diff --git a/command.py b/command.py
index 94f4d754..dc765db0 100644
--- a/command.py
+++ b/command.py
@@ -43,9 +43,6 @@ class Command(object):
   """Base class for any command line action in repo.
   """
 
-  manifest = None
-  _optparse = None
-
   # Singleton for all commands to track overall repo command execution and
   # provide event summary to callers.  Only used by sync subcommand currently.
   #
@@ -61,6 +58,15 @@ class Command(object):
   # it is the number of parallel jobs to default to.
   PARALLEL_JOBS = None
 
+  def __init__(self, repodir=None, client=None, manifest=None, gitc_manifest=None):
+    self.repodir = repodir
+    self.client = client
+    self.manifest = manifest
+    self.gitc_manifest = gitc_manifest
+
+    # Cache for the OptionParser property.
+    self._optparse = None
+
   def WantPager(self, _opt):
     return False
 
diff --git a/main.py b/main.py
index 1f3a7683..32ad0ff6 100755
--- a/main.py
+++ b/main.py
@@ -195,23 +195,25 @@ class _Repo(object):
 
     SetDefaultColoring(gopts.color)
 
+    git_trace2_event_log = EventLog()
+    repo_client = RepoClient(self.repodir)
+    gitc_manifest = None
+    gitc_client_name = gitc_utils.parse_clientdir(os.getcwd())
+    if gitc_client_name:
+      gitc_manifest = GitcClient(self.repodir, gitc_client_name)
+      repo_client.isGitcClient = True
+
     try:
-      cmd = self.commands[name]()
+      cmd = self.commands[name](
+          repodir=self.repodir,
+          client=repo_client,
+          manifest=repo_client.manifest,
+          gitc_manifest=gitc_manifest)
     except KeyError:
       print("repo: '%s' is not a repo command.  See 'repo help'." % name,
             file=sys.stderr)
       return 1
 
-    git_trace2_event_log = EventLog()
-    cmd.repodir = self.repodir
-    cmd.client = RepoClient(cmd.repodir)
-    cmd.manifest = cmd.client.manifest
-    cmd.gitc_manifest = None
-    gitc_client_name = gitc_utils.parse_clientdir(os.getcwd())
-    if gitc_client_name:
-      cmd.gitc_manifest = GitcClient(cmd.repodir, gitc_client_name)
-      cmd.client.isGitcClient = True
-
     Editor.globalConfig = cmd.client.globalConfig
 
     if not isinstance(cmd, MirrorSafeCommand) and cmd.manifest.IsMirror:
diff --git a/subcmds/help.py b/subcmds/help.py
index 821f6bf6..f302e75c 100644
--- a/subcmds/help.py
+++ b/subcmds/help.py
@@ -138,8 +138,7 @@ Displays detailed usage information about a command.
 
   def _PrintAllCommandHelp(self):
     for name in sorted(all_commands):
-      cmd = all_commands[name]()
-      cmd.manifest = self.manifest
+      cmd = all_commands[name](manifest=self.manifest)
       self._PrintCommandHelp(cmd, header_prefix='[%s] ' % (name,))
 
   def _Options(self, p):
@@ -163,12 +162,11 @@ Displays detailed usage information about a command.
       name = args[0]
 
       try:
-        cmd = all_commands[name]()
+        cmd = all_commands[name](manifest=self.manifest)
       except KeyError:
         print("repo: '%s' is not a repo command." % name, file=sys.stderr)
         sys.exit(1)
 
-      cmd.manifest = self.manifest
       self._PrintCommandHelp(cmd)
 
     else: