diff --git a/cmd/issue_show.go b/cmd/issue_show.go
index cb16e2dd..83d5fbd9 100644
--- a/cmd/issue_show.go
+++ b/cmd/issue_show.go
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ package cmd
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"log"
-	"os"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
@@ -15,6 +14,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 	gitlab "github.com/xanzy/go-gitlab"
 	"github.com/zaquestion/lab/internal/action"
+	"github.com/zaquestion/lab/internal/config"
 	lab "github.com/zaquestion/lab/internal/gitlab"
 )
 
@@ -35,26 +35,7 @@ var issueShowCmd = &cobra.Command{
 			log.Fatal(err)
 		}
 
-		viper.Reset()
-		viper.AddConfigPath(".git/lab")
-		viper.SetConfigName("show_metadata")
-		viper.SetConfigType("toml")
-		// write data
-		if _, ok := viper.ReadInConfig().(viper.ConfigFileNotFoundError); ok {
-			if _, err := os.Stat(".git/lab"); os.IsNotExist(err) {
-				os.MkdirAll(".git/lab", os.ModePerm)
-			}
-			if err := viper.WriteConfigAs(metadatafile); err != nil {
-				log.Fatal(err)
-			}
-			if err := viper.ReadInConfig(); err != nil {
-				log.Fatal(err)
-			}
-		} else {
-			if err := viper.ReadInConfig(); err != nil {
-				log.Fatal(err)
-			}
-		}
+		config.LoadWorkTreeConfig("show")
 
 		noMarkdown, _ := cmd.Flags().GetBool("no-markdown")
 		if err != nil {
@@ -81,7 +62,7 @@ var issueShowCmd = &cobra.Command{
 
 			printDiscussions(discussions, since, int(issueNum))
 		}
-		viper.Reset()
+		config.FinishWorkTreeConfig()
 	},
 }
 
@@ -145,9 +126,6 @@ WebURL: %s
 func printDiscussions(discussions []*gitlab.Discussion, since string, issueNum int) {
 	NewAccessTime := time.Now().UTC()
 
-	// default path for metadata config file
-	metadatafile := ".git/lab/show_metadata.toml"
-
 	issueEntry := fmt.Sprintf("issue%d", issueNum)
 	// if specified on command line use that, o/w use config, o/w Now
 	var (
@@ -209,7 +187,7 @@ func printDiscussions(discussions []*gitlab.Discussion, since string, issueNum i
 
 	if sinceIsSet == false {
 		viper.Set(issueEntry, NewAccessTime)
-		viper.WriteConfigAs(metadatafile)
+		config.WriteWorkTreeConfig("show")
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/cmd/mr_show.go b/cmd/mr_show.go
index 61e014fd..dc4c177b 100644
--- a/cmd/mr_show.go
+++ b/cmd/mr_show.go
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ package cmd
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"log"
-	"os"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
@@ -15,6 +14,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 	gitlab "github.com/xanzy/go-gitlab"
 	"github.com/zaquestion/lab/internal/action"
+	"github.com/zaquestion/lab/internal/config"
 	"github.com/zaquestion/lab/internal/git"
 	lab "github.com/zaquestion/lab/internal/gitlab"
 )
@@ -24,9 +24,6 @@ var (
 	mrShowPatchReverse bool
 )
 
-// default path for metadata config file
-var metadatafile = ".git/lab/show_metadata.toml"
-
 var mrShowCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Use:        "show [remote] <id>",
 	Aliases:    []string{"get"},
@@ -44,26 +41,7 @@ var mrShowCmd = &cobra.Command{
 			log.Fatal(err)
 		}
 
-		viper.Reset()
-		viper.AddConfigPath(".git/lab")
-		viper.SetConfigName("show_metadata")
-		viper.SetConfigType("toml")
-		// write data
-		if _, ok := viper.ReadInConfig().(viper.ConfigFileNotFoundError); ok {
-			if _, err := os.Stat(".git/lab"); os.IsNotExist(err) {
-				os.MkdirAll(".git/lab", os.ModePerm)
-			}
-			if err := viper.WriteConfigAs(metadatafile); err != nil {
-				log.Fatal(err)
-			}
-			if err := viper.ReadInConfig(); err != nil {
-				log.Fatal(err)
-			}
-		} else {
-			if err := viper.ReadInConfig(); err != nil {
-				log.Fatal(err)
-			}
-		}
+		config.LoadWorkTreeConfig("show")
 
 		noMarkdown, _ := cmd.Flags().GetBool("no-markdown")
 		if err != nil {
@@ -108,7 +86,7 @@ var mrShowCmd = &cobra.Command{
 
 			printMRDiscussions(discussions, since, int(mrNum))
 		}
-		viper.Reset()
+		config.FinishWorkTreeConfig()
 	},
 }
 
@@ -254,7 +232,7 @@ func printMRDiscussions(discussions []*gitlab.Discussion, since string, mrNum in
 
 	if sinceIsSet == false {
 		viper.Set(mrEntry, NewAccessTime)
-		viper.WriteConfigAs(metadatafile)
+		config.WriteWorkTreeConfig("show")
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/config/config.go b/internal/config/config.go
index 0263d232..903824a1 100644
--- a/internal/config/config.go
+++ b/internal/config/config.go
@@ -281,3 +281,41 @@ func LoadConfig() (string, string, string, string, bool) {
 
 	return host, user, token, ca_file, tlsSkipVerify
 }
+
+// default path for work tree config file
+var worktreepath = ".git/lab/"
+
+// LoadWorkTreeConfig opens and reads the .git/lab/[cmd]_string.toml
+// metadata file
+func LoadWorkTreeConfig(cmd string) {
+	viper.Reset()
+	viper.AddConfigPath(worktreepath)
+	viper.SetConfigName(cmd + "_metadata")
+	viper.SetConfigType("toml")
+
+	if _, ok := viper.ReadInConfig().(viper.ConfigFileNotFoundError); ok {
+		if _, err := os.Stat(worktreepath); os.IsNotExist(err) {
+			os.MkdirAll(worktreepath, os.ModePerm)
+		}
+		if err := viper.WriteConfigAs(worktreepath + cmd + "_metadata.toml"); err != nil {
+			log.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		if err := viper.ReadInConfig(); err != nil {
+			log.Fatal(err)
+		}
+	} else {
+		if err := viper.ReadInConfig(); err != nil {
+			log.Fatal(err)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// WriteWorkTreeConfig saves the .git/lab/[cmd]_string.toml metadata file
+func WriteWorkTreeConfig(cmd string) {
+	viper.WriteConfigAs(worktreepath + cmd + "_metadata.toml")
+}
+
+// FinishWorkTreeConfig closes the .git/lab/[cmd]_string.toml metadata file
+func FinishWorkTreeConfig() {
+	viper.Reset()
+}