diff --git a/cmd/collect/collect.go b/cmd/collect/collect.go
index 43ecc1e7..8a3b37d9 100644
--- a/cmd/collect/collect.go
+++ b/cmd/collect/collect.go
@@ -1,10 +1,14 @@
 package collect
 
 import (
+	"log"
+
 	"github.com/metal-toolbox/mctl/cmd"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 )
 
+var serverIDStr string
+
 var collect = &cobra.Command{
 	Use:   "collect",
 	Short: "Collect current server firmware status and bios configuration",
@@ -16,4 +20,11 @@ var collect = &cobra.Command{
 
 func init() {
 	cmd.RootCmd.AddCommand(collect)
+
+	pflags := collect.PersistentFlags()
+	pflags.StringVarP(&serverIDStr, "server", "s", "", "server id (typically a UUID)")
+
+	if err := collect.MarkPersistentFlagRequired("server"); err != nil {
+		log.Fatalf("marking server flag as required: %s", err.Error())
+	}
 }
diff --git a/cmd/collect/inventory.go b/cmd/collect/inventory.go
index b04bc402..d7d1a912 100644
--- a/cmd/collect/inventory.go
+++ b/cmd/collect/inventory.go
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ import (
 )
 
 type collectInventoryFlags struct {
-	serverID                  string
 	skipFirmwareStatusCollect bool
 	skipBiosConfigCollect     bool
 }
@@ -27,9 +26,9 @@ var (
 )
 
 var collectInventoryCmd = &cobra.Command{
-	Use:   "inventory",
+	Use:   "inventory --server | -s <server uuid>",
 	Short: "Collect current server firmware status and bios configuration",
-	Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
+	Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, _ []string) {
 		collectInventory(cmd.Context())
 
 	},
@@ -38,7 +37,7 @@ var collectInventoryCmd = &cobra.Command{
 func collectInventory(ctx context.Context) {
 	theApp := mctl.MustCreateApp(ctx)
 
-	serverID, err := uuid.Parse(flagsDefinedCollectInventory.serverID)
+	serverID, err := uuid.Parse(serverIDStr)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Fatal(err)
 	}
@@ -81,11 +80,8 @@ func init() {
 	flagsDefinedCollectInventory = &collectInventoryFlags{}
 
 	collect.AddCommand(collectInventoryCmd)
-	collectInventoryCmd.PersistentFlags().StringVar(&flagsDefinedCollectInventory.serverID, "server", "", "server UUID")
-	collectInventoryCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVar(&flagsDefinedCollectInventory.skipFirmwareStatusCollect, "skip-fw-status", false, "Skip firmware status data collection")
-	collectInventoryCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVar(&flagsDefinedCollectInventory.skipBiosConfigCollect, "skip-bios-config", false, "Skip BIOS configuration data collection")
-
-	if err := collectInventoryCmd.MarkPersistentFlagRequired("server"); err != nil {
-		log.Fatal(err)
-	}
+	collectInventoryCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVar(&flagsDefinedCollectInventory.skipFirmwareStatusCollect,
+		"skip-fw-status", false, "Skip firmware status data collection")
+	collectInventoryCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVar(&flagsDefinedCollectInventory.skipBiosConfigCollect,
+		"skip-bios-config", false, "Skip BIOS configuration data collection")
 }
diff --git a/cmd/collect/status.go b/cmd/collect/status.go
index 10c2289f..6a98bddf 100644
--- a/cmd/collect/status.go
+++ b/cmd/collect/status.go
@@ -15,8 +15,6 @@ import (
 	rctypes "github.com/metal-toolbox/rivets/condition"
 )
 
-var serverIDStr string
-
 var inventoryStatus = &cobra.Command{
 	Use:   "status --server | -s <server uuid>",
 	Short: "check the progress of a inventory collection for a server",
@@ -53,12 +51,5 @@ func statusCheck(ctx context.Context) {
 }
 
 func init() {
-	flags := inventoryStatus.Flags()
-	flags.StringVarP(&serverIDStr, "server", "s", "", "server id (typically a UUID)")
-
-	if err := inventoryStatus.MarkFlagRequired("server"); err != nil {
-		log.Fatalf("marking server flag as required: %s", err.Error())
-	}
-
 	collect.AddCommand(inventoryStatus)
 }
diff --git a/docs/mctl_collect.md b/docs/mctl_collect.md
index 1ff4d062..4e6e3f16 100644
--- a/docs/mctl_collect.md
+++ b/docs/mctl_collect.md
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@ mctl collect [flags]
 ### Options
 
 ```
-  -h, --help   help for collect
+  -h, --help            help for collect
+  -s, --server string   server id (typically a UUID)
 ```
 
 ### Options inherited from parent commands
diff --git a/docs/mctl_collect_inventory.md b/docs/mctl_collect_inventory.md
index 3408073d..fb200959 100644
--- a/docs/mctl_collect_inventory.md
+++ b/docs/mctl_collect_inventory.md
@@ -5,14 +5,13 @@
 Collect current server firmware status and bios configuration
 
 ```
-mctl collect inventory [flags]
+mctl collect inventory --server | -s <server uuid> [flags]
 ```
 
 ### Options
 
 ```
   -h, --help               help for inventory
-      --server string      server UUID
       --skip-bios-config   Skip BIOS configuration data collection
       --skip-fw-status     Skip firmware status data collection
 ```
@@ -22,6 +21,7 @@ mctl collect inventory [flags]
 ```
       --config string   config file (default is $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/mctl/config.yml)
       --reauth          re-authenticate with oauth services
+  -s, --server string   server id (typically a UUID)
 ```
 
 ### SEE ALSO
diff --git a/docs/mctl_collect_status.md b/docs/mctl_collect_status.md
index 0a16f147..cb28d03c 100644
--- a/docs/mctl_collect_status.md
+++ b/docs/mctl_collect_status.md
@@ -11,8 +11,7 @@ mctl collect status --server | -s <server uuid> [flags]
 ### Options
 
 ```
-  -h, --help            help for status
-  -s, --server string   server id (typically a UUID)
+  -h, --help   help for status
 ```
 
 ### Options inherited from parent commands
@@ -20,6 +19,7 @@ mctl collect status --server | -s <server uuid> [flags]
 ```
       --config string   config file (default is $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/mctl/config.yml)
       --reauth          re-authenticate with oauth services
+  -s, --server string   server id (typically a UUID)
 ```
 
 ### SEE ALSO