diff --git a/config.nims b/config.nims
index 858c803..d86a0e5 100644
--- a/config.nims
+++ b/config.nims
@@ -2,8 +2,9 @@ import std/os except getCurrentDir
 import std/[strformat, strutils]
 
 task test, "run tests":
-  selfExec "r tests/tbbansi.nim"
-  selfExec "r tests/cli/tester.nim"
+  const testDir = thisDir() / "tests"
+  selfExec fmt"r {testDir}/tbbansi.nim"
+  selfExec fmt"r {testDir}/cli/tester.nim"
 
 task develop, "install cligen for development":
   exec "nimble install -l 'cligen@1.7.5'"
diff --git a/src/hwylterm/hwylcli.nim b/src/hwylterm/hwylcli.nim
index 9417d0b..def3867 100644
--- a/src/hwylterm/hwylcli.nim
+++ b/src/hwylterm/hwylcli.nim
@@ -827,6 +827,7 @@ func subCmdsArray(cfg: CliCfg): NimNode =
       (`cmd`, `aliases`, `desc`)
 
 # is this one necessary?
+
 proc hwylCliError*(msg: BbString) =
   quit $(bb("error ", "red") & msg)
 
diff --git a/tests/cli/clis/base.nim b/tests/cli/clis/base.nim
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4ce60b5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/cli/clis/base.nim
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+import hwylterm, hwylterm/hwylcli
+
+hwylCli:
+  name "base"
+  run:
+    echo "a base cli"
diff --git a/tests/cli/clis/errorOverride.nim b/tests/cli/clis/errorOverride.nim
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a5af70c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/cli/clis/errorOverride.nim
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+import hwylterm, hwylterm/hwylcli
+
+proc hwylCliError*(msg: string) =
+  stderr.write "override the default error\n"
+  quit $(bb("error ", "red") & bb(msg))
+
+hwylCli:
+  name "base"
+  run:
+    echo "a base cli"
diff --git a/tests/cli/tester.nim b/tests/cli/tester.nim
index 4ea699c..4d7b657 100644
--- a/tests/cli/tester.nim
+++ b/tests/cli/tester.nim
@@ -111,3 +111,6 @@ postSub from root!
 inside sub c
 """,
   )
+  failWithArgs(
+    "errorOverride", "--flag","override the default error\nerror unknown flag: flag"
+  )