b/cli/src/main.rs
index 4e6e6c028..15f02baaf 100644
--- a/cli/src/main.rs
+++ b/cli/src/main.rs
@@ -22,6 +22,10 @@ fn cli() -> Command {
                 .subcommand(
                     Command::new("gen_config")
                         .about("generate a core config file")
+                        .arg(
+                            arg!(--host <HOST> "the host to use with oauth redirect url, whatever host the user hits to access monitor. eg 'https://monitor.mogh.tech'")
+                                .required(true)
+                        )
                         .arg(
                             arg!(--path <PATH> "sets path of generated config file. default is '~/.monitor/core.config.toml'")
                                 .required(false)
@@ -110,10 +114,6 @@ fn cli() -> Command {
                 .subcommand(
                     Command::new("gen_config")
                         .about("generate a periphery config file")
-                        .arg(
-                            arg!(--host <HOST> "the host to use with oauth redirect url, whatever host the user hits to access monitor. eg 'https://monitor.mogh.tech'")
-                                .required(true)
-                        )
                         .arg(
                             arg!(--path <PATH> "sets path of generated config file. default is '~/.monitor/periphery.config.toml'")
                                 .required(false)
@@ -128,6 +128,10 @@ fn cli() -> Command {
                         )
                         .arg(
                             arg!(--allowed_ips <IPS> "used to only accept requests from known ips. give ips as comma seperated list, like '--allowed_ips 127.0.0.1,10.20.30.43'. default is empty, which will not block any ip.")
+                                .required(false)
+                        )
+                        .arg(
+                            arg!(--repo_dir <PATH> "if running in container, this should be '/repos'. default is ~/.monitor/repos").required(false)
                         )
                 )
                 .subcommand(