Use background context instead of nil

command.go

@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ type Command struct {
 }
 
 // Context returns underlying command context. If command wasn't
-// executed with ExecuteContext the returned context will be nil.
+// executed with ExecuteContext Context returns Background context.
 func (c *Command) Context() context.Context {
 	return c.ctx
 }
@@ -883,6 +883,10 @@ func (c *Command) Execute() error {
 
 // ExecuteC executes the command.
 func (c *Command) ExecuteC() (cmd *Command, err error) {
+	if c.ctx == nil {
+		c.ctx = context.Background()
+	}
+
 	// Regardless of what command execute is called on, run on Root only
 	if c.HasParent() {
 		return c.Root().ExecuteC()

command_test.go

@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ func TestSubcommandExecuteC(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestExecuteContext(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx := context.Background()
+	ctx := context.TODO()
 
 	ctxRun := func(cmd *Command, args []string) {
 		if cmd.Context() != ctx {
@@ -175,6 +175,33 @@ func TestExecuteContext(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestExecute_NoContext(t *testing.T) {
+	run := func(cmd *Command, args []string) {
+		if cmd.Context() != context.Background() {
+			t.Errorf("Command %s must have background context", cmd.Use)
+		}
+	}
+
+	rootCmd := &Command{Use: "root", Run: run, PreRun: run}
+	childCmd := &Command{Use: "child", Run: run, PreRun: run}
+	granchildCmd := &Command{Use: "grandchild", Run: run, PreRun: run}
+
+	childCmd.AddCommand(granchildCmd)
+	rootCmd.AddCommand(childCmd)
+
+	if _, err := executeCommand(rootCmd, ""); err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("Root command must not fail: %+v", err)
+	}
+
+	if _, err := executeCommand(rootCmd, "child"); err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("Subcommand must not fail: %+v", err)
+	}
+
+	if _, err := executeCommand(rootCmd, "child", "grandchild"); err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("Command child must not fail: %+v", err)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestRootUnknownCommandSilenced(t *testing.T) {
 	rootCmd := &Command{Use: "root", Run: emptyRun}
 	rootCmd.SilenceErrors = true