diff --git a/examples/custom-backend/main.rs b/examples/custom-backend/main.rs
index ccf0044b3..03d138c95 100644
--- a/examples/custom-backend/main.rs
+++ b/examples/custom-backend/main.rs
@@ -15,10 +15,8 @@
 use std::io::Read;
 use std::path::Path;
 
-use clap::{ArgMatches, FromArgMatches};
 use git2::Repository;
 use jujutsu::cli_util::{CliRunner, CommandError, CommandHelper};
-use jujutsu::commands::run_command;
 use jujutsu::ui::Ui;
 use jujutsu_lib::backend::{
     Backend, BackendResult, Commit, CommitId, Conflict, ConflictId, FileId, SymlinkId, Tree, TreeId,
@@ -45,14 +43,13 @@ fn create_store_factories() -> StoreFactories {
     store_factories
 }
 
-fn run(
+fn run_custom_command(
     ui: &mut Ui,
-    command_helper: &CommandHelper,
-    matches: &ArgMatches,
+    _command_helper: &CommandHelper,
+    command: CustomCommands,
 ) -> Result<(), CommandError> {
-    match CustomCommands::from_arg_matches(matches) {
-        // Handle our custom command
-        Ok(CustomCommands::InitJit) => {
+    match command {
+        CustomCommands::InitJit => {
             let wc_path = ui.cwd();
             // Initialize a workspace with the custom backend
             Workspace::init_with_backend(ui.settings(), wc_path, |store_path| {
@@ -60,16 +57,13 @@ fn run(
             })?;
             Ok(())
         }
-        // Handle default commands
-        Err(_) => run_command(ui, command_helper, matches),
     }
 }
 
 fn main() {
     CliRunner::init()
         .set_store_factories(create_store_factories())
-        .add_subcommand::<CustomCommands>()
-        .set_dispatch_fn(run)
+        .add_subcommand(run_custom_command)
         .run_and_exit();
 }
 
diff --git a/examples/custom-command/main.rs b/examples/custom-command/main.rs
index 0f21d4717..4d711acfc 100644
--- a/examples/custom-command/main.rs
+++ b/examples/custom-command/main.rs
@@ -12,9 +12,7 @@
 // See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 // limitations under the License.
 
-use clap::{ArgMatches, FromArgMatches};
 use jujutsu::cli_util::{short_commit_description, CliRunner, CommandError, CommandHelper};
-use jujutsu::commands::run_command;
 use jujutsu::ui::Ui;
 
 #[derive(clap::Parser, Clone, Debug)]
@@ -30,14 +28,13 @@ struct FrobnicateArgs {
     revision: String,
 }
 
-fn run(
+fn run_custom_command(
     ui: &mut Ui,
     command_helper: &CommandHelper,
-    matches: &ArgMatches,
+    command: CustomCommands,
 ) -> Result<(), CommandError> {
-    match CustomCommands::from_arg_matches(matches) {
-        // Handle our custom command
-        Ok(CustomCommands::Frobnicate(args)) => {
+    match command {
+        CustomCommands::Frobnicate(args) => {
             let mut workspace_command = command_helper.workspace_helper(ui)?;
             let commit = workspace_command.resolve_single_rev(&args.revision)?;
             let mut tx = workspace_command.start_transaction("Frobnicate");
@@ -54,14 +51,11 @@ fn run(
             )?;
             Ok(())
         }
-        // Handle default commands
-        Err(_) => run_command(ui, command_helper, matches),
     }
 }
 
 fn main() {
     CliRunner::init()
-        .add_subcommand::<CustomCommands>()
-        .set_dispatch_fn(run)
+        .add_subcommand(run_custom_command)
         .run_and_exit();
 }
diff --git a/src/cli_util.rs b/src/cli_util.rs
index 1e7201ea5..c6246998e 100644
--- a/src/cli_util.rs
+++ b/src/cli_util.rs
@@ -1685,14 +1685,17 @@ pub fn handle_command_result(ui: &mut Ui, result: Result<(), CommandError>) -> i
 
 /// CLI command builder and runner.
 #[must_use]
-pub struct CliRunner<F> {
+pub struct CliRunner {
     tracing_subscription: TracingSubscription,
     app: clap::Command,
     store_factories: Option<StoreFactories>,
-    dispatch_fn: F,
+    dispatch_fn: CliDispatchFn,
 }
 
-impl CliRunner<()> {
+type CliDispatchFn =
+    Box<dyn FnOnce(&mut Ui, &CommandHelper, &ArgMatches) -> Result<(), CommandError>>;
+
+impl CliRunner {
     /// Initializes CLI environment and returns a builder. This should be called
     /// as early as possible.
     pub fn init() -> Self {
@@ -1702,7 +1705,7 @@ impl CliRunner<()> {
             tracing_subscription,
             app: crate::commands::default_app(),
             store_factories: None,
-            dispatch_fn: (),
+            dispatch_fn: Box::new(crate::commands::run_command),
         }
     }
 
@@ -1717,37 +1720,27 @@ impl CliRunner<()> {
     }
 
     /// Registers new subcommands in addition to the default ones.
-    // TODO: maybe take dispatch_fn for the subcommands?
-    pub fn add_subcommand<C>(self) -> Self
+    pub fn add_subcommand<C, F>(self, custom_dispatch_fn: F) -> Self
     where
         C: clap::Subcommand,
+        F: FnOnce(&mut Ui, &CommandHelper, C) -> Result<(), CommandError> + 'static,
     {
+        let old_dispatch_fn = self.dispatch_fn;
+        let new_dispatch_fn =
+            move |ui: &mut Ui, command_helper: &CommandHelper, matches: &ArgMatches| {
+                match C::from_arg_matches(matches) {
+                    Ok(command) => custom_dispatch_fn(ui, command_helper, command),
+                    Err(_) => old_dispatch_fn(ui, command_helper, matches),
+                }
+            };
         CliRunner {
             tracing_subscription: self.tracing_subscription,
             app: C::augment_subcommands(self.app),
             store_factories: self.store_factories,
-            dispatch_fn: self.dispatch_fn,
+            dispatch_fn: Box::new(new_dispatch_fn),
         }
     }
 
-    // TODO: use crate::commands::run_command() by default
-    pub fn set_dispatch_fn<F>(self, dispatch_fn: F) -> CliRunner<F>
-    where
-        F: FnOnce(&mut Ui, &CommandHelper, &ArgMatches) -> Result<(), CommandError>,
-    {
-        CliRunner {
-            tracing_subscription: self.tracing_subscription,
-            app: self.app,
-            store_factories: self.store_factories,
-            dispatch_fn,
-        }
-    }
-}
-
-impl<F> CliRunner<F>
-where
-    F: FnOnce(&mut Ui, &CommandHelper, &ArgMatches) -> Result<(), CommandError>,
-{
     pub fn run(self, ui: &mut Ui) -> Result<(), CommandError> {
         ui.reset(crate::config::read_config()?);
         let (mut command_helper, matches) = parse_args(
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 2aeeb9e72..b641c0e74 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -13,10 +13,7 @@
 // limitations under the License.
 
 use jujutsu::cli_util::CliRunner;
-use jujutsu::commands::run_command;
 
 fn main() {
-    CliRunner::init()
-        .set_dispatch_fn(run_command)
-        .run_and_exit();
+    CliRunner::init().run_and_exit();
 }