diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/__init__.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/__init__.py
index 52777182..fa8573b2 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/__init__.py
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/__init__.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import sys
 from types import ModuleType
 from typing import Optional
 
-from . import admin, secrets, update, webui
+from . import admin, machines, secrets, webui
 
 # from . import admin, config, secrets, update, webui
 from .errors import ClanError
@@ -34,10 +34,10 @@ def main() -> None:
     parser_secrets = subparsers.add_parser("secrets", help="manage secrets")
     secrets.register_parser(parser_secrets)
 
-    parser_update = subparsers.add_parser(
-        "update", help="update the machines in the clan"
+    parser_machine = subparsers.add_parser(
+        "machines", help="Manage machines and their configuration"
     )
-    update.register_parser(parser_update)
+    machines.register_parser(parser_machine)
 
     parser_webui = subparsers.add_parser("webui", help="start webui")
     webui.register_parser(parser_webui)
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/machines/__init__.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/machines/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ed51575f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/machines/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+# !/usr/bin/env python3
+import argparse
+
+from .update import register_update_parser
+
+
+# takes a (sub)parser and configures it
+def register_parser(parser: argparse.ArgumentParser) -> None:
+    subparser = parser.add_subparsers(
+        title="command",
+        description="the command to run",
+        help="the command to run",
+        required=True,
+    )
+
+    groups_parser = subparser.add_parser("update", help="Update a machine")
+    register_update_parser(groups_parser)
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/update.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/machines/update.py
similarity index 96%
rename from pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/update.py
rename to pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/machines/update.py
index 2e791d2d..11a26d36 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/update.py
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/machines/update.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import argparse
 import json
 import subprocess
 
-from .ssh import Host, HostGroup, HostKeyCheck
+from ..ssh import Host, HostGroup, HostKeyCheck
 
 
 def deploy_nixos(hosts: HostGroup) -> None:
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ def update(args: argparse.Namespace) -> None:
     deploy_nixos(HostGroup([Host(args.host, user=args.user, meta=meta)]))
 
 
-def register_parser(parser: argparse.ArgumentParser) -> None:
+def register_update_parser(parser: argparse.ArgumentParser) -> None:
     # TODO pass all args we don't parse into ssh_args, currently it fails if arg starts with -
     parser.add_argument("--flake-uri", type=str, default=".#", help="nix flake uri")
     parser.add_argument(
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/tests/test_update_cli.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/tests/test_machines_update_cli.py
similarity index 91%
rename from pkgs/clan-cli/tests/test_update_cli.py
rename to pkgs/clan-cli/tests/test_machines_update_cli.py
index 707283a6..b8fb676a 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/tests/test_update_cli.py
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/tests/test_machines_update_cli.py
@@ -8,12 +8,12 @@ import pytest
 from environment import mock_env
 from host_group import HostGroup
 
-from clan_cli.update import deploy_nixos, register_parser
+from clan_cli.machines.update import deploy_nixos, register_update_parser
 
 
 def test_cli() -> None:
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
-    register_parser(parser)
+    register_update_parser(parser)
     with pytest.raises(SystemExit):
         parser.parse_args(["--help"])