diff --git a/src/cmd/root.go b/src/cmd/root.go
index 704418bb..576769ac 100644
--- a/src/cmd/root.go
+++ b/src/cmd/root.go
@@ -76,9 +76,10 @@ func init() {
 	}
 
 	// only vendor zarf if specifically invoked
-	if len(os.Args) > 1 && os.Args[1] == "zarf" {
+	if len(os.Args) > 1 && (os.Args[1] == "zarf" || os.Args[1] == "z") {
 		zarfCmd := &cobra.Command{
-			Use: "zarf COMMAND",
+			Use:     "zarf COMMAND",
+			Aliases: []string{"z"},
 			Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 				os.Args = os.Args[1:] // grab 'zarf' and onward from the CLI args
 				zarfCLI.Execute()
diff --git a/src/test/e2e/variable_test.go b/src/test/e2e/variable_test.go
index 95bbdffa..97363a34 100644
--- a/src/test/e2e/variable_test.go
+++ b/src/test/e2e/variable_test.go
@@ -153,12 +153,12 @@ func TestBundleWithEnvVarHelmOverrides(t *testing.T) {
 	deploy(t, bundlePath)
 
 	// check override variables, ensure they are coming from env vars and take highest precedence
-	cmd := strings.Split("zarf tools kubectl get deploy -n podinfo unicorn-podinfo -o=jsonpath='{.spec.template.spec.containers[0].env[?(@.name==\"PODINFO_UI_COLOR\")].value}'", " ")
+	cmd := strings.Split("z tools kubectl get deploy -n podinfo unicorn-podinfo -o=jsonpath='{.spec.template.spec.containers[0].env[?(@.name==\"PODINFO_UI_COLOR\")].value}'", " ")
 	outputUIColor, _, err := e2e.UDS(cmd...)
 	require.Equal(t, fmt.Sprintf("'%s'", color), outputUIColor)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
-	cmd = strings.Split("zarf tools kubectl get secret test-secret -n podinfo -o jsonpath=\"{.data.test}\"", " ")
+	cmd = strings.Split("z tools kubectl get secret test-secret -n podinfo -o jsonpath=\"{.data.test}\"", " ")
 	secretValue, _, err := e2e.UDS(cmd...)
 	require.Equal(t, fmt.Sprintf("\"%s\"", b64Secret), secretValue)
 	require.NoError(t, err)