diff --git a/src/command/share.rs b/src/command/share.rs
index e75b1ee..e7229e7 100644
--- a/src/command/share.rs
+++ b/src/command/share.rs
@@ -1,8 +1,5 @@
 //! globally available tmux commands.
-use std::{
-	ffi::OsString,
-	process::exit
-};
+use std::process::exit;
 
 use pico_args::{ Arguments, Error };
 use termion::{ color, style };
@@ -27,18 +24,9 @@ pub fn attach(state: &mut State) {
 	let read_only = state.flags.read_only;
 	let detach_other = state.flags.detached;
 
-	let args = state.args.clone().finish();
-	let target: String;
-	let window: Option<&OsString>;
-	if args.len() < 1 {
-		//	missing name will attempt to fall back to repository
-		target = util::repo_fallback();
-		if !util::session_exists(target.clone()) { error::missing_target(); }
-		window = None;
-	} else {
-		target = args.get(0).unwrap().to_string_lossy().to_string();
-		window = args.get(1);
-	}
+	//	consume arguments
+	let target = state.target_title().unwrap();
+	let window = state.target();
 
 	//	do not allow attaching to the same session
 	if state.session && target == state.title.clone().unwrap() { error::same_session(); }
@@ -56,7 +44,7 @@ pub fn attach(state: &mut State) {
 	let select_window: Option<commands::SelectWindow>;
 	if let Some(window) = window {
 		let mut command = commands::SelectWindow::new();
-		command.target_window = Some(window.to_string_lossy());
+		command.target_window = Some(window.into());
 		select_window = Some(command);
 	} else { select_window = None; }
 
@@ -69,34 +57,28 @@ pub fn attach(state: &mut State) {
 }
 
 pub fn context_action(state: &State) {
-	let repo = util::repo_root(std::env::current_dir().unwrap());
-	if !state.session && repo.is_some() {
-		let target = util::repo_fallback();
-		let mut args = Arguments::from_vec( vec![(&target).into()] );
-		let mut substate = State::new(&mut args);
-		substate.flags = state.flags.clone();
-		if util::session_exists(&target) {
-			attach(&mut substate);
-		} else {
-			new(&mut substate);
+	if !state.session {
+		if let Some(repository) = &state.repository {
+			let target = repository.name.clone();
+			let mut args = Arguments::from_vec( vec![(&target).into()] );
+			let mut substate = State::new(&mut args);
+			substate.flags = state.flags.clone();
+			if util::session_exists(&target) {
+				attach(&mut substate);
+			} else {
+				new(&mut substate);
+			}
+			return;
 		}
-		return;
-	} else {
-		//	fallback behavior is list
-		list(&state);
 	}
+	//	fallback behavior is list
+	list(&state);
 }
 
 pub fn detach(state: &mut State) {
 	util::terminal_enforce();
-	//	get target or fallback
-	let args = state.args.clone().finish();
-	let target: String;
-	if args.len() < 1 {
-		target = util::repo_fallback();
-	} else {
-		target = args.get(0).unwrap().to_string_lossy().to_string();
-	}
+
+	let target = state.target_title().unwrap();
 
 	//	make sure the session exists
 	let exists = util::session_exists(target.clone());
@@ -114,14 +96,8 @@ pub fn has(state: &mut State) {
 	//	consume optional flags
 	let quiet = state.flags.quiet;
 
-	//	get target or fallback
-	let args = state.args.clone().finish();
-	let target: String;
-	if args.len() < 1 {
-		target = util::repo_fallback();
-	} else {
-		target = args.get(0).unwrap().to_string_lossy().to_string();
-	}
+	//	get target
+	let target = state.target_title().unwrap();
 
 	//	run command
 	let success = util::session_exists(target.clone());
@@ -189,22 +165,17 @@ pub fn new(state: &mut State) {
 	//	get environment variables
 	let window_name = env_var(env::NEW_WINDOW_NAME);
 
-	//	get target or fallback
-	let args = state.args.clone().finish();
-	let title: String;
-	let command: Option<&OsString>;
-	if args.len() < 1 {
-		//	attempt repo fallback
-		title = util::repo_fallback();
-		command = None;
-	} else {
-		title = args.get(0).unwrap().to_string_lossy().to_string();
-		command = args.get(1);
-	}
+	//	consume arguments
+	let title = state.target_title().unwrap();
+	let command = state.target();
+
+	//	don't allow duplicate names
+	let exists = util::session_exists(title.clone());
+	if exists { error::target_exists(title.clone()); }
 
 	let mut new = commands::NewSession::new();
 	new = new.session_name(title);
-	if let Some(command) = command { new.shell_command = Some(command.to_string_lossy()); }
+	if let Some(command) = command { new.shell_command = Some(command.into()); }
 	if detached { new.detached = true; }
 	if let Ok(target_dir) = target_dir { new = new.start_directory(target_dir); }
 
diff --git a/src/error.rs b/src/error.rs
index 44ec43c..9521ec6 100644
--- a/src/error.rs
+++ b/src/error.rs
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ pub fn no_subcommand(subcommand: String) {
 	exit(1);
 }
 
+
 ///	target session not found; code 2
 pub fn no_target<S: Into<String>>(target: S) {
 	let target = target.into();
@@ -13,12 +14,14 @@ pub fn no_target<S: Into<String>>(target: S) {
 	exit(2);
 }
 
+
 ///	help topic doesn't exist; code 3
 pub fn no_help(topic: String) {
 	println!("remux: no help for \"{topic}\"");
 	exit(3);
 }
 
+
 ///	user provided no target; code 4
 pub fn missing_target() {
 	println!("remux: no target provided");
@@ -31,12 +34,21 @@ pub fn same_session() {
 	exit(4);
 }
 
+///	a session with the target name already exists; code 4
+pub fn target_exists<S: Into<String>>(target: S) {
+	let target = target.into();
+	println!("remux: session \"{target}\" already exists");
+	exit(4);
+}
+
+
 ///	non-terminal environment prevention; code 5
 pub fn not_terminal() {
 	println!("remux: not running from a terminal");
 	exit(5);
 }
 
+
 ///	tried to nest while not in a session; code 6
 pub fn not_nesting() {
 	println!("remux: inappropriate nesting flag (-n); not in a session");
@@ -56,6 +68,7 @@ pub fn conflict_nest(reason: Option<&'static str>) {
 	exit(6);
 }
 
+
 ///	tried to run a session command outside a session; code 7
 pub fn not_in_session(cmd: &'static str) {
 	println!("remux: '{cmd}' must be run from within a session");
diff --git a/src/state.rs b/src/state.rs
index dec9cb8..f14938f 100644
--- a/src/state.rs
+++ b/src/state.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
-use std::env;
+use std::{
+	env,
+	path::PathBuf
+};
 
 use pico_args::Arguments;
 
@@ -6,7 +9,7 @@ use crate::{
 	env::TMUX,
 	error,
 	flag::Flags,
-	util::session_name
+	util::{ find, session_name }
 };
 
 pub struct State<'a> {
@@ -15,7 +18,9 @@ pub struct State<'a> {
 
 	pub session: bool,
 	tmux_var: Option<String>,
-	pub title: Option<String>
+	pub title: Option<String>,
+
+	pub repository: Option<Repository>
 }
 
 impl State<'_> {
@@ -25,13 +30,17 @@ impl State<'_> {
 		let tmux_var = env::var(TMUX).ok();
 		let session = tmux_var.is_some();
 		let title = if session { session_name() } else { None };
+		let repository = Repository::find();
 
 		State {
 			args,
 			flags,
+
 			session,
 			tmux_var,
-			title
+			title,
+
+			repository
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -54,5 +63,34 @@ impl State<'_> {
 	}
 
 	pub fn target(&mut self) -> Option<String> { self.args.subcommand().unwrap_or(None) }
+	pub fn target_title(&mut self) -> Option<String> {
+		let from_args = self.target();
+		if from_args.is_some() { return from_args; }
+		else if let Some(repository) = &self.repository { Some(repository.name.clone()) }
+		else {
+			error::missing_target();
+			None
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+
+pub struct Repository {
+	pub path: PathBuf,
+	pub name: String
+}
+
+impl Repository {
+	pub fn find() -> Option<Repository> {
+		let path = find(".git", env::current_dir().unwrap());
+		if let Some(path) = path {
+			let name = path.file_name().unwrap().to_string_lossy().to_string();
+			let inner = Repository {
+				path,
+				name
+			};
+			Some(inner)
+		} else { None }
+	}
 }
 
diff --git a/src/util.rs b/src/util.rs
index 397617b..c215717 100644
--- a/src/util.rs
+++ b/src/util.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 use std::{
-	env::current_dir,
 	io::{ stdout, IsTerminal },
 	path::PathBuf
 };
@@ -48,23 +47,12 @@ pub fn terminal_enforce() {
 	if !stdout().is_terminal() { error::not_terminal(); }
 }
 
-///	attempt to return the repo name or exit
-pub fn repo_fallback() -> String {
-	let repo = repo_root(current_dir().unwrap());
-	if repo.is_none() { error::missing_target(); }
+///	recursively propagate up directories to find a child
+pub fn find(target: &'static str, path: PathBuf) -> Option<PathBuf> {
+	if path.join(target).exists() { return Some(path); }
 
-	let target = repo.unwrap().file_name().unwrap().to_string_lossy().to_string();
-	target
-}
-
-///	recursively attempt to find a git root directory
-pub fn repo_root(path: PathBuf) -> Option<PathBuf> {
-	//	if .git dir is found, return
-	if path.join(".git").exists() { return Some(path); }
-
-	//	otherwise, attempt to traverse
 	let parent = path.parent();
-	if let Some(parent) = parent { repo_root(parent.to_path_buf()) }
+	if let Some(parent) = parent { return find(target, parent.to_path_buf()) }
 	else { None }
 }