diff --git a/simple-ca.sh b/simple-ca.sh
index d7b449b..fdd63e3 100755
--- a/simple-ca.sh
+++ b/simple-ca.sh
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ function make_ca() {
     # CA defaults to the main CA if not specified, but can be overridden with --issuing-ca
     local CA_FILE_PREFIX="ca"
     local AIA_BASE_URL=""
+    local CA_DIR=""
 
     while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
         case "$1" in
@@ -74,16 +75,23 @@ function make_ca() {
                 AIA_BASE_URL="$2"
                 shift 2
                 ;;
+            --ca-dir)
+                if [[ -z "$2" ]]; then
+                    echo "ERROR: Missing value for --ca-dir." >&2
+                    return 1
+                fi
+                CA_DIR="$2"
+                shift 2
+                ;;
             *)
                 break
                 ;;
         esac
     done
 
-    # Use the provided directory argument
-    local CA_DIR="$1"
-    local CA_NAME="$2"
-    shift 2
+    local CA_NAME="$1"
+    shift 1
+    CA_DIR="${CA_DIR:-${SIMPLE_CA_DIR:-$(pwd)}}"
 
     if [[ -z "$CA_DIR" || ! -d "$CA_DIR" ]]; then
         echo "ERROR: Certificate directory $CA_DIR does not exist."
@@ -231,7 +239,7 @@ function make_cert() {
     local CERT_SUBJECT_NAME="$2"
     shift 2
 
-    CA_DIR="${CA_DIR:-$CERT_DIR}"
+    CA_DIR="${CA_DIR:-${SIMPLE_CA_DIR:-$(pwd)}}"
 
     local AIA_BASE_URL_FILE="$CA_DIR/aia_base_url.txt"
     local AIA_URL=""
@@ -371,6 +379,7 @@ function make_pfx() {
         esac
     done
 
+    CA_DIR="${CA_DIR:-${SIMPLE_CA_DIR:-$(pwd)}}"
     local ROOT_CA_CERT="ca_cert.pem"
     local ROOT_CA_KEY="ca_key.pem"
     local CA_CERT="${CA_FILE_PREFIX:-ca}_cert.pem"
diff --git a/src/simple-ca/main.go b/src/simple-ca/main.go
index 3dd4798..f15784a 100644
--- a/src/simple-ca/main.go
+++ b/src/simple-ca/main.go
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ import (
 	"encoding/pem"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 	"math/big"
 	"net"
 	"os"
@@ -38,7 +40,6 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
-	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 	"software.sslmate.com/src/go-pkcs12"
 )
 
@@ -278,9 +279,6 @@ func makeCert(certDir, subjectName string, sans []string, caDir, issuingCA strin
 	if prefix == "" {
 		prefix = "ca"
 	}
-	if caDir == "" {
-		caDir = certDir
-	}
 	if certDir == "" || !dirExists(certDir) {
 		return fmt.Errorf("certificate directory %s does not exist", certDir)
 	}
@@ -461,6 +459,17 @@ func makePFX(certPath, caDir, issuingCA, password string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func resolveCADir(flagVal string) string {
+	if flagVal != "" {
+		return flagVal
+	}
+	if env := os.Getenv("SIMPLE_CA_DIR"); env != "" {
+		return env
+	}
+	cwd, _ := os.Getwd()
+	return cwd
+}
+
 func newRootCmd() *cobra.Command {
 	root := &cobra.Command{
 		Use:           "simple-ca",
@@ -477,36 +486,40 @@ func newMakeCACmd() *cobra.Command {
 		days       int
 		issuingCA  string
 		aiaBaseURL string
+		caDir      string
 	)
 	cmd := &cobra.Command{
-		Use:   "make-ca CA_DIR CA_NAME",
+		Use:   "make-ca CA_NAME",
 		Short: "Create a root or issuing CA.",
-		Args:  cobra.ExactArgs(2),
+		Args:  cobra.ExactArgs(1),
 		RunE: func(_ *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
-			return makeCA(args[0], args[1], days, issuingCA, aiaBaseURL)
+			return makeCA(resolveCADir(caDir), args[0], days, issuingCA, aiaBaseURL)
 		},
 	}
 	cmd.Flags().IntVar(&days, "days", 3650, "validity period in days")
 	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&issuingCA, "issuing-ca", "", "issuing CA file prefix (creates an issuing CA signed by the root)")
 	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&aiaBaseURL, "aia-base-url", "", "base URL for the AIA caIssuers extension")
+	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&caDir, "ca-dir", "", "directory for CA files")
 	return cmd
 }
 
 func newMakeCertCmd() *cobra.Command {
 	var (
+		certDir   string
 		caDir     string
 		issuingCA string
 		days      int
 	)
 	cmd := &cobra.Command{
-		Use:   "make-cert CERT_DIR SUBJECT [SAN...]",
+		Use:   "make-cert SUBJECT [SAN...]",
 		Short: "Create a server/client certificate signed by the CA.",
-		Args:  cobra.MinimumNArgs(2),
+		Args:  cobra.MinimumNArgs(1),
 		RunE: func(_ *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
-			return makeCert(args[0], args[1], args[2:], caDir, issuingCA, days)
+			return makeCert(certDir, args[0], args[1:], resolveCADir(caDir), issuingCA, days)
 		},
 	}
-	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&caDir, "ca-dir", "", "CA directory (defaults to CERT_DIR)")
+	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&certDir, "cert-dir", "", "directory to store the certificate files")
+	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&caDir, "ca-dir", "", "CA directory")
 	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&issuingCA, "issuing-ca", "", "issuing CA file prefix")
 	cmd.Flags().IntVar(&days, "days", 365, "validity period in days")
 	return cmd
@@ -516,23 +529,19 @@ func newMakePFXCmd() *cobra.Command {
 	var (
 		caDir     string
 		issuingCA string
-		certPath  string
 		password  string
 	)
 	cmd := &cobra.Command{
-		Use:   "make-pfx --ca-dir DIR --path CERT_PATH [flags]",
+		Use:   "make-pfx CERT_PATH",
 		Short: "Create a PKCS#12 (PFX) bundle for a leaf certificate.",
-		Args:  cobra.NoArgs,
-		RunE: func(_ *cobra.Command, _ []string) error {
-			return makePFX(certPath, caDir, issuingCA, password)
+		Args:  cobra.ExactArgs(1),
+		RunE: func(_ *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+			return makePFX(args[0], resolveCADir(caDir), issuingCA, password)
 		},
 	}
 	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&caDir, "ca-dir", "", "CA directory")
 	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&issuingCA, "issuing-ca", "", "issuing CA file prefix")
-	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&certPath, "path", "", "path to the leaf certificate PEM")
 	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&password, "password", "", "PFX password (default: changeit)")
-	_ = cmd.MarkFlagRequired("ca-dir")
-	_ = cmd.MarkFlagRequired("path")
 	return cmd
 }