diff --git a/tribes-cli/cli.ts b/tribes-cli/cli.ts
index fedfe014..9f1d9913 100644
--- a/tribes-cli/cli.ts
+++ b/tribes-cli/cli.ts
@@ -21,4 +21,30 @@ for (const [_name, body] of Object.entries(commands)) {
   // TODO: construct a help string here
 }
 
+const parsed = parseArgs(Deno.args, parserArgs);
 console.log(parserArgs);
+console.log(parsed);
+
+const [subcommand, verb] = parsed._;
+
+const isValidSubcommand = (key: string): key is keyof typeof commands => {
+  return Object.keys(commands).includes(key.toString());
+};
+
+if (typeof subcommand === 'number') {
+  console.error('Error: subcommand cannot be a number');
+  Deno.exit(1);
+}
+
+if (!subcommand) {
+  // todo: output help, probably
+} else if (subcommand && !verb) {
+  // todo: output help only for specific subcommand
+} else {
+  if (isValidSubcommand(subcommand)) {
+    console.log(commands[subcommand]);
+  } else {
+    console.error(`Error: ${subcommand} is not a valid subcommand`);
+    Deno.exit(1);
+  }
+}