diff --git a/packages/api/cli/spec/check-system.spec.ts b/packages/api/cli/spec/util/check-system.spec.ts
similarity index 98%
rename from packages/api/cli/spec/check-system.spec.ts
rename to packages/api/cli/spec/util/check-system.spec.ts
index 7cc30c3ea0..cb75c91aa5 100644
--- a/packages/api/cli/spec/check-system.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/api/cli/spec/util/check-system.spec.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { resolvePackageManager, spawnPackageManager } from '@electron-forge/core-utils';
 import { describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
 
-import { checkPackageManager } from '../src/util/check-system';
+import { checkPackageManager } from '../../src/util/check-system';
 
 vi.mock(import('@electron-forge/core-utils'), async (importOriginal) => {
   const mod = await importOriginal();
diff --git a/packages/api/cli/spec/util/resolve-working-dir.spec.ts b/packages/api/cli/spec/util/resolve-working-dir.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..88832bbe3e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/api/cli/spec/util/resolve-working-dir.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+import path from 'node:path';
+
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
+
+import { resolveWorkingDir } from '../../src/util/resolve-working-dir';
+
+describe('resolveWorkingDir', () => {
+  it('resolves relative paths according to the current working directory', () => {
+    const dir = resolveWorkingDir('.');
+
+    expect(dir).toEqual(process.cwd());
+  });
+
+  it('works with an absolute directory', () => {
+    const upOne = path.resolve(process.cwd(), '..');
+    expect(path.isAbsolute(upOne)).toBe(true);
+    const dir = resolveWorkingDir(upOne);
+
+    expect(dir).toEqual(upOne);
+  });
+
+  it('resolves a relative path if checkExisting=false and dir does not exist', () => {
+    const dir = resolveWorkingDir('./i-made-this-dir-up', false);
+
+    expect(dir).toEqual(path.resolve(process.cwd(), './i-made-this-dir-up'));
+  });
+
+  it('resolves an absolute path if checkExisting=false and dir does not exist', () => {
+    const fakeDir = path.resolve(process.cwd(), './i-made-this-dir-up');
+    expect(path.isAbsolute(fakeDir)).toBe(true);
+    const dir = resolveWorkingDir(fakeDir, false);
+
+    expect(dir).toEqual(fakeDir);
+  });
+
+  it('falls back to the current working directory with a relative path if checkExisting=true and dir does not exist', () => {
+    const dir = resolveWorkingDir('./i-made-this-dir-up', true);
+
+    expect(dir).toEqual(process.cwd());
+  });
+
+  it('falls back to the current working directory with an absolute path if checkExisting=true and dir does not exist', () => {
+    const fakeDir = path.resolve(process.cwd(), './i-made-this-dir-up');
+    expect(path.isAbsolute(fakeDir)).toBe(true);
+    const dir = resolveWorkingDir(fakeDir);
+
+    expect(dir).toEqual(process.cwd());
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/api/cli/src/electron-forge-import.ts b/packages/api/cli/src/electron-forge-import.ts
index 30a76fa803..30dbad42ad 100644
--- a/packages/api/cli/src/electron-forge-import.ts
+++ b/packages/api/cli/src/electron-forge-import.ts
@@ -4,21 +4,17 @@ import { program } from 'commander';
 import './util/terminate';
 import packageJSON from '../package.json';
 
-import workingDir from './util/working-dir';
+import { resolveWorkingDir } from './util/resolve-working-dir';
 
-(async () => {
-  let dir = process.cwd();
-  program
-    .version(packageJSON.version, '-V, --version', 'Output the current version')
-    .helpOption('-h, --help', 'Output usage information')
-    .arguments('[name]')
-    .action((name) => {
-      dir = workingDir(dir, name, false);
-    })
-    .parse(process.argv);
-
-  await api.import({
-    dir,
-    interactive: true,
-  });
-})();
+program
+  .version(packageJSON.version, '-V, --version', 'Output the current version.')
+  .helpOption('-h, --help', 'Output usage information.')
+  .argument('[dir]', 'Directory of the project to import. (default: current directory)')
+  .action(async (dir: string) => {
+    const workingDir = resolveWorkingDir(dir, false);
+    await api.import({
+      dir: workingDir,
+      interactive: true,
+    });
+  })
+  .parse(process.argv);
diff --git a/packages/api/cli/src/electron-forge-init.ts b/packages/api/cli/src/electron-forge-init.ts
index 16c6077912..953388121c 100644
--- a/packages/api/cli/src/electron-forge-init.ts
+++ b/packages/api/cli/src/electron-forge-init.ts
@@ -4,31 +4,28 @@ import { program } from 'commander';
 import './util/terminate';
 import packageJSON from '../package.json';
 
-import workingDir from './util/working-dir';
+import { resolveWorkingDir } from './util/resolve-working-dir';
 
-(async () => {
-  let dir = process.cwd();
-  program
-    .version(packageJSON.version, '-V, --version', 'Output the current version')
-    .arguments('[name]')
-    .option('-t, --template [name]', 'Name of the Forge template to use')
-    .option('-c, --copy-ci-files', 'Whether to copy the templated CI files', false)
-    .option('-f, --force', 'Whether to overwrite an existing directory', false)
-    .helpOption('-h, --help', 'Output usage information')
-    .action((name) => {
-      dir = workingDir(dir, name, false);
-    })
-    .parse(process.argv);
+program
+  .version(packageJSON.version, '-V, --version', 'Output the current version.')
+  .helpOption('-h, --help', 'Output usage information.')
+  .argument('[dir]', 'Directory to initialize the project in. (default: current directory)')
+  .option('-t, --template [name]', 'Name of the Forge template to use.', 'base')
+  .option('-c, --copy-ci-files', 'Whether to copy the templated CI files.', false)
+  .option('-f, --force', 'Whether to overwrite an existing directory.', false)
+  .action(async (dir) => {
+    const workingDir = resolveWorkingDir(dir, false);
 
-  const options = program.opts();
+    const options = program.opts();
 
-  const initOpts: InitOptions = {
-    dir,
-    interactive: true,
-    copyCIFiles: !!options.copyCiFiles,
-    force: !!options.force,
-  };
-  if (options.template) initOpts.template = options.template;
+    const initOpts: InitOptions = {
+      dir: workingDir,
+      interactive: true,
+      copyCIFiles: !!options.copyCiFiles,
+      force: !!options.force,
+    };
+    if (options.template) initOpts.template = options.template;
 
-  await api.init(initOpts);
-})();
+    await api.init(initOpts);
+  })
+  .parse(process.argv);
diff --git a/packages/api/cli/src/electron-forge-make.ts b/packages/api/cli/src/electron-forge-make.ts
index 2199e09d3f..34a24d5bb7 100644
--- a/packages/api/cli/src/electron-forge-make.ts
+++ b/packages/api/cli/src/electron-forge-make.ts
@@ -1,32 +1,33 @@
 import { initializeProxy } from '@electron/get';
 import { api, MakeOptions } from '@electron-forge/core';
+import chalk from 'chalk';
 import { program } from 'commander';
 
 import './util/terminate';
 import packageJSON from '../package.json';
 
-import workingDir from './util/working-dir';
+import { resolveWorkingDir } from './util/resolve-working-dir';
 
 export async function getMakeOptions(): Promise<MakeOptions> {
-  let dir = process.cwd();
+  let workingDir: string;
   program
-    .version(packageJSON.version, '-V, --version', 'Output the current version')
-    .arguments('[cwd]')
-    .option('--skip-package', 'Assume the app is already packaged')
-    .option('-a, --arch [arch]', 'Target architecture')
-    .option('-p, --platform [platform]', 'Target build platform')
-    .option('--targets [targets]', 'Override your make targets for this run')
-    .helpOption('-h, --help', 'Output usage information')
+    .version(packageJSON.version, '-V, --version', 'Output the current version.')
+    .helpOption('-h, --help', 'Output usage information.')
+    .argument('[dir]', 'Directory to run the command in. (default: current directory)')
+    .option('--skip-package', `Skip packaging the Electron application, and use the output from a previous ${chalk.green('package')} run instead.`)
+    .option('-a, --arch [arch]', 'Target build architecture.', process.arch)
+    .option('-p, --platform [platform]', 'Target build platform.', process.platform)
+    .option('--targets [targets]', `Override your ${chalk.green('make')} targets for this run.`)
     .allowUnknownOption(true)
-    .action((cwd) => {
-      dir = workingDir(dir, cwd);
+    .action((dir) => {
+      workingDir = resolveWorkingDir(dir, false);
     })
     .parse(process.argv);
 
   const options = program.opts();
 
   const makeOpts: MakeOptions = {
-    dir,
+    dir: workingDir!,
     interactive: true,
     skipPackage: options.skipPackage,
   };
@@ -37,8 +38,7 @@ export async function getMakeOptions(): Promise<MakeOptions> {
   return makeOpts;
 }
 
-// eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
-if (require.main === module || (global as any).__LINKED_FORGE__) {
+if (require.main === module) {
   (async () => {
     const makeOpts = await getMakeOptions();
 
diff --git a/packages/api/cli/src/electron-forge-package.ts b/packages/api/cli/src/electron-forge-package.ts
index b082ff5979..a4b9d5e003 100644
--- a/packages/api/cli/src/electron-forge-package.ts
+++ b/packages/api/cli/src/electron-forge-package.ts
@@ -5,31 +5,28 @@ import { program } from 'commander';
 import './util/terminate';
 import packageJSON from '../package.json';
 
-import workingDir from './util/working-dir';
+import { resolveWorkingDir } from './util/resolve-working-dir';
 
-(async () => {
-  let dir: string = process.cwd();
-  program
-    .version(packageJSON.version, '-V, --version', 'Output the current version')
-    .arguments('[cwd]')
-    .option('-a, --arch [arch]', 'Target architecture')
-    .option('-p, --platform [platform]', 'Target build platform')
-    .helpOption('-h, --help', 'Output usage information')
-    .action((cwd) => {
-      dir = workingDir(dir, cwd);
-    })
-    .parse(process.argv);
+program
+  .version(packageJSON.version, '-V, --version', 'Output the current version')
+  .helpOption('-h, --help', 'Output usage information')
+  .argument('[dir]', 'Directory to run the command in. (default: current directory)')
+  .option('-a, --arch [arch]', 'Target build architecture')
+  .option('-p, --platform [platform]', 'Target build platform')
+  .action(async (dir) => {
+    const workingDir = resolveWorkingDir(dir);
 
-  const options = program.opts();
+    const options = program.opts();
 
-  initializeProxy();
+    initializeProxy();
 
-  const packageOpts: PackageOptions = {
-    dir,
-    interactive: true,
-  };
-  if (options.arch) packageOpts.arch = options.arch;
-  if (options.platform) packageOpts.platform = options.platform;
+    const packageOpts: PackageOptions = {
+      dir: workingDir,
+      interactive: true,
+    };
+    if (options.arch) packageOpts.arch = options.arch;
+    if (options.platform) packageOpts.platform = options.platform;
 
-  await api.package(packageOpts);
-})();
+    await api.package(packageOpts);
+  })
+  .parse(process.argv);
diff --git a/packages/api/cli/src/electron-forge-publish.ts b/packages/api/cli/src/electron-forge-publish.ts
index 778e01b3b6..fddbc0fd10 100644
--- a/packages/api/cli/src/electron-forge-publish.ts
+++ b/packages/api/cli/src/electron-forge-publish.ts
@@ -1,41 +1,38 @@
 import { initializeProxy } from '@electron/get';
 import { api, PublishOptions } from '@electron-forge/core';
+import chalk from 'chalk';
 import { program } from 'commander';
 
 import './util/terminate';
 import packageJSON from '../package.json';
 
 import { getMakeOptions } from './electron-forge-make';
-import workingDir from './util/working-dir';
-
-(async () => {
-  let dir = process.cwd();
-  program
-    .version(packageJSON.version, '-V, --version', 'Output the current version')
-    .arguments('[cwd]')
-    .option('--target [target[,target...]]', 'The comma-separated deployment targets, defaults to "github"')
-    .option('--dry-run', "Triggers a publish dry run which saves state and doesn't upload anything")
-    .option('--from-dry-run', 'Attempts to publish artifacts from the last saved dry run')
-    .helpOption('-h, --help', 'Output usage information')
-    .allowUnknownOption(true)
-    .action((cwd) => {
-      dir = workingDir(dir, cwd);
-    })
-    .parse(process.argv);
-
-  const options = program.opts();
-
-  initializeProxy();
-
-  const publishOpts: PublishOptions = {
-    dir,
-    interactive: true,
-    dryRun: options.dryRun,
-    dryRunResume: options.fromDryRun,
-  };
-  if (options.target) publishOpts.publishTargets = options.target.split(',');
-
-  publishOpts.makeOptions = await getMakeOptions();
-
-  await api.publish(publishOpts);
-})();
+import { resolveWorkingDir } from './util/resolve-working-dir';
+
+program
+  .version(packageJSON.version, '-V, --version', 'Output the current version.')
+  .helpOption('-h, --help', 'Output usage information.')
+  .argument('[dir]', 'Directory to run the command in. (default: current directory)')
+  .option('--target [target[,target...]]', 'A comma-separated list of deployment targets. (default: all publishers in your Forge config)')
+  .option('--dry-run', `Run the ${chalk.green('make')} command and save publish metadata without uploading anything.`)
+  .option('--from-dry-run', 'Publish artifacts from the last saved dry run.')
+  .allowUnknownOption(true)
+  .action(async (targetDir) => {
+    const dir = resolveWorkingDir(targetDir);
+    const options = program.opts();
+
+    initializeProxy();
+
+    const publishOpts: PublishOptions = {
+      dir,
+      interactive: true,
+      dryRun: options.dryRun,
+      dryRunResume: options.fromDryRun,
+    };
+    if (options.target) publishOpts.publishTargets = options.target.split(',');
+
+    publishOpts.makeOptions = await getMakeOptions();
+
+    await api.publish(publishOpts);
+  })
+  .parse(process.argv);
diff --git a/packages/api/cli/src/electron-forge-start.ts b/packages/api/cli/src/electron-forge-start.ts
index 510f409923..42c490904b 100644
--- a/packages/api/cli/src/electron-forge-start.ts
+++ b/packages/api/cli/src/electron-forge-start.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 import { api, StartOptions } from '@electron-forge/core';
 import { ElectronProcess } from '@electron-forge/shared-types';
-import { program } from 'commander';
+import { Option, program } from 'commander';
 
 import './util/terminate';
 import packageJSON from '../package.json';
 
-import workingDir from './util/working-dir';
+import { resolveWorkingDir } from './util/resolve-working-dir';
 
 (async () => {
   let commandArgs = process.argv;
@@ -17,16 +17,17 @@ import workingDir from './util/working-dir';
     appArgs = process.argv.slice(doubleDashIndex + 1);
   }
 
-  let dir = process.cwd();
+  let dir;
   program
-    .version(packageJSON.version, '-V, --version', 'Output the current version')
-    .arguments('[cwd]')
-    .option('-p, --app-path <path>', "Override the path to the Electron app to launch (defaults to '.')")
-    .option('-l, --enable-logging', 'Enable advanced logging.  This will log internal Electron things')
-    .option('-n, --run-as-node', 'Run the Electron app as a Node.JS script')
-    .option('--vscode', 'Used to enable arg transformation for debugging Electron through VSCode.  Do not use yourself.')
-    .option('-i, --inspect-electron', 'Triggers inspect mode on Electron to allow debugging the main process.  Electron >1.7 only')
-    .option('--inspect-brk-electron', 'Triggers inspect-brk mode on Electron to allow debugging the main process.  Electron >1.7 only')
+    .version(packageJSON.version, '-V, --version', 'Output the current version.')
+    .helpOption('-h, --help', 'Output usage information.')
+    .argument('[dir]', 'Directory to run the command in. (default: current directory)')
+    .option('-p, --app-path <path>', 'Path to the Electron app to launch. (default: current directory)')
+    .option('-l, --enable-logging', 'Enable internal Electron logging.')
+    .option('-n, --run-as-node', 'Run the Electron app as a Node.JS script.')
+    .addOption(new Option('--vscode').hideHelp()) // Used to enable arg transformation for debugging Electron through VSCode. Hidden from users.
+    .option('-i, --inspect-electron', 'Run Electron in inspect mode to allow debugging the main process.')
+    .option('--inspect-brk-electron', 'Run Electron in inspect-brk mode to allow debugging the main process.')
     .addHelpText(
       'after',
       `
@@ -37,8 +38,8 @@ import workingDir from './util/working-dir';
       ...will pass the arguments "-d -f foo.txt" to the Electron app.`
     )
     .passThroughOptions(true) // allows args to be passed down to the Electron executable
-    .action((cwd) => {
-      dir = workingDir(dir, cwd);
+    .action((targetDir: string) => {
+      dir = resolveWorkingDir(targetDir);
     })
     .parse(commandArgs);
 
diff --git a/packages/api/cli/src/electron-forge.ts b/packages/api/cli/src/electron-forge.ts
index 069619e64e..bfc3f79991 100755
--- a/packages/api/cli/src/electron-forge.ts
+++ b/packages/api/cli/src/electron-forge.ts
@@ -12,15 +12,14 @@ import packageJSON from '../package.json';
 import { checkSystem } from './util/check-system';
 
 program
-  .version(packageJSON.version, '-V, --version', 'Output the current version')
-  .option('--verbose', 'Enables verbose mode')
-  .helpOption('-h, --help', 'Output usage information')
-  .command('init', 'Initialize a new Electron application')
-  .command('import', 'Attempts to navigate you through the process of importing an existing project to "electron-forge"')
-  .command('start', 'Start the current Electron application in development mode')
-  .command('package', 'Package the current Electron application')
-  .command('make', 'Generate distributables for the current Electron application')
-  .command('publish', 'Publish the current Electron application')
+  .version(packageJSON.version, '-V, --version', 'Output the current version.')
+  .helpOption('-h, --help', 'Output usage information.')
+  .command('init', 'Initialize a new Electron application.')
+  .command('import', 'Import an existing Electron project to Forge.')
+  .command('start', 'Start the current Electron application in development mode.')
+  .command('package', 'Package the current Electron application.')
+  .command('make', 'Generate distributables for the current Electron application.')
+  .command('publish', 'Publish the current Electron application.')
   .hook('preSubcommand', async (_command, subcommand) => {
     if (!process.argv.includes('--help') && !process.argv.includes('-h')) {
       const runner = new Listr<{
diff --git a/packages/api/cli/src/util/resolve-working-dir.ts b/packages/api/cli/src/util/resolve-working-dir.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e279b7a6a2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/api/cli/src/util/resolve-working-dir.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+import path from 'node:path';
+
+import fs from 'fs-extra';
+
+/**
+ * Resolves the directory in which to use a CLI command.
+ * @param dir - The directory specified by the user (can be relative or absolute)
+ * @param checkExisting - Checks if the directory exists. If true and directory is non-existent, it will fall back to the current working directory
+ * @returns
+ */
+export function resolveWorkingDir(dir: string, checkExisting = true): string {
+  if (!dir) {
+    return process.cwd();
+  }
+
+  const resolved = path.isAbsolute(dir) ? dir : path.resolve(process.cwd(), dir);
+
+  if (checkExisting && !fs.existsSync(resolved)) {
+    return process.cwd();
+  } else {
+    return resolved;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/api/cli/src/util/working-dir.ts b/packages/api/cli/src/util/working-dir.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 34f7db3df7..0000000000
--- a/packages/api/cli/src/util/working-dir.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,19 +0,0 @@
-import path from 'node:path';
-
-import fs from 'fs-extra';
-
-export default function workingDir(dir: string, cwd: string, checkExisting = true): string {
-  let finalDir = dir;
-  if (cwd) {
-    if (path.isAbsolute(cwd) && (!checkExisting || fs.existsSync(cwd))) {
-      finalDir = cwd;
-    } else {
-      const resolved = path.resolve(finalDir, cwd);
-      if (!checkExisting || fs.existsSync(resolved)) {
-        finalDir = resolved;
-      }
-    }
-  }
-
-  return finalDir;
-}