diff --git a/kiwi_scp/commands/cli.py b/kiwi_scp/commands/cli.py
index 7b67478..2d1d52d 100644
--- a/kiwi_scp/commands/cli.py
+++ b/kiwi_scp/commands/cli.py
@@ -1,11 +1,7 @@
 import os
-from pathlib import Path
 
-import attr
 import click
 
-from ..config import Config
-
 
 class KiwiCLI(click.MultiCommand):
     """Command Line Interface spread over multiple files in this directory"""
@@ -27,19 +23,3 @@ class KiwiCLI(click.MultiCommand):
         except ImportError:
             return
         return mod.cmd
-
-
-@attr.s
-class KiwiCTX:
-    """this class is used as the commands' shared context"""
-
-    instance: Path = attr.ib(factory=lambda: Path('.'))
-
-    @property
-    def config(self) -> Config:
-        """shorthand: get the current configuration"""
-
-        return Config.from_instance(self.instance)
-
-
-pass_kiwi_ctx = click.make_pass_decorator(KiwiCTX, ensure=True)
diff --git a/kiwi_scp/commands/cmd_init.py b/kiwi_scp/commands/cmd_init.py
index 497e9c5..65a3ca1 100644
--- a/kiwi_scp/commands/cmd_init.py
+++ b/kiwi_scp/commands/cmd_init.py
@@ -5,9 +5,9 @@ from pathlib import Path
 
 import click
 
-from .cli import KiwiCTX, pass_kiwi_ctx
 from .._constants import KIWI_CONF_NAME
 from ..config import Config
+from ..instance import Instance, pass_instance
 from ..misc import user_query
 
 
@@ -15,6 +15,16 @@ from ..misc import user_query
     "init",
     short_help="Initializes kiwi-scp",
 )
+@click.option(
+    "-o",
+    "--output",
+    help=f"initialize a kiwi-scp instance in another directory",
+    type=click.Path(
+        path_type=Path,
+        dir_okay=True,
+        writable=True,
+    ),
+)
 @click.option(
     "-f/-F",
     "--force/--no-force",
@@ -25,10 +35,13 @@ from ..misc import user_query
     "--show/--no-show",
     help=f"show effective {KIWI_CONF_NAME} contents instead",
 )
-@pass_kiwi_ctx
-def cmd(ctx: KiwiCTX, force: bool, show: bool):
+@pass_instance
+def cmd(ctx: Instance, output: Path, force: bool, show: bool):
     """Initialize or reconfigure a kiwi-scp instance"""
 
+    if output is not None:
+        ctx.directory = output
+
     current_config = Config() if force else ctx.config
 
     if show:
@@ -53,6 +66,10 @@ def cmd(ctx: KiwiCTX, force: bool, show: bool):
         },
     })
 
-    # write out as new kiwi.yml
-    with open(ctx.instance.joinpath(KIWI_CONF_NAME), "w") as file:
+    # ensure output directory exists
+    if not os.path.isdir(ctx.directory):
+        os.mkdir(ctx.directory)
+
+    # write out the new kiwi.yml
+    with open(ctx.directory.joinpath(KIWI_CONF_NAME), "w") as file:
         file.write(Config.parse_obj(kiwi_dict).kiwi_yml)
diff --git a/kiwi_scp/instance.py b/kiwi_scp/instance.py
index 12b1052..edbe985 100644
--- a/kiwi_scp/instance.py
+++ b/kiwi_scp/instance.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ from pathlib import Path
 from typing import List, Dict, Any, Generator
 
 import attr
+import click
 import yaml
 
 from ._constants import COMPOSE_FILE_NAME
@@ -73,3 +74,6 @@ class Instance:
             Project.from_directory(self.directory.joinpath(project.name))
             for project in self.config.projects
         )
+
+
+pass_instance = click.make_pass_decorator(Instance, ensure=True)