diff --git a/lib/actions-oclif/device/init.ts b/lib/actions-oclif/device/init.ts
index 2903ed7d..25134eeb 100644
--- a/lib/actions-oclif/device/init.ts
+++ b/lib/actions-oclif/device/init.ts
@@ -144,28 +144,34 @@ export default class DeviceInitCmd extends Command {
 
 	async downloadOsImage(path: string, deviceType: string, options: FlagsDef) {
 		const osVersion = options['os-version'] || 'default';
-		await runCommand(
-			`os download ${deviceType} --output '${path}' --version ${osVersion}`,
-		);
+		await runCommand([
+			'os',
+			'download',
+			deviceType,
+			'--output',
+			path,
+			'--version',
+			osVersion,
+		]);
 	}
 
 	async configureOsImage(path: string, uuid: string, options: FlagsDef) {
-		let configureCommand = `os configure ${path} --device ${uuid}`;
+		const configureCommand = ['os', 'configure', path, '--device', uuid];
 		if (options.config) {
-			configureCommand += ` --config ${options.config}`;
+			configureCommand.push('--config', options.config);
 		} else if (options.advanced) {
-			configureCommand += ' --advanced';
+			configureCommand.push('--advanced');
 		}
 		await runCommand(configureCommand);
 	}
 
 	async writeOsImage(path: string, deviceType: string, options: FlagsDef) {
-		let osInitCommand = `os initialize '${path}' --type ${deviceType}`;
+		const osInitCommand = ['os', 'initialize', path, '--type', deviceType];
 		if (options.yes) {
-			osInitCommand += ' --yes';
+			osInitCommand.push('--yes');
 		}
 		if (options.drive) {
-			osInitCommand += ` --drive ${options.drive}`;
+			osInitCommand.push('--drive', options.drive);
 		}
 		await runCommand(osInitCommand);
 	}
diff --git a/lib/actions/config.js b/lib/actions/config.js
index 67a0399c..da327804 100644
--- a/lib/actions/config.js
+++ b/lib/actions/config.js
@@ -217,10 +217,11 @@ Examples:
 		const { uuid } = await config.read(drive, options.type);
 		await umountAsync(drive);
 
-		let configureCommand = `os configure ${drive} --device ${uuid}`;
+		let configureCommand = ['os', 'configure', drive, '--device', uuid];
 		if (options.advanced) {
-			configureCommand += ' --advanced';
+			configureCommand.push('--advanced');
 		}
+
 		const { runCommand } = await import('../utils/helpers');
 		await runCommand(configureCommand);
 
diff --git a/lib/utils/helpers.ts b/lib/utils/helpers.ts
index bf7c0b1f..6e6b1a9f 100644
--- a/lib/utils/helpers.ts
+++ b/lib/utils/helpers.ts
@@ -96,8 +96,7 @@ export async function sudo(
 	await executeWithPrivileges(command, stderr, isCLIcmd);
 }
 
-export function runCommand<T>(command: string): Promise<T> {
-	let commandArgs = command.split(' ');
+export function runCommand<T>(commandArgs: string[]): Promise<T> {
 	const [isOclif, isOclifTopic] = isOclifCommand(commandArgs);
 	if (isOclif) {
 		if (isOclifTopic) {
@@ -115,7 +114,7 @@ export function runCommand<T>(command: string): Promise<T> {
 		require('../app-capitano');
 
 		const capitanoRunAsync = promisify(capitano.run);
-		return capitanoRunAsync(command);
+		return capitanoRunAsync(commandArgs);
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/helpers.ts b/tests/helpers.ts
index 88793be1..b289e977 100644
--- a/tests/helpers.ts
+++ b/tests/helpers.ts
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ function filterCliOutputForTests(testOutput: TestOutput): TestOutput {
  * Run the CLI in this same process, by calling the run() function in `app.ts`.
  * @param cmd Command to execute, e.g. `push myApp` (without 'balena' prefix)
  */
-async function runCommanInProcess(cmd: string): Promise<TestOutput> {
+async function runCommandInProcess(cmd: string): Promise<TestOutput> {
 	const preArgs = [process.argv[0], path.join(process.cwd(), 'bin', 'balena')];
 
 	const err: string[] = [];
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ export async function runCommand(cmd: string): Promise<TestOutput> {
 		const [proxyPort] = await proxy.createProxyServerOnce();
 		return runCommandInSubprocess(cmd, proxyPort);
 	} else {
-		return runCommanInProcess(cmd);
+		return runCommandInProcess(cmd);
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/typings/capitano/index.d.ts b/typings/capitano/index.d.ts
index 70212ea9..7682479c 100644
--- a/typings/capitano/index.d.ts
+++ b/typings/capitano/index.d.ts
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ declare module 'capitano' {
 	};
 
 	export function run(
-		command: string,
+		command: string | string[],
 		callback: (err: Error | null, result: any) => void,
 	): void;
 	export function execute(