diff --git a/internal/cmd/crew_helpers.go b/internal/cmd/crew_helpers.go
index 0e3eda87..f018abbf 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/crew_helpers.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/crew_helpers.go
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"syscall"
 
-	"github.com/steveyegge/gastown/internal/config"
 	"github.com/steveyegge/gastown/internal/crew"
 	"github.com/steveyegge/gastown/internal/git"
 	"github.com/steveyegge/gastown/internal/rig"
@@ -42,36 +41,23 @@ func inferRigFromCwd(townRoot string) (string, error) {
 
 // getCrewManager returns a crew manager for the specified or inferred rig.
 func getCrewManager(rigName string) (*crew.Manager, *rig.Rig, error) {
-	// Find town root
-	townRoot, err := workspace.FindFromCwdOrError()
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("not in a Gas Town workspace: %w", err)
-	}
-
-	// Load rigs config
-	rigsConfigPath := filepath.Join(townRoot, "mayor", "rigs.json")
-	rigsConfig, err := config.LoadRigsConfig(rigsConfigPath)
-	if err != nil {
-		rigsConfig = &config.RigsConfig{Rigs: make(map[string]config.RigEntry)}
-	}
-
-	// Determine rig
+	// Handle optional rig inference from cwd
 	if rigName == "" {
+		townRoot, err := workspace.FindFromCwdOrError()
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("not in a Gas Town workspace: %w", err)
+		}
 		rigName, err = inferRigFromCwd(townRoot)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("could not determine rig (use --rig flag): %w", err)
 		}
 	}
 
-	// Get rig
-	g := git.NewGit(townRoot)
-	rigMgr := rig.NewManager(townRoot, rigsConfig, g)
-	r, err := rigMgr.GetRig(rigName)
+	_, r, err := getRig(rigName)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("rig '%s' not found", rigName)
+		return nil, nil, err
 	}
 
-	// Create crew manager
 	crewGit := git.NewGit(r.Path)
 	crewMgr := crew.NewManager(r, crewGit)
 
diff --git a/internal/cmd/polecat.go b/internal/cmd/polecat.go
index bd3b57bd..a488adad 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/polecat.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/polecat.go
@@ -10,14 +10,12 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
-	"github.com/steveyegge/gastown/internal/config"
 	"github.com/steveyegge/gastown/internal/git"
 	"github.com/steveyegge/gastown/internal/polecat"
 	"github.com/steveyegge/gastown/internal/rig"
 	"github.com/steveyegge/gastown/internal/session"
 	"github.com/steveyegge/gastown/internal/style"
 	"github.com/steveyegge/gastown/internal/tmux"
-	"github.com/steveyegge/gastown/internal/workspace"
 )
 
 // Polecat command flags
@@ -239,28 +237,11 @@ type PolecatListItem struct {
 
 // getPolecatManager creates a polecat manager for the given rig.
 func getPolecatManager(rigName string) (*polecat.Manager, *rig.Rig, error) {
-	// Find town root
-	townRoot, err := workspace.FindFromCwdOrError()
+	_, r, err := getRig(rigName)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("not in a Gas Town workspace: %w", err)
+		return nil, nil, err
 	}
 
-	// Load rigs config
-	rigsConfigPath := filepath.Join(townRoot, "mayor", "rigs.json")
-	rigsConfig, err := config.LoadRigsConfig(rigsConfigPath)
-	if err != nil {
-		rigsConfig = &config.RigsConfig{Rigs: make(map[string]config.RigEntry)}
-	}
-
-	// Get rig
-	g := git.NewGit(townRoot)
-	rigMgr := rig.NewManager(townRoot, rigsConfig, g)
-	r, err := rigMgr.GetRig(rigName)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("rig '%s' not found", rigName)
-	}
-
-	// Create polecat manager
 	polecatGit := git.NewGit(r.Path)
 	mgr := polecat.NewManager(r, polecatGit)
 
diff --git a/internal/cmd/refinery.go b/internal/cmd/refinery.go
index acd64a45..23d0d222 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/refinery.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/refinery.go
@@ -114,22 +114,9 @@ func init() {
 
 // getRefineryManager creates a refinery manager for a rig.
 func getRefineryManager(rigName string) (*refinery.Manager, *rig.Rig, error) {
-	townRoot, err := workspace.FindFromCwdOrError()
+	_, r, err := getRig(rigName)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("not in a Gas Town workspace: %w", err)
-	}
-
-	rigsConfigPath := filepath.Join(townRoot, "mayor", "rigs.json")
-	rigsConfig, err := config.LoadRigsConfig(rigsConfigPath)
-	if err != nil {
-		rigsConfig = &config.RigsConfig{Rigs: make(map[string]config.RigEntry)}
-	}
-
-	g := git.NewGit(townRoot)
-	rigMgr := rig.NewManager(townRoot, rigsConfig, g)
-	r, err := rigMgr.GetRig(rigName)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("rig '%s' not found", rigName)
+		return nil, nil, err
 	}
 
 	mgr := refinery.NewManager(r)
diff --git a/internal/cmd/rig_helpers.go b/internal/cmd/rig_helpers.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3a097aa0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/cmd/rig_helpers.go
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+package cmd
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"path/filepath"
+
+	"github.com/steveyegge/gastown/internal/config"
+	"github.com/steveyegge/gastown/internal/git"
+	"github.com/steveyegge/gastown/internal/rig"
+	"github.com/steveyegge/gastown/internal/workspace"
+)
+
+// getRig finds the town root and retrieves the specified rig.
+// This is the common boilerplate extracted from get*Manager functions.
+// Returns the town root path and rig instance.
+func getRig(rigName string) (string, *rig.Rig, error) {
+	townRoot, err := workspace.FindFromCwdOrError()
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", nil, fmt.Errorf("not in a Gas Town workspace: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	rigsConfigPath := filepath.Join(townRoot, "mayor", "rigs.json")
+	rigsConfig, err := config.LoadRigsConfig(rigsConfigPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		rigsConfig = &config.RigsConfig{Rigs: make(map[string]config.RigEntry)}
+	}
+
+	g := git.NewGit(townRoot)
+	rigMgr := rig.NewManager(townRoot, rigsConfig, g)
+	r, err := rigMgr.GetRig(rigName)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", nil, fmt.Errorf("rig '%s' not found", rigName)
+	}
+
+	return townRoot, r, nil
+}
diff --git a/internal/cmd/session.go b/internal/cmd/session.go
index 7dec6ca4..9c5b77b2 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/session.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/session.go
@@ -181,28 +181,11 @@ func parseAddress(addr string) (rigName, polecatName string, err error) {
 
 // getSessionManager creates a session manager for the given rig.
 func getSessionManager(rigName string) (*session.Manager, *rig.Rig, error) {
-	// Find town root
-	townRoot, err := workspace.FindFromCwdOrError()
+	_, r, err := getRig(rigName)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("not in a Gas Town workspace: %w", err)
+		return nil, nil, err
 	}
 
-	// Load rigs config
-	rigsConfigPath := filepath.Join(townRoot, "mayor", "rigs.json")
-	rigsConfig, err := config.LoadRigsConfig(rigsConfigPath)
-	if err != nil {
-		rigsConfig = &config.RigsConfig{Rigs: make(map[string]config.RigEntry)}
-	}
-
-	// Get rig
-	g := git.NewGit(townRoot)
-	rigMgr := rig.NewManager(townRoot, rigsConfig, g)
-	r, err := rigMgr.GetRig(rigName)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("rig '%s' not found", rigName)
-	}
-
-	// Create session manager
 	t := tmux.NewTmux()
 	mgr := session.NewManager(t, r)
 
diff --git a/internal/cmd/witness.go b/internal/cmd/witness.go
index ce542b5a..55b48d1d 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/witness.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/witness.go
@@ -5,17 +5,13 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
-	"path/filepath"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
-	"github.com/steveyegge/gastown/internal/config"
-	"github.com/steveyegge/gastown/internal/git"
 	"github.com/steveyegge/gastown/internal/rig"
 	"github.com/steveyegge/gastown/internal/style"
 	"github.com/steveyegge/gastown/internal/tmux"
 	"github.com/steveyegge/gastown/internal/witness"
-	"github.com/steveyegge/gastown/internal/workspace"
 )
 
 // Witness command flags
@@ -100,22 +96,9 @@ func init() {
 
 // getWitnessManager creates a witness manager for a rig.
 func getWitnessManager(rigName string) (*witness.Manager, *rig.Rig, error) {
-	townRoot, err := workspace.FindFromCwdOrError()
+	_, r, err := getRig(rigName)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("not in a Gas Town workspace: %w", err)
-	}
-
-	rigsConfigPath := filepath.Join(townRoot, "mayor", "rigs.json")
-	rigsConfig, err := config.LoadRigsConfig(rigsConfigPath)
-	if err != nil {
-		rigsConfig = &config.RigsConfig{Rigs: make(map[string]config.RigEntry)}
-	}
-
-	g := git.NewGit(townRoot)
-	rigMgr := rig.NewManager(townRoot, rigsConfig, g)
-	r, err := rigMgr.GetRig(rigName)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("rig '%s' not found", rigName)
+		return nil, nil, err
 	}
 
 	mgr := witness.NewManager(r)