diff --git a/cmd/admin/admin.go b/cmd/admin/admin.go
index c74550191a..785ed1abf0 100644
--- a/cmd/admin/admin.go
+++ b/cmd/admin/admin.go
@@ -6,17 +6,18 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 
-	"github.com/zitadel/zitadel/cmd/admin/initialise"
-	"github.com/zitadel/zitadel/cmd/admin/key"
-	"github.com/zitadel/zitadel/cmd/admin/setup"
-	"github.com/zitadel/zitadel/cmd/admin/start"
+	"github.com/zitadel/zitadel/cmd/initialise"
+	"github.com/zitadel/zitadel/cmd/key"
+	"github.com/zitadel/zitadel/cmd/setup"
+	"github.com/zitadel/zitadel/cmd/start"
 )
 
 func New() *cobra.Command {
 	adminCMD := &cobra.Command{
-		Use:   "admin",
-		Short: "The ZITADEL admin CLI lets you interact with your instance",
-		Long:  `The ZITADEL admin CLI lets you interact with your instance`,
+		Use:        "admin",
+		Short:      "The ZITADEL admin CLI lets you interact with your instance",
+		Long:       `The ZITADEL admin CLI lets you interact with your instance`,
+		Deprecated: "please use subcommands directly, e.g. `zitadel start`",
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 			return errors.New("no additional command provided")
 		},
diff --git a/cmd/admin/initialise/config.go b/cmd/initialise/config.go
similarity index 99%
rename from cmd/admin/initialise/config.go
rename to cmd/initialise/config.go
index 18e843c410..dbbd7b5e53 100644
--- a/cmd/admin/initialise/config.go
+++ b/cmd/initialise/config.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package initialise
 import (
 	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 	"github.com/zitadel/logging"
+
 	"github.com/zitadel/zitadel/internal/database"
 	"github.com/zitadel/zitadel/internal/id"
 )
diff --git a/cmd/admin/initialise/helper.go b/cmd/initialise/helper.go
similarity index 100%
rename from cmd/admin/initialise/helper.go
rename to cmd/initialise/helper.go
diff --git a/cmd/admin/initialise/init.go b/cmd/initialise/init.go
similarity index 100%
rename from cmd/admin/initialise/init.go
rename to cmd/initialise/init.go
diff --git a/cmd/admin/initialise/init_test.go b/cmd/initialise/init_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from cmd/admin/initialise/init_test.go
rename to cmd/initialise/init_test.go
diff --git a/cmd/admin/initialise/sql/01_user.sql b/cmd/initialise/sql/01_user.sql
similarity index 100%
rename from cmd/admin/initialise/sql/01_user.sql
rename to cmd/initialise/sql/01_user.sql
diff --git a/cmd/admin/initialise/sql/02_database.sql b/cmd/initialise/sql/02_database.sql
similarity index 100%
rename from cmd/admin/initialise/sql/02_database.sql
rename to cmd/initialise/sql/02_database.sql
diff --git a/cmd/admin/initialise/sql/03_grant_user.sql b/cmd/initialise/sql/03_grant_user.sql
similarity index 100%
rename from cmd/admin/initialise/sql/03_grant_user.sql
rename to cmd/initialise/sql/03_grant_user.sql
diff --git a/cmd/admin/initialise/sql/04_eventstore.sql b/cmd/initialise/sql/04_eventstore.sql
similarity index 100%
rename from cmd/admin/initialise/sql/04_eventstore.sql
rename to cmd/initialise/sql/04_eventstore.sql
diff --git a/cmd/admin/initialise/sql/05_projections.sql b/cmd/initialise/sql/05_projections.sql
similarity index 100%
rename from cmd/admin/initialise/sql/05_projections.sql
rename to cmd/initialise/sql/05_projections.sql
diff --git a/cmd/admin/initialise/sql/06_system.sql b/cmd/initialise/sql/06_system.sql
similarity index 100%
rename from cmd/admin/initialise/sql/06_system.sql
rename to cmd/initialise/sql/06_system.sql
diff --git a/cmd/admin/initialise/sql/07_encryption_keys_table.sql b/cmd/initialise/sql/07_encryption_keys_table.sql
similarity index 100%
rename from cmd/admin/initialise/sql/07_encryption_keys_table.sql
rename to cmd/initialise/sql/07_encryption_keys_table.sql
diff --git a/cmd/admin/initialise/sql/08_enable_hash_sharded_indexes.sql b/cmd/initialise/sql/08_enable_hash_sharded_indexes.sql
similarity index 100%
rename from cmd/admin/initialise/sql/08_enable_hash_sharded_indexes.sql
rename to cmd/initialise/sql/08_enable_hash_sharded_indexes.sql
diff --git a/cmd/admin/initialise/sql/09_events_table.sql b/cmd/initialise/sql/09_events_table.sql
similarity index 100%
rename from cmd/admin/initialise/sql/09_events_table.sql
rename to cmd/initialise/sql/09_events_table.sql
diff --git a/cmd/admin/initialise/sql/10_system_sequence.sql b/cmd/initialise/sql/10_system_sequence.sql
similarity index 100%
rename from cmd/admin/initialise/sql/10_system_sequence.sql
rename to cmd/initialise/sql/10_system_sequence.sql
diff --git a/cmd/admin/initialise/sql/11_unique_constraints_table.sql b/cmd/initialise/sql/11_unique_constraints_table.sql
similarity index 100%
rename from cmd/admin/initialise/sql/11_unique_constraints_table.sql
rename to cmd/initialise/sql/11_unique_constraints_table.sql
diff --git a/cmd/admin/initialise/sql/README.md b/cmd/initialise/sql/README.md
similarity index 100%
rename from cmd/admin/initialise/sql/README.md
rename to cmd/initialise/sql/README.md
diff --git a/cmd/admin/initialise/verify_database.go b/cmd/initialise/verify_database.go
similarity index 100%
rename from cmd/admin/initialise/verify_database.go
rename to cmd/initialise/verify_database.go
diff --git a/cmd/admin/initialise/verify_database_test.go b/cmd/initialise/verify_database_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from cmd/admin/initialise/verify_database_test.go
rename to cmd/initialise/verify_database_test.go
diff --git a/cmd/admin/initialise/verify_grant.go b/cmd/initialise/verify_grant.go
similarity index 100%
rename from cmd/admin/initialise/verify_grant.go
rename to cmd/initialise/verify_grant.go
diff --git a/cmd/admin/initialise/verify_grant_test.go b/cmd/initialise/verify_grant_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from cmd/admin/initialise/verify_grant_test.go
rename to cmd/initialise/verify_grant_test.go
diff --git a/cmd/admin/initialise/verify_user.go b/cmd/initialise/verify_user.go
similarity index 100%
rename from cmd/admin/initialise/verify_user.go
rename to cmd/initialise/verify_user.go
diff --git a/cmd/admin/initialise/verify_user_test.go b/cmd/initialise/verify_user_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from cmd/admin/initialise/verify_user_test.go
rename to cmd/initialise/verify_user_test.go
diff --git a/cmd/admin/initialise/verify_zitadel.go b/cmd/initialise/verify_zitadel.go
similarity index 100%
rename from cmd/admin/initialise/verify_zitadel.go
rename to cmd/initialise/verify_zitadel.go
diff --git a/cmd/admin/initialise/verify_zitadel_test.go b/cmd/initialise/verify_zitadel_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from cmd/admin/initialise/verify_zitadel_test.go
rename to cmd/initialise/verify_zitadel_test.go
diff --git a/cmd/admin/key/key.go b/cmd/key/key.go
similarity index 100%
rename from cmd/admin/key/key.go
rename to cmd/key/key.go
diff --git a/cmd/admin/key/key_test.go b/cmd/key/key_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from cmd/admin/key/key_test.go
rename to cmd/key/key_test.go
diff --git a/cmd/admin/key/masterkey.go b/cmd/key/masterkey.go
similarity index 100%
rename from cmd/admin/key/masterkey.go
rename to cmd/key/masterkey.go
diff --git a/cmd/admin/key/masterkey_test.go b/cmd/key/masterkey_test.go
similarity index 100%
rename from cmd/admin/key/masterkey_test.go
rename to cmd/key/masterkey_test.go
diff --git a/cmd/admin/setup/01.go b/cmd/setup/01.go
similarity index 100%
rename from cmd/admin/setup/01.go
rename to cmd/setup/01.go
diff --git a/cmd/admin/setup/01_sql/adminapi.sql b/cmd/setup/01_sql/adminapi.sql
similarity index 100%
rename from cmd/admin/setup/01_sql/adminapi.sql
rename to cmd/setup/01_sql/adminapi.sql
diff --git a/cmd/admin/setup/01_sql/auth.sql b/cmd/setup/01_sql/auth.sql
similarity index 100%
rename from cmd/admin/setup/01_sql/auth.sql
rename to cmd/setup/01_sql/auth.sql
diff --git a/cmd/admin/setup/01_sql/notification.sql b/cmd/setup/01_sql/notification.sql
similarity index 100%
rename from cmd/admin/setup/01_sql/notification.sql
rename to cmd/setup/01_sql/notification.sql
diff --git a/cmd/admin/setup/01_sql/projections.sql b/cmd/setup/01_sql/projections.sql
similarity index 100%
rename from cmd/admin/setup/01_sql/projections.sql
rename to cmd/setup/01_sql/projections.sql
diff --git a/cmd/admin/setup/02.go b/cmd/setup/02.go
similarity index 100%
rename from cmd/admin/setup/02.go
rename to cmd/setup/02.go
diff --git a/cmd/admin/setup/03.go b/cmd/setup/03.go
similarity index 100%
rename from cmd/admin/setup/03.go
rename to cmd/setup/03.go
diff --git a/cmd/admin/setup/config.go b/cmd/setup/config.go
similarity index 95%
rename from cmd/admin/setup/config.go
rename to cmd/setup/config.go
index 9256a03192..fe42311343 100644
--- a/cmd/admin/setup/config.go
+++ b/cmd/setup/config.go
@@ -58,9 +58,9 @@ type encryptionKeyConfig struct {
 }
 
 func MustNewSteps(v *viper.Viper) *Steps {
-	viper.AutomaticEnv()
-	viper.SetEnvPrefix("ZITADEL")
-	viper.SetEnvKeyReplacer(strings.NewReplacer(".", "_"))
+	v.AutomaticEnv()
+	v.SetEnvPrefix("ZITADEL")
+	v.SetEnvKeyReplacer(strings.NewReplacer(".", "_"))
 	v.SetConfigType("yaml")
 	err := v.ReadConfig(bytes.NewBuffer(defaultSteps))
 	logging.OnError(err).Fatal("unable to read setup steps")
diff --git a/cmd/admin/setup/setup.go b/cmd/setup/setup.go
similarity index 97%
rename from cmd/admin/setup/setup.go
rename to cmd/setup/setup.go
index 578127fe81..5a92329230 100644
--- a/cmd/admin/setup/setup.go
+++ b/cmd/setup/setup.go
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@ import (
 	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 	"github.com/zitadel/logging"
 
-	"github.com/zitadel/zitadel/cmd/admin/key"
-	"github.com/zitadel/zitadel/cmd/admin/tls"
+	"github.com/zitadel/zitadel/cmd/key"
+	"github.com/zitadel/zitadel/cmd/tls"
 	"github.com/zitadel/zitadel/internal/database"
 	"github.com/zitadel/zitadel/internal/eventstore"
 	"github.com/zitadel/zitadel/internal/migration"
diff --git a/cmd/admin/setup/steps.yaml b/cmd/setup/steps.yaml
similarity index 100%
rename from cmd/admin/setup/steps.yaml
rename to cmd/setup/steps.yaml
diff --git a/cmd/admin/start/config.go b/cmd/start/config.go
similarity index 100%
rename from cmd/admin/start/config.go
rename to cmd/start/config.go
diff --git a/cmd/admin/start/encryption_keys.go b/cmd/start/encryption_keys.go
similarity index 100%
rename from cmd/admin/start/encryption_keys.go
rename to cmd/start/encryption_keys.go
diff --git a/cmd/admin/start/flags.go b/cmd/start/flags.go
similarity index 91%
rename from cmd/admin/start/flags.go
rename to cmd/start/flags.go
index f3ca8afe36..9ef6a0f425 100644
--- a/cmd/admin/start/flags.go
+++ b/cmd/start/flags.go
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@ import (
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 
-	"github.com/zitadel/zitadel/cmd/admin/key"
-	"github.com/zitadel/zitadel/cmd/admin/tls"
+	"github.com/zitadel/zitadel/cmd/key"
+	"github.com/zitadel/zitadel/cmd/tls"
 )
 
 var tlsMode *string
diff --git a/cmd/admin/start/start.go b/cmd/start/start.go
similarity index 99%
rename from cmd/admin/start/start.go
rename to cmd/start/start.go
index db86780084..1c2e2fdb4f 100644
--- a/cmd/admin/start/start.go
+++ b/cmd/start/start.go
@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@ import (
 	"golang.org/x/net/http2"
 	"golang.org/x/net/http2/h2c"
 
-	"github.com/zitadel/zitadel/cmd/admin/key"
-	cmd_tls "github.com/zitadel/zitadel/cmd/admin/tls"
+	"github.com/zitadel/zitadel/cmd/key"
+	cmd_tls "github.com/zitadel/zitadel/cmd/tls"
 	admin_es "github.com/zitadel/zitadel/internal/admin/repository/eventsourcing"
 	"github.com/zitadel/zitadel/internal/api"
 	"github.com/zitadel/zitadel/internal/api/assets"
diff --git a/cmd/admin/start/start_from_init.go b/cmd/start/start_from_init.go
similarity index 85%
rename from cmd/admin/start/start_from_init.go
rename to cmd/start/start_from_init.go
index f6057551c1..89c74d5592 100644
--- a/cmd/admin/start/start_from_init.go
+++ b/cmd/start/start_from_init.go
@@ -5,10 +5,10 @@ import (
 	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 	"github.com/zitadel/logging"
 
-	"github.com/zitadel/zitadel/cmd/admin/initialise"
-	"github.com/zitadel/zitadel/cmd/admin/key"
-	"github.com/zitadel/zitadel/cmd/admin/setup"
-	"github.com/zitadel/zitadel/cmd/admin/tls"
+	"github.com/zitadel/zitadel/cmd/initialise"
+	"github.com/zitadel/zitadel/cmd/key"
+	"github.com/zitadel/zitadel/cmd/setup"
+	"github.com/zitadel/zitadel/cmd/tls"
 )
 
 func NewStartFromInit() *cobra.Command {
diff --git a/cmd/admin/tls/tls.go b/cmd/tls/tls.go
similarity index 100%
rename from cmd/admin/tls/tls.go
rename to cmd/tls/tls.go
diff --git a/cmd/zitadel.go b/cmd/zitadel.go
index e2e5462c1b..0077b62885 100644
--- a/cmd/zitadel.go
+++ b/cmd/zitadel.go
@@ -12,6 +12,10 @@ import (
 	"github.com/zitadel/logging"
 
 	"github.com/zitadel/zitadel/cmd/admin"
+	"github.com/zitadel/zitadel/cmd/initialise"
+	"github.com/zitadel/zitadel/cmd/key"
+	"github.com/zitadel/zitadel/cmd/setup"
+	"github.com/zitadel/zitadel/cmd/start"
 )
 
 var (
@@ -41,7 +45,14 @@ func New(out io.Writer, in io.Reader, args []string) *cobra.Command {
 	cobra.OnInitialize(initConfig)
 	cmd.PersistentFlags().StringArrayVar(&configFiles, "config", nil, "path to config file to overwrite system defaults")
 
-	cmd.AddCommand(admin.New())
+	cmd.AddCommand(
+		admin.New(), //is now deprecated, remove later on
+		initialise.New(),
+		setup.New(),
+		start.New(),
+		start.NewStartFromInit(),
+		key.New(),
+	)
 
 	return cmd
 }
diff --git a/deploy/compose/docker-compose.yml b/deploy/compose/docker-compose.yml
index 4cf468b476..a24f70f4b7 100644
--- a/deploy/compose/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/deploy/compose/docker-compose.yml
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@ services:
     restart: always
     networks:
       - zitadel
-    image: ghcr.io/zitadel/zitadel:v2.0.0-v2-alpha.32-amd64
-    command: admin start-from-init --masterkey "MasterkeyNeedsToHave32Characters" --tlsMode disabled
+    image: ghcr.io/zitadel/zitadel:v2.0.0-v2-alpha.33-amd64
+    command: start-from-init --masterkey "MasterkeyNeedsToHave32Characters" --tlsMode disabled
     environment:
       - ZITADEL_DATABASE_HOST=db
       - ZITADEL_DEFAULTINSTANCE_CUSTOMDOMAIN=localhost
diff --git a/docs/docs/guides/installation/configuration.mdx b/docs/docs/guides/installation/configuration.mdx
index 40e7028646..811370db29 100644
--- a/docs/docs/guides/installation/configuration.mdx
+++ b/docs/docs/guides/installation/configuration.mdx
@@ -36,5 +36,5 @@ DefaultInstance:
 EOF
 
 # Pass multiple config files using the --config argument
-zitadel admin start-from-init --config ./zitadel-config.yaml --config ./zitadel-secrets.yaml --masterkey "MasterkeyNeedsToHave32Characters"
+zitadel start-from-init --config ./zitadel-config.yaml --config ./zitadel-secrets.yaml --masterkey "MasterkeyNeedsToHave32Characters"
 ```
diff --git a/docs/docs/guides/installation/linux.mdx b/docs/docs/guides/installation/linux.mdx
index 62594bad82..c315eeea66 100644
--- a/docs/docs/guides/installation/linux.mdx
+++ b/docs/docs/guides/installation/linux.mdx
@@ -21,11 +21,11 @@ export ZITADEL_DEFAULTINSTANCE_CUSTOMDOMAIN=localhost
 Download the zitadel binary
 
 ```bash
-curl -s https://api.github.com/repos/zitadel/zitadel/releases/tags/v2.0.0-v2-alpha.17 | grep "browser_download_url.*zitadel_.*_linux_$(dpkg --print-architecture)" | cut -d '"' -f 4 | sudo wget -i - -O /usr/local/bin/zitadel && sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/zitadel && sudo chown $(id -u):$(id -g) /usr/local/bin/zitadel
+curl -s https://api.github.com/repos/zitadel/zitadel/releases/tags/v2.0.0-v2-alpha.33 | grep "browser_download_url.*zitadel_.*_linux_$(dpkg --print-architecture)" | cut -d '"' -f 4 | sudo wget -i - -O /usr/local/bin/zitadel && sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/zitadel && sudo chown $(id -u):$(id -g) /usr/local/bin/zitadel
 ```
 
 Run the database and application containers
 
 ```bash
-zitadel admin start-from-init --tlsMode disabled --masterkey "MasterkeyNeedsToHave32Characters"
+zitadel start-from-init --tlsMode disabled --masterkey "MasterkeyNeedsToHave32Characters"
 ```
diff --git a/docs/docs/guides/installation/macos.mdx b/docs/docs/guides/installation/macos.mdx
index 800e4c2891..db4e197ab4 100644
--- a/docs/docs/guides/installation/macos.mdx
+++ b/docs/docs/guides/installation/macos.mdx
@@ -30,11 +30,11 @@ brew install zitadel/tap/zitadel
 ... or download the binary from GitHub
 
 ```bash
-curl -s https://api.github.com/repos/zitadel/zitadel/releases/tags/v2.0.0-v2-alpha.17 | grep "browser_download_url.*zitadel_.*_darwin_${MY_ARCHITECTURE}" | cut -d '"' -f 4 | sudo wget -i - -O /usr/local/bin/zitadel && sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/zitadel && sudo chown $(id -u):$(id -g) /usr/local/bin/zitadel
+curl -s https://api.github.com/repos/zitadel/zitadel/releases/tags/v2.0.0-v2-alpha.33 | grep "browser_download_url.*zitadel_.*_darwin_${MY_ARCHITECTURE}" | cut -d '"' -f 4 | sudo wget -i - -O /usr/local/bin/zitadel && sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/zitadel && sudo chown $(id -u):$(id -g) /usr/local/bin/zitadel
 ```
 
 Run ZITADEL
 
 ```bash
-zitadel admin start-from-init --tlsMode disabled --masterkey "MasterkeyNeedsToHave32Characters"
+zitadel start-from-init --tlsMode disabled --masterkey "MasterkeyNeedsToHave32Characters"
 ```
diff --git a/internal/config/network/config.go b/internal/config/network/config.go
index 79a374f7d7..8a16ec44da 100644
--- a/internal/config/network/config.go
+++ b/internal/config/network/config.go
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 var (
-	ErrMissingConfig = errors.New("")
+	ErrMissingConfig = errors.New("TLS is enabled: please specify a key (path) and a cert (path) or disable TLS if needed (e.g. by setting flag `--tlsMode external` or `--tlsMode disabled")
 )
 
 type TLS struct {
diff --git a/internal/eventstore/local_crdb_test.go b/internal/eventstore/local_crdb_test.go
index 01c6ae19f8..aea9e57bda 100644
--- a/internal/eventstore/local_crdb_test.go
+++ b/internal/eventstore/local_crdb_test.go
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach-go/v2/testserver"
 	"github.com/zitadel/logging"
 
-	"github.com/zitadel/zitadel/cmd/admin/initialise"
+	"github.com/zitadel/zitadel/cmd/initialise"
 )
 
 var (
diff --git a/internal/eventstore/repository/sql/local_crdb_test.go b/internal/eventstore/repository/sql/local_crdb_test.go
index 7b790d1b56..ded13a49a5 100644
--- a/internal/eventstore/repository/sql/local_crdb_test.go
+++ b/internal/eventstore/repository/sql/local_crdb_test.go
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/cockroachdb/cockroach-go/v2/testserver"
 	"github.com/zitadel/logging"
 
-	"github.com/zitadel/zitadel/cmd/admin/initialise"
+	"github.com/zitadel/zitadel/cmd/initialise"
 )
 
 var (