diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 1fb22eb..49a97cb 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+### Fixed
+
+- various issues with issue list: --team, --sort flags work now, workspace doesn't need to be set (useful when running unconfigured)
+
 ### Changed
 
 - removed uneccessary double prompt around adding labels
diff --git a/src/commands/issue/issue-list.ts b/src/commands/issue/issue-list.ts
index 0b9259f..2a7ea74 100644
--- a/src/commands/issue/issue-list.ts
+++ b/src/commands/issue/issue-list.ts
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ export const listCommand = new Command()
     ) => {
       const usePager = pager !== false
       if (web || app) {
-        await openTeamAssigneeView({ app: app })
+        await openTeamAssigneeView({ app: app, team })
         return
       }
 
@@ -110,8 +110,10 @@ export const listCommand = new Command()
         Deno.exit(1)
       }
 
-      const sort = sortFlag ||
-        getOption("issue_sort") as "manual" | "priority" | undefined
+      const sort = getOption("issue_sort", sortFlag) as
+        | "manual"
+        | "priority"
+        | undefined
       if (!sort) {
         console.error(
           "Sort must be provided via command line flag, configuration file, or LINEAR_ISSUE_SORT environment variable",
@@ -142,6 +144,7 @@ export const listCommand = new Command()
           assignee,
           unassigned,
           allAssignees,
+          sort,
         )
         spinner?.stop()
         const issues = result.issues?.nodes || []
diff --git a/src/utils/actions.ts b/src/utils/actions.ts
index 13c3ec1..c43374b 100644
--- a/src/utils/actions.ts
+++ b/src/utils/actions.ts
@@ -55,8 +55,10 @@ export async function openProjectPage(
   await open(url, options.app ? { app: { name: "Linear" } } : undefined)
 }
 
-export async function openTeamAssigneeView(options: { app?: boolean } = {}) {
-  const teamId = getTeamKey()
+export async function openTeamAssigneeView(
+  options: { app?: boolean; team?: string } = {},
+) {
+  const teamId = options.team || getTeamKey()
   if (!teamId) {
     console.error(
       "Could not determine team id from configuration or directory name.",
@@ -64,12 +66,23 @@ export async function openTeamAssigneeView(options: { app?: boolean } = {}) {
     Deno.exit(1)
   }
 
-  const workspace = getOption("workspace")
+  let workspace = getOption("workspace")
   if (!workspace) {
-    console.error(
-      "workspace is not set via command line, configuration file, or environment.",
-    )
-    Deno.exit(1)
+    // Get workspace from viewer if not configured
+    const { gql } = await import("../__codegen__/gql.ts")
+    const { getGraphQLClient } = await import("./graphql.ts")
+    const client = getGraphQLClient()
+    const viewerQuery = gql(`
+      query GetViewer {
+        viewer {
+          organization {
+            urlKey
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    `)
+    const result = await client.request(viewerQuery)
+    workspace = result.viewer.organization.urlKey
   }
 
   const filterObj = {
diff --git a/src/utils/linear.ts b/src/utils/linear.ts
index 1bd4ad4..9ebb048 100644
--- a/src/utils/linear.ts
+++ b/src/utils/linear.ts
@@ -304,9 +304,11 @@ export async function fetchIssuesForState(
   assignee?: string,
   unassigned = false,
   allAssignees = false,
+  sort?: "manual" | "priority",
 ) {
-  const sort = getOption("issue_sort") as "manual" | "priority" | undefined
-  if (!sort) {
+  const sortValue = sort ||
+    getOption("issue_sort") as "manual" | "priority" | undefined
+  if (!sortValue) {
     console.error(
       "Sort must be provided via configuration file or LINEAR_ISSUE_SORT environment variable",
     )
@@ -369,7 +371,7 @@ export async function fetchIssuesForState(
   `)
 
   let sortPayload: Array<IssueSortInput>
-  switch (sort) {
+  switch (sortValue) {
     case "manual":
       sortPayload = [
         { workflowState: { order: "Descending" } },
@@ -383,7 +385,7 @@ export async function fetchIssuesForState(
       ]
       break
     default:
-      throw new Error(`Unknown sort type: ${sort}`)
+      throw new Error(`Unknown sort type: ${sortValue}`)
   }
 
   const client = getGraphQLClient()
diff --git a/test/commands/issue/__snapshots__/issue-view.test.ts.snap b/test/commands/issue/__snapshots__/issue-view.test.ts.snap
index 8808edb..69b6fbb 100644
--- a/test/commands/issue/__snapshots__/issue-view.test.ts.snap
+++ b/test/commands/issue/__snapshots__/issue-view.test.ts.snap
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@ stderr:
 
 snapshot[`Issue View Command - With Issue ID 1`] = `
 stdout:
-"Error: error sending request for url (http://127.0.0.1:3000/graphql): client error (Connect): tcp connect error: Connection refused: Connection refused
-"
+'Error: GraphQL Error (Code: 401): {"response":{"status":401,"headers":{}},"request":{"query":"query GetIssueDetailsWithComments(\$id: String!) {\\\\n  issue(id: \$id) {\\\\n    title\\\\n    description\\\\n    url\\\\n    branchName\\\\n    comments(first: 50, orderBy: createdAt) {\\\\n      nodes {\\\\n        id\\\\n        body\\\\n        createdAt\\\\n        user {\\\\n          name\\\\n          displayName\\\\n        }\\\\n        externalUser {\\\\n          name\\\\n          displayName\\\\n        }\\\\n        parent {\\\\n          id\\\\n        }\\\\n      }\\\\n    }\\\\n  }\\\\n}","variables":{"id":"TEST-123"}}}
+'
 stderr:
 "✗ Failed to fetch issue details
 "
diff --git a/test/commands/issue/issue-list.test.ts b/test/commands/issue/issue-list.test.ts
index 277bae4..7ed6b98 100644
--- a/test/commands/issue/issue-list.test.ts
+++ b/test/commands/issue/issue-list.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { snapshotTest } from "@cliffy/testing"
+import { assertEquals } from "@std/assert"
 import { listCommand } from "../../../src/commands/issue/issue-list.ts"
 import { commonDenoArgs } from "../../utils/test-helpers.ts"
 
@@ -13,3 +14,21 @@ await snapshotTest({
     await listCommand.parse()
   },
 })
+
+Deno.test("Issue List Command - sort flag should work", async () => {
+  const args = ["--team", "pre", "-A", "--sort", "priority"]
+
+  // This should not throw an error about sort being required
+  try {
+    await listCommand.parse(args)
+  } catch (error) {
+    // We expect it to fail for other reasons (like API calls), but not for sort validation
+    if (error instanceof Error) {
+      assertEquals(
+        error.message.includes("Sort must be provided"),
+        false,
+        "Sort flag was provided but validation still failed",
+      )
+    }
+  }
+})
diff --git a/test/commands/issue/issue-view.test.ts b/test/commands/issue/issue-view.test.ts
index 1fc3161..1b83567 100644
--- a/test/commands/issue/issue-view.test.ts
+++ b/test/commands/issue/issue-view.test.ts
@@ -45,10 +45,9 @@ await snapshotTest({
       // Expected to fail with mock endpoint, capture the error for snapshot
       // Normalize error message to be consistent across platforms
       const message = (error as Error).message
-      const normalizedMessage = message.replace(
-        /Connection refused \(os error \d+\)/g,
-        "Connection refused",
-      )
+      const normalizedMessage = message
+        .replace(/Connection refused \(os error \d+\)/g, "Connection refused")
+        .replace(/: Connection refused$/g, "")
       console.log(`Error: ${normalizedMessage}`)
     } finally {
       // Clean up environment