diff --git a/librz/core/cmd/cmd_shell.c b/librz/core/cmd/cmd_shell.c
index cffcc6fb9b..e55e1c5854 100644
--- a/librz/core/cmd/cmd_shell.c
+++ b/librz/core/cmd/cmd_shell.c
@@ -3,6 +3,234 @@
 
 #include <rz_core.h>
 
+#define FMT_NONE 0
+#define FMT_RAW  1
+#define FMT_JSON 2
+
+static char *showfile(char *res, const int nth, const char *fpath, const char *name, int printfmt) {
+	static int needs_newline = 0;
+#if __UNIX__
+	struct stat sb;
+#endif
+	const char *n = fpath;
+	char *nn, *u_rwx = NULL;
+	int sz = rz_file_size(n);
+	int perm, uid = 0, gid = 0;
+	int fch = '-';
+	if (!strncmp(fpath, "./", 2)) {
+		fpath = fpath + 2;
+	}
+	const bool isdir = rz_file_is_directory(n);
+	if (isdir) {
+		nn = rz_str_append(strdup(fpath), "/");
+	} else {
+		nn = strdup(fpath);
+	}
+	if (!*nn) {
+		free(nn);
+		return res;
+	}
+	perm = isdir ? 0755 : 0644;
+	if (!printfmt) {
+		needs_newline = ((nth + 1) % 4) ? 1 : 0;
+		res = rz_str_appendf(res, "%18s%s", nn, needs_newline ? "  " : "\n");
+		free(nn);
+		return res;
+	}
+	// TODO: escape non-printable chars in filenames
+	// TODO: Implement more real info in ls -l
+	// TODO: handle suid
+#if __UNIX__
+	if (lstat(n, &sb) != -1) {
+		ut32 ifmt = sb.st_mode & S_IFMT;
+		uid = sb.st_uid;
+		gid = sb.st_gid;
+		perm = sb.st_mode & 0777;
+		if (!(u_rwx = strdup(rz_str_rwx_i(perm >> 6)))) {
+			free(nn);
+			return res;
+		}
+		if (sb.st_mode & S_ISUID) {
+			u_rwx[2] = (sb.st_mode & S_IXUSR) ? 's' : 'S';
+		}
+		if (isdir) {
+			fch = 'd';
+		} else {
+			switch (ifmt) {
+			case S_IFCHR: fch = 'c'; break;
+			case S_IFBLK: fch = 'b'; break;
+			case S_IFLNK: fch = 'l'; break;
+			case S_IFIFO: fch = 'p'; break;
+#ifdef S_IFSOCK
+			case S_IFSOCK: fch = 's'; break;
+#endif
+			}
+		}
+	}
+#else
+	u_rwx = strdup("-");
+	fch = isdir ? 'd' : '-';
+#endif
+	if (printfmt == 'q') {
+		res = rz_str_appendf(res, "%s\n", nn);
+	} else if (printfmt == 'e') {
+		const char *eDIR = "📁";
+		const char *eIMG = "🌅";
+		const char *eHID = "👀";
+		const char *eANY = "  ";
+		// --
+		const char *icon = eANY;
+		if (isdir) {
+			icon = eDIR;
+#if __UNIX__
+		} else if ((sb.st_mode & S_IFMT) == S_IFLNK) {
+			const char *eLNK = "📎";
+			icon = eLNK;
+		} else if (sb.st_mode & S_ISUID) {
+			const char *eUID = "🔼";
+			icon = eUID;
+#endif
+		} else if (rz_str_casestr(nn, ".jpg") || rz_str_casestr(nn, ".png") || rz_str_casestr(nn, ".gif")) {
+			icon = eIMG;
+		} else if (*nn == '.') {
+			icon = eHID;
+		}
+		res = rz_str_appendf(res, "%s %s\n", icon, nn);
+	} else if (printfmt == FMT_RAW) {
+		res = rz_str_appendf(res, "%c%s%s%s  1 %4d:%-4d  %-10d  %s\n",
+			isdir ? 'd' : fch,
+			u_rwx ? u_rwx : "-",
+			rz_str_rwx_i((perm >> 3) & 7),
+			rz_str_rwx_i(perm & 7),
+			uid, gid, sz, nn);
+	} else if (printfmt == FMT_JSON) {
+		if (nth > 0) {
+			res = rz_str_append(res, ",");
+		}
+		res = rz_str_appendf(res, "{\"name\":\"%s\",\"size\":%d,\"uid\":%d,"
+					  "\"gid\":%d,\"perm\":%d,\"isdir\":%s}",
+			name, sz, uid, gid, perm, isdir ? "true" : "false");
+	}
+	free(nn);
+	free(u_rwx);
+	return res;
+}
+
+static char *syscmd_ls(RZ_NONNULL const int argc, const char **argv) {
+	static int needs_newline = 0;
+	char *res = NULL;
+	const char *path = ".";
+	char *d = NULL;
+	char *p = NULL;
+	char *homepath = NULL;
+	char *pattern = NULL;
+	int printfmt = 0;
+	RzListIter *iter;
+	RzList *files;
+	char *name;
+	char *dir;
+	int off;
+	int path_in_second_arg = 0;
+	if (argc > 1) {
+		if ((!strncmp(argv[1], "-h", 2))) {
+			eprintf("Usage: ls ([-e,-l,-j,-q]) ([path]) # long, json, quiet\n");
+			return NULL;
+		} else if ((!strncmp(argv[1], "-e", 2))) {
+			printfmt = 'e';
+		} else if ((!strncmp(argv[1], "-q", 2))) {
+			printfmt = 'q';
+		} else if ((!strncmp(argv[1], "-l", 2)) || (!strncmp(argv[1], "-j", 2))) {
+			printfmt = (argv[1][1] == 'j') ? FMT_JSON : FMT_RAW;
+		} else {
+			path = argv[1];
+			path_in_second_arg = 1;
+		}
+		if (argc >= 3) {
+			if (!path_in_second_arg) {
+				path = argv[2];
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	if (RZ_STR_ISEMPTY(path)) {
+		path = ".";
+	} else if (rz_str_startswith(path, "~")) {
+		homepath = rz_path_home_expand(path);
+		if (homepath) {
+			path = (const char *)homepath;
+		}
+	} else if (*path == '$') {
+		if (!strncmp(path + 1, "home", 4) || !strncmp(path + 1, "HOME", 4)) {
+			homepath = rz_str_home((strlen(path) > 5) ? path + 6 : NULL);
+			if (homepath) {
+				path = (const char *)homepath;
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	if (!rz_file_is_directory(path)) {
+		p = strrchr(path, '/');
+		if (p) {
+			off = p - path;
+			d = (char *)calloc(1, off + 1);
+			if (!d) {
+				free(homepath);
+				return NULL;
+			}
+			memcpy(d, path, off);
+			path = (const char *)d;
+			pattern = strdup(p + 1);
+		} else {
+			pattern = strdup(path);
+			path = ".";
+		}
+	} else {
+		pattern = strdup("*");
+	}
+	if (rz_file_is_regular(path)) {
+		res = showfile(res, 0, path, path, printfmt);
+		free(homepath);
+		free(pattern);
+		free(d);
+		return res;
+	}
+	files = rz_sys_dir(path);
+
+	if (path[strlen(path) - 1] == '/') {
+		dir = strdup(path);
+	} else {
+		dir = rz_str_append(strdup(path), "/");
+	}
+	int nth = 0;
+	if (printfmt == FMT_JSON) {
+		res = strdup("[");
+	}
+	needs_newline = 0;
+	rz_list_foreach (files, iter, name) {
+		char *n = rz_str_append(strdup(dir), name);
+		if (!n) {
+			break;
+		}
+		if (rz_str_glob(name, pattern)) {
+			if (*n) {
+				res = showfile(res, nth, n, name, printfmt);
+			}
+			nth++;
+		}
+		free(n);
+	}
+	if (printfmt == FMT_JSON) {
+		res = rz_str_append(res, "]");
+	}
+	if (needs_newline) {
+		res = rz_str_append(res, "\n");
+	}
+	free(dir);
+	free(d);
+	free(homepath);
+	free(pattern);
+	rz_list_free(files);
+	return res;
+}
+
 static const char *findBreakChar(const char *s) {
 	while (*s) {
 		if (!rz_name_validate_char(*s, true)) {
@@ -111,9 +339,7 @@ RZ_IPI RzCmdStatus rz_cmd_shell_exit_handler(RzCore *core, int argc, const char
 
 // ls
 RZ_IPI RzCmdStatus rz_cmd_shell_ls_handler(RzCore *core, int argc, const char **argv) {
-	char *arg = rz_str_array_join(argv + 1, argc - 1, " ");
-	char *res = rz_syscmd_ls(arg);
-	free(arg);
+	char *res = syscmd_ls(argc, argv);
 	if (!res) {
 		return RZ_CMD_STATUS_ERROR;
 	}
diff --git a/librz/core/cmd_descs/cmd_descs.c b/librz/core/cmd_descs/cmd_descs.c
index dd31d302a4..26deda7764 100644
--- a/librz/core/cmd_descs/cmd_descs.c
+++ b/librz/core/cmd_descs/cmd_descs.c
@@ -806,7 +806,7 @@ static const RzCmdDescArg yank_paste_args[2];
 static const RzCmdDescArg yank_string_args[2];
 static const RzCmdDescArg cmd_shell_diff_args[3];
 static const RzCmdDescArg cmd_shell_env_args[3];
-static const RzCmdDescArg cmd_shell_ls_args[2];
+static const RzCmdDescArg cmd_shell_ls_args[6];
 static const RzCmdDescArg cmd_shell_rm_args[2];
 static const RzCmdDescArg cmd_shell_sleep_args[2];
 static const RzCmdDescArg cmd_shell_uniq_args[2];
@@ -18003,9 +18003,36 @@ static const RzCmdDescHelp cmd_shell_exit_help = {
 
 static const RzCmdDescArg cmd_shell_ls_args[] = {
 	{
-		.name = "arg",
-		.type = RZ_CMD_ARG_TYPE_STRING,
-		.flags = RZ_CMD_ARG_FLAG_ARRAY,
+		.name = "e",
+		.type = RZ_CMD_ARG_TYPE_OPTION,
+		.flags = RZ_CMD_ARG_FLAG_OPTION,
+		.optional = true,
+
+	},
+	{
+		.name = "q",
+		.type = RZ_CMD_ARG_TYPE_OPTION,
+		.flags = RZ_CMD_ARG_FLAG_OPTION,
+		.optional = true,
+
+	},
+	{
+		.name = "l",
+		.type = RZ_CMD_ARG_TYPE_OPTION,
+		.flags = RZ_CMD_ARG_FLAG_OPTION,
+		.optional = true,
+
+	},
+	{
+		.name = "j",
+		.type = RZ_CMD_ARG_TYPE_OPTION,
+		.flags = RZ_CMD_ARG_FLAG_OPTION,
+		.optional = true,
+
+	},
+	{
+		.name = "path",
+		.type = RZ_CMD_ARG_TYPE_FILE,
 		.optional = true,
 
 	},
@@ -18013,6 +18040,7 @@ static const RzCmdDescArg cmd_shell_ls_args[] = {
 };
 static const RzCmdDescHelp cmd_shell_ls_help = {
 	.summary = "List files and directories",
+	.args_str = " [-e -q -l -j] <dir/file>",
 	.args = cmd_shell_ls_args,
 };
 
diff --git a/librz/core/cmd_descs/cmd_shell.yaml b/librz/core/cmd_descs/cmd_shell.yaml
index fd65c8af0e..293bfd1620 100644
--- a/librz/core/cmd_descs/cmd_shell.yaml
+++ b/librz/core/cmd_descs/cmd_shell.yaml
@@ -78,10 +78,26 @@ commands:
   - name: ls
     cname: cmd_shell_ls
     summary: List files and directories
+    args_str: " [-e -q -l -j] <dir/file>"
     args:
-      - name: arg
-        type: RZ_CMD_ARG_TYPE_STRING
-        flags: RZ_CMD_ARG_FLAG_ARRAY
+      - name: e
+        type: RZ_CMD_ARG_TYPE_OPTION
+        flags: RZ_CMD_ARG_FLAG_OPTION
+        optional: true
+      - name: q
+        type: RZ_CMD_ARG_TYPE_OPTION
+        flags: RZ_CMD_ARG_FLAG_OPTION
+        optional: true
+      - name: l
+        type: RZ_CMD_ARG_TYPE_OPTION
+        flags: RZ_CMD_ARG_FLAG_OPTION
+        optional: true
+      - name: j
+        type: RZ_CMD_ARG_TYPE_OPTION
+        flags: RZ_CMD_ARG_FLAG_OPTION
+        optional: true
+      - name: path
+        type: RZ_CMD_ARG_TYPE_FILE
         optional: true
   - name: rm
     cname: cmd_shell_rm
diff --git a/librz/include/rz_util/rz_sys.h b/librz/include/rz_util/rz_sys.h
index 7409757e44..885ed4aca9 100644
--- a/librz/include/rz_util/rz_sys.h
+++ b/librz/include/rz_util/rz_sys.h
@@ -194,7 +194,6 @@ RZ_API void rz_sys_backtrace(void);
 #endif
 
 /* syscmd */
-RZ_API RZ_OWN char *rz_syscmd_ls(RZ_NONNULL const char *input);
 RZ_API RZ_OWN char *rz_syscmd_cat(RZ_NONNULL const char *file);
 RZ_API RZ_OWN char *rz_syscmd_mkdir(RZ_NONNULL const char *dir);
 RZ_API RZ_OWN char *rz_syscmd_uniq(RZ_NONNULL const char *file);
diff --git a/librz/util/syscmd.c b/librz/util/syscmd.c
index 08326943ca..4bf69fb1ae 100644
--- a/librz/util/syscmd.c
+++ b/librz/util/syscmd.c
@@ -4,243 +4,6 @@
 #include <rz_core.h>
 #include <errno.h>
 
-#define FMT_NONE 0
-#define FMT_RAW  1
-#define FMT_JSON 2
-
-static int needs_newline = 0;
-
-static char *showfile(char *res, const int nth, const char *fpath, const char *name, int printfmt) {
-#if __UNIX__
-	struct stat sb;
-#endif
-	const char *n = fpath;
-	char *nn, *u_rwx = NULL;
-	int sz = rz_file_size(n);
-	int perm, uid = 0, gid = 0;
-	int fch = '-';
-	if (!strncmp(fpath, "./", 2)) {
-		fpath = fpath + 2;
-	}
-	const bool isdir = rz_file_is_directory(n);
-	if (isdir) {
-		nn = rz_str_append(strdup(fpath), "/");
-	} else {
-		nn = strdup(fpath);
-	}
-	if (!*nn) {
-		free(nn);
-		return res;
-	}
-	perm = isdir ? 0755 : 0644;
-	if (!printfmt) {
-		needs_newline = ((nth + 1) % 4) ? 1 : 0;
-		res = rz_str_appendf(res, "%18s%s", nn, needs_newline ? "  " : "\n");
-		free(nn);
-		return res;
-	}
-	// TODO: escape non-printable chars in filenames
-	// TODO: Implement more real info in ls -l
-	// TODO: handle suid
-#if __UNIX__
-	if (lstat(n, &sb) != -1) {
-		ut32 ifmt = sb.st_mode & S_IFMT;
-		uid = sb.st_uid;
-		gid = sb.st_gid;
-		perm = sb.st_mode & 0777;
-		if (!(u_rwx = strdup(rz_str_rwx_i(perm >> 6)))) {
-			free(nn);
-			return res;
-		}
-		if (sb.st_mode & S_ISUID) {
-			u_rwx[2] = (sb.st_mode & S_IXUSR) ? 's' : 'S';
-		}
-		if (isdir) {
-			fch = 'd';
-		} else {
-			switch (ifmt) {
-			case S_IFCHR: fch = 'c'; break;
-			case S_IFBLK: fch = 'b'; break;
-			case S_IFLNK: fch = 'l'; break;
-			case S_IFIFO: fch = 'p'; break;
-#ifdef S_IFSOCK
-			case S_IFSOCK: fch = 's'; break;
-#endif
-			}
-		}
-	}
-#else
-	u_rwx = strdup("-");
-	fch = isdir ? 'd' : '-';
-#endif
-	if (printfmt == 'q') {
-		res = rz_str_appendf(res, "%s\n", nn);
-	} else if (printfmt == 'e') {
-		const char *eDIR = "📁";
-		const char *eIMG = "🌅";
-		const char *eHID = "👀";
-		const char *eANY = "  ";
-		// --
-		const char *icon = eANY;
-		if (isdir) {
-			icon = eDIR;
-#if __UNIX__
-		} else if ((sb.st_mode & S_IFMT) == S_IFLNK) {
-			const char *eLNK = "📎";
-			icon = eLNK;
-		} else if (sb.st_mode & S_ISUID) {
-			const char *eUID = "🔼";
-			icon = eUID;
-#endif
-		} else if (rz_str_casestr(nn, ".jpg") || rz_str_casestr(nn, ".png") || rz_str_casestr(nn, ".gif")) {
-			icon = eIMG;
-		} else if (*nn == '.') {
-			icon = eHID;
-		}
-		res = rz_str_appendf(res, "%s %s\n", icon, nn);
-	} else if (printfmt == FMT_RAW) {
-		res = rz_str_appendf(res, "%c%s%s%s  1 %4d:%-4d  %-10d  %s\n",
-			isdir ? 'd' : fch,
-			u_rwx ? u_rwx : "-",
-			rz_str_rwx_i((perm >> 3) & 7),
-			rz_str_rwx_i(perm & 7),
-			uid, gid, sz, nn);
-	} else if (printfmt == FMT_JSON) {
-		if (nth > 0) {
-			res = rz_str_append(res, ",");
-		}
-		res = rz_str_appendf(res, "{\"name\":\"%s\",\"size\":%d,\"uid\":%d,"
-					  "\"gid\":%d,\"perm\":%d,\"isdir\":%s}",
-			name, sz, uid, gid, perm, isdir ? "true" : "false");
-	}
-	free(nn);
-	free(u_rwx);
-	return res;
-}
-
-RZ_API RZ_OWN char *rz_syscmd_ls(RZ_NONNULL const char *input) {
-	char *res = NULL;
-	const char *path = ".";
-	char *d = NULL;
-	char *p = NULL;
-	char *homepath = NULL;
-	char *pattern = NULL;
-	int printfmt = 0;
-	RzListIter *iter;
-	RzList *files;
-	char *name;
-	char *dir;
-	int off;
-	if (!input) {
-		input = "";
-		path = ".";
-	}
-	if (*input == 'q') {
-		printfmt = 'q';
-		input++;
-	}
-	if (*input && input[0] == ' ') {
-		input++;
-	}
-	if (*input) {
-		if ((!strncmp(input, "-h", 2))) {
-			eprintf("Usage: ls ([-e,-l,-j,-q]) ([path]) # long, json, quiet\n");
-		} else if ((!strncmp(input, "-e", 2))) {
-			printfmt = 'e';
-			path = rz_str_trim_head_ro(input + 2);
-		} else if ((!strncmp(input, "-q", 2))) {
-			printfmt = 'q';
-			path = rz_str_trim_head_ro(input + 2);
-		} else if ((!strncmp(input, "-l", 2)) || (!strncmp(input, "-j", 2))) {
-			printfmt = (input[1] == 'j') ? FMT_JSON : FMT_RAW;
-			path = rz_str_trim_head_ro(input + 2);
-			if (!*path) {
-				path = ".";
-			}
-		} else {
-			path = input;
-		}
-	}
-	if (!path || !*path) {
-		path = ".";
-	} else if (rz_str_startswith(path, "~")) {
-		homepath = rz_path_home_expand(path);
-		if (homepath) {
-			path = (const char *)homepath;
-		}
-	} else if (*path == '$') {
-		if (!strncmp(path + 1, "home", 4) || !strncmp(path + 1, "HOME", 4)) {
-			homepath = rz_str_home((strlen(path) > 5) ? path + 6 : NULL);
-			if (homepath) {
-				path = (const char *)homepath;
-			}
-		}
-	}
-	if (!rz_file_is_directory(path)) {
-		p = strrchr(path, '/');
-		if (p) {
-			off = p - path;
-			d = (char *)calloc(1, off + 1);
-			if (!d) {
-				free(homepath);
-				return NULL;
-			}
-			memcpy(d, path, off);
-			path = (const char *)d;
-			pattern = strdup(p + 1);
-		} else {
-			pattern = strdup(path);
-			path = ".";
-		}
-	} else {
-		pattern = strdup("*");
-	}
-	if (rz_file_is_regular(path)) {
-		res = showfile(res, 0, path, path, printfmt);
-		free(homepath);
-		free(pattern);
-		free(d);
-		return res;
-	}
-	files = rz_sys_dir(path);
-
-	if (path[strlen(path) - 1] == '/') {
-		dir = strdup(path);
-	} else {
-		dir = rz_str_append(strdup(path), "/");
-	}
-	int nth = 0;
-	if (printfmt == FMT_JSON) {
-		res = strdup("[");
-	}
-	needs_newline = 0;
-	rz_list_foreach (files, iter, name) {
-		char *n = rz_str_append(strdup(dir), name);
-		if (!n) {
-			break;
-		}
-		if (rz_str_glob(name, pattern)) {
-			if (*n) {
-				res = showfile(res, nth, n, name, printfmt);
-			}
-			nth++;
-		}
-		free(n);
-	}
-	if (printfmt == FMT_JSON) {
-		res = rz_str_append(res, "]");
-	}
-	if (needs_newline) {
-		res = rz_str_append(res, "\n");
-	}
-	free(dir);
-	free(d);
-	free(homepath);
-	free(pattern);
-	rz_list_free(files);
-	return res;
-}
-
 static int cmpstr(const void *_a, const void *_b) {
 	const char *a = _a, *b = _b;
 	return (int)strcmp(a, b);