diff --git a/news/cmds_to_cmds.rst b/news/cmds_to_cmds.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e917a94a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/news/cmds_to_cmds.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+**Added:**
+
+* <news item>
+
+**Changed:**
+
+* lists of commands now imported from commands.py
+
+**Deprecated:**
+
+* <news item>
+
+**Removed:**
+
+* <news item>
+
+**Fixed:**
+
+* <news item>
+
+**Security:**
+
+* <news item>
diff --git a/regolith/commands.py b/regolith/commands.py
index 3ff636983..8374b89fd 100644
--- a/regolith/commands.py
+++ b/regolith/commands.py
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@
 from regolith.helper import HELPERS, helpr, UPDATER_HELPERS, FAST_UPDATER_WHITELIST
 from regolith.runcontrol import RunControl
 from regolith.tools import string_types
+from regolith import storage
+
 
 email = emailer
 
@@ -21,6 +23,8 @@
 INGEST_COLL_LU = {".bib": "citations"}
 
 
+
+
 def add_cmd(rc):
     """Adds documents to a collection in a database."""
     db = rc.client[rc.db]
@@ -264,3 +268,25 @@ def validate(rc):
         #
         # sys.exit(f"Validation failed on some records\n {cap}")
         sys.exit(f"Validation failed on some records")
+
+DISCONNECTED_COMMANDS = {
+    "rc": lambda rc: print(rc._pformat()),
+    "deploy": deploy,
+    "store": storage.main,
+    "json-to-yaml": json_to_yaml,
+    "yaml-to-json": yaml_to_json,
+}
+
+CONNECTED_COMMANDS = {
+    "add": add_cmd,
+    "ingest": ingest,
+    "app": app,
+    "grade": grade,
+    "build": build,
+    "email": email,
+    "classlist": classlist,
+    "validate": validate,
+    "helper": helper,
+    "fs-to-mongo": fs_to_mongo,
+    "mongo-to-fs": mongo_to_fs
+}
diff --git a/regolith/helper_gui_main.py b/regolith/helper_gui_main.py
index 949549022..0a7b7b5fa 100644
--- a/regolith/helper_gui_main.py
+++ b/regolith/helper_gui_main.py
@@ -12,20 +12,10 @@
 from regolith.runcontrol import DEFAULT_RC, load_rcfile, filter_databases
 from regolith.schemas import SCHEMAS
 from regolith.tools import update_schemas
+from regolith.commands import CONNECTED_COMMANDS
+
 from gooey import Gooey, GooeyParser
 
-CONNECTED_COMMANDS = {
-    "add": commands.add_cmd,
-    "ingest": commands.ingest,
-    "app": commands.app,
-    "grade": commands.grade,
-    "build": commands.build,
-    "email": commands.email,
-    "classlist": commands.classlist,
-    "validate": commands.validate,
-    "helper": commands.helper,
-    "fs-to-mongo": commands.fs_to_mongo
-}
 
 NEED_RC = set(CONNECTED_COMMANDS.keys())
 NEED_RC |= {"rc", "deploy", "store"}
diff --git a/regolith/main.py b/regolith/main.py
index 2cde84cec..d77578650 100644
--- a/regolith/main.py
+++ b/regolith/main.py
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@
 from regolith.database import connect
 
 from regolith import commands
-from regolith import storage
 from regolith.builder import BUILDERS
 from regolith.commands import INGEST_COLL_LU
 from regolith.helper import HELPERS
@@ -16,28 +15,7 @@
 from regolith.schemas import SCHEMAS
 from regolith.tools import update_schemas
 from regolith import __version__
-
-DISCONNECTED_COMMANDS = {
-    "rc": lambda rc: print(rc._pformat()),
-    "deploy": commands.deploy,
-    "store": storage.main,
-    "json-to-yaml": commands.json_to_yaml,
-    "yaml-to-json": commands.yaml_to_json,
-}
-
-CONNECTED_COMMANDS = {
-    "add": commands.add_cmd,
-    "ingest": commands.ingest,
-    "app": commands.app,
-    "grade": commands.grade,
-    "build": commands.build,
-    "email": commands.email,
-    "classlist": commands.classlist,
-    "validate": commands.validate,
-    "helper": commands.helper,
-    "fs-to-mongo": commands.fs_to_mongo,
-    "mongo-to-fs": commands.mongo_to_fs
-}
+from regolith.commands import DISCONNECTED_COMMANDS, CONNECTED_COMMANDS
 
 NEED_RC = set(CONNECTED_COMMANDS.keys())
 NEED_RC |= {"rc", "deploy", "store"}
diff --git a/regolith/schemas.py b/regolith/schemas.py
index 7cd1123e0..c53ee2805 100644
--- a/regolith/schemas.py
+++ b/regolith/schemas.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 
 from .sorters import POSITION_LEVELS
 
+
 SORTED_POSITION = sorted(POSITION_LEVELS.keys(), key=POSITION_LEVELS.get)
 
 ACTIVITIES_TYPES = ["teaching", "research"]