diff --git a/src/kiwi/subcommands/_subcommand.py b/src/kiwi/subcommands/_subcommand.py
index 75d8d0c..be50e67 100644
--- a/src/kiwi/subcommands/_subcommand.py
+++ b/src/kiwi/subcommands/_subcommand.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 import logging
 
 # local
-from .utils.misc import get_project_name, get_services, list_projects
+from .utils.misc import get_first_project_name, get_services, list_projects
 
 # parent
 from ..parser import Parser
@@ -42,8 +42,8 @@ class ProjectCommand(SubCommand):
 
         projects = "a project"
 
-        if not str(num_projects) == '1':
-            projects = "projects"
+        if not num_projects == 1:
+            projects = "project(s)"
 
         self._sub_parser.add_argument(
             'projects', metavar='project', nargs=num_projects, type=str,
@@ -62,8 +62,8 @@ class ServiceCommand(ProjectCommand):
 
         services = "a service"
 
-        if not str(num_services) == '1':
-            services = "services"
+        if not num_services == 1:
+            services = "service(s)"
 
         self._sub_parser.add_argument(
             'services', metavar='service', nargs=num_services, type=str,
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ class FlexCommand(ServiceCommand):
         pass
 
     def run(self, runner, config, args):
-        project_name = get_project_name(args)
+        project_name = get_first_project_name(args)
         services = get_services(args)
 
         if project_name is None:
diff --git a/src/kiwi/subcommands/utils/dockercommand.py b/src/kiwi/subcommands/utils/dockercommand.py
index 6093dfd..62ad1b0 100644
--- a/src/kiwi/subcommands/utils/dockercommand.py
+++ b/src/kiwi/subcommands/utils/dockercommand.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import subprocess
 
 # local
 from .executable import Executable
-from .misc import get_project_dir, get_project_name
+from .misc import get_project_dir, get_first_project_name
 
 # parent
 from ..._constants import CONF_DIRECTORY_NAME
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ from ..._constants import CONF_DIRECTORY_NAME
 
 def _update_kwargs(config, args, **kwargs):
     # project given in args: command affects a project in this instance
-    project_name = get_project_name(args)
+    project_name = get_first_project_name(args)
     if project_name is not None:
         # execute command in project directory
         kwargs['cwd'] = get_project_dir(config, project_name)
diff --git a/src/kiwi/subcommands/utils/misc.py b/src/kiwi/subcommands/utils/misc.py
index 93d5e9b..eb607fe 100644
--- a/src/kiwi/subcommands/utils/misc.py
+++ b/src/kiwi/subcommands/utils/misc.py
@@ -1,14 +1,27 @@
 import os
 
 
-def get_project_name(args):
-    """get project name from CLI args"""
+def get_project_names(args):
+    """get project names from CLI args"""
 
     if args is not None and 'projects' in args:
-        if isinstance(args.projects, list) and len(args.projects) > 0:
-            return args.projects[0]
-        else:
-            return args.projects
+        if isinstance(args.projects, list):
+            if args.projects:
+                return args.projects
+            else:
+                return None
+        elif isinstance(args.projects, str):
+            return [args.projects]
+
+    return None
+
+
+def get_first_project_name(args):
+    """get first project name from CLI args"""
+
+    names = get_project_names(args)
+    if names is not None:
+        return names[0]
 
     return None
 
@@ -28,10 +41,16 @@ def get_project_dir(config, project_name):
     return f"{project_name}{config['markers:project']}"
 
 
+def get_project_down_dir(config, project_name):
+    """get project directory"""
+
+    return f"{get_project_dir(config, project_name)}{config['markers:down']}"
+
+
 def get_target_dir(config, project_name):
     """get project's target directory"""
 
-    return f"{config['runtime:storage']}{get_project_dir(config, project_name)}"
+    return os.path.join(config['runtime:storage'], get_project_dir(config, project_name))
 
 
 def list_projects(config):