diff --git a/packages/wp-now/src/execute-php-file.ts b/packages/wp-now/src/execute-php-file.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 130569bf..00000000
--- a/packages/wp-now/src/execute-php-file.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,44 +0,0 @@
-import fs from 'fs';
-import path from 'path';
-import startWPNow from './wp-now';
-import { WPNowOptions } from './config';
-import { disableOutput } from './output';
-
-/**
- *
- * Execute a PHP file given its path. For non index mode it loads WordPress context.
- *
- * @param {string} filePath - The path to the PHP file to be executed.
- * @param {WPNowOptions} [options={}] - Optional configuration object for WPNow. Defaults to an empty object.
- * @returns {Promise<{ name: string; status: 0; }>} - Returns a Promise that resolves to an object containing
- * the exit name and status (0 for success).
- * @throws {Error} - Throws an error if the specified file is not found or if an error occurs while executing the file.
- */
-export async function executePHPFile(
-	filePath: string,
-	options: WPNowOptions = {}
-) {
-	disableOutput();
-	const { phpInstances } = await startWPNow({
-		...options,
-		numberOfPhpInstances: 2,
-	});
-	const [, php] = phpInstances;
-
-	// check if filePath exists
-	const absoluteFilePath = path.resolve(filePath);
-	if (!fs.existsSync(absoluteFilePath)) {
-		throw new Error(`Could not open input file: ${absoluteFilePath}`);
-	}
-
-	try {
-		php.useHostFilesystem();
-		await php.cli(['php', absoluteFilePath]);
-	} catch (resultOrError) {
-		const success =
-			resultOrError.name === 'ExitStatus' && resultOrError.status === 0;
-		if (!success) {
-			throw resultOrError;
-		}
-	}
-}
diff --git a/packages/wp-now/src/execute-php.ts b/packages/wp-now/src/execute-php.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..98c5adf7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/wp-now/src/execute-php.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+import startWPNow from './wp-now';
+import { WPNowOptions } from './config';
+import { disableOutput } from './output';
+
+/**
+ * Execute a PHP cli given its parameters.
+ *
+ * @param phpArgs - Arguments to pass to the PHP cli. The first argument should be the string 'php'.
+ * @param options - Optional configuration object for WPNow. Defaults to an empty object.
+ * @returns - Returns a Promise that resolves to an object containing
+ * the exit name and status (0 for success).
+ * @throws - Throws an error if the first element in phpArgs is not the string 'php'.
+ */
+export async function executePHP(
+	phpArgs: string[],
+	options: WPNowOptions = {}
+) {
+	if (phpArgs[0] !== 'php') {
+		throw new Error(
+			'The first argument to executePHP must be the string "php".'
+		);
+	}
+	disableOutput();
+	const { phpInstances } = await startWPNow({
+		...options,
+		numberOfPhpInstances: 2,
+	});
+	const [, php] = phpInstances;
+
+	try {
+		php.useHostFilesystem();
+		await php.cli(phpArgs);
+	} catch (resultOrError) {
+		const success =
+			resultOrError.name === 'ExitStatus' && resultOrError.status === 0;
+		if (!success) {
+			throw resultOrError;
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/packages/wp-now/src/run-cli.ts b/packages/wp-now/src/run-cli.ts
index 382b6c8e..dcfb6b45 100644
--- a/packages/wp-now/src/run-cli.ts
+++ b/packages/wp-now/src/run-cli.ts
@@ -3,9 +3,9 @@ import { hideBin } from 'yargs/helpers';
 import { startServer } from './start-server';
 import { portFinder } from './port-finder';
 import { SupportedPHPVersion } from '@php-wasm/universal';
-import getWpNowConfig from './config';
+import getWpNowConfig, { CliOptions } from './config';
 import { spawn, SpawnOptionsWithoutStdio } from 'child_process';
-import { executePHPFile } from './execute-php-file';
+import { executePHP } from './execute-php';
 import { output } from './output';
 
 function startSpinner(message: string) {
@@ -38,13 +38,16 @@ export async function runCli() {
 		.scriptName('wp-now')
 		.usage('$0 <cmd> [args]')
 		.check(async (argv) => {
+			const config: CliOptions = {
+				php: argv.php as SupportedPHPVersion,
+				path: argv.path as string,
+			};
+			if (argv._[0] !== 'php') {
+				config.wp = argv.wp as string;
+				config.port = argv.port as number;
+			}
 			try {
-				await getWpNowConfig({
-					path: argv.path as string,
-					php: argv.php as SupportedPHPVersion,
-					wp: argv.wp as string,
-					port: argv.port as number,
-				});
+				await getWpNowConfig(config);
 			} catch (error) {
 				return error.message;
 			}
@@ -87,22 +90,25 @@ export async function runCli() {
 			}
 		)
 		.command(
-			'php <file>',
-			'Run the php command passing the arguments for php cli',
+			'php [..args]',
+			'Run the php command passing the arguments to php cli',
 			(yargs) => {
 				commonParameters(yargs);
-				yargs.positional('file', {
-					describe: 'Path to the PHP file to run',
-					type: 'string',
-				});
+				yargs.strict(false);
 			},
 			async (argv) => {
 				try {
+					// 0: node, 1: wp-now, 2: php, ...args
+					const args = process.argv.slice(2);
 					const options = await getWpNowConfig({
 						path: argv.path as string,
 						php: argv.php as SupportedPHPVersion,
 					});
-					await executePHPFile(argv.file as string, options);
+					const phpArgs = args.includes('--')
+						? (argv._ as string[])
+						: args;
+					// 0: php, ...args
+					await executePHP(phpArgs, options);
 					process.exit(0);
 				} catch (error) {
 					console.error(error);
diff --git a/packages/wp-now/src/tests/execute-php-file.spec.ts b/packages/wp-now/src/tests/execute-php-file.spec.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index b539ebdb..00000000
--- a/packages/wp-now/src/tests/execute-php-file.spec.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,47 +0,0 @@
-import fs from 'fs-extra';
-import path from 'path';
-import { executePHPFile } from '../execute-php-file';
-import getWpNowConfig from '../config';
-
-const exampleDir = path.join(__dirname, 'execute-php-file');
-
-test('php file execution in index mode', async () => {
-	const resultFilePath = path.join(exampleDir, 'hello-world-result.txt');
-	// reset result file
-	fs.writeFileSync(resultFilePath, '');
-	const options = await getWpNowConfig({
-		path: exampleDir,
-	});
-	await executePHPFile(path.join(exampleDir, 'hello-world.php'), options);
-	const output = fs.readFileSync(resultFilePath, 'utf8');
-	expect(output).toBe('Hello World!');
-});
-
-test('php file execution for each PHP Version', async () => {
-	const resultFilePath = path.join(exampleDir, 'php-version-result.txt');
-	const options = await getWpNowConfig({
-		path: exampleDir,
-	});
-	await executePHPFile(path.join(exampleDir, 'php-version.php'), {
-		...options,
-		phpVersion: '7.4',
-	});
-	let output = fs.readFileSync(resultFilePath, 'utf8');
-	expect(output.substring(0, 16)).toBe('PHP Version: 7.4');
-
-	await executePHPFile(path.join(exampleDir, 'php-version.php'), {
-		...options,
-		phpVersion: '8.0',
-	});
-	output = fs.readFileSync(resultFilePath, 'utf8');
-	expect(output.substring(0, 16)).toBe('PHP Version: 8.0');
-
-	await executePHPFile(path.join(exampleDir, 'php-version.php'), {
-		...options,
-		phpVersion: '8.2',
-	});
-	output = fs.readFileSync(resultFilePath, 'utf8');
-	expect(output.substring(0, 16)).toBe('PHP Version: 8.2');
-
-	fs.writeFileSync(resultFilePath, 'PHP Version: X.Y');
-});
diff --git a/packages/wp-now/src/tests/execute-php.spec.ts b/packages/wp-now/src/tests/execute-php.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f1ed1894
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/wp-now/src/tests/execute-php.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,131 @@
+import fs from 'fs-extra';
+import path from 'path';
+import { executePHP } from '../execute-php';
+import getWpNowConfig from '../config';
+import { runCli } from '../run-cli';
+
+const exampleDir = path.join(__dirname, 'execute-php');
+
+test('php file execution in index mode', async () => {
+	const resultFilePath = path.join(exampleDir, 'hello-world-result.txt');
+	// reset result file
+	fs.writeFileSync(resultFilePath, '');
+	const options = await getWpNowConfig({
+		path: exampleDir,
+	});
+	await executePHP(
+		['php', path.join(exampleDir, 'hello-world.php')],
+		options
+	);
+	const output = fs.readFileSync(resultFilePath, 'utf8');
+	expect(output).toBe('Hello World!');
+});
+
+test('php file execution for each PHP Version', async () => {
+	const resultFilePath = path.join(exampleDir, 'php-version-result.txt');
+	const options = await getWpNowConfig({
+		path: exampleDir,
+	});
+	await executePHP(['php', path.join(exampleDir, 'php-version.php')], {
+		...options,
+		phpVersion: '7.4',
+	});
+	let output = fs.readFileSync(resultFilePath, 'utf8');
+	expect(output.substring(0, 16)).toBe('PHP Version: 7.4');
+
+	await executePHP(['php', path.join(exampleDir, 'php-version.php')], {
+		...options,
+		phpVersion: '8.0',
+	});
+	output = fs.readFileSync(resultFilePath, 'utf8');
+	expect(output.substring(0, 16)).toBe('PHP Version: 8.0');
+
+	await executePHP(['php', path.join(exampleDir, 'php-version.php')], {
+		...options,
+		phpVersion: '8.2',
+	});
+	output = fs.readFileSync(resultFilePath, 'utf8');
+	expect(output.substring(0, 16)).toBe('PHP Version: 8.2');
+
+	fs.writeFileSync(resultFilePath, 'PHP Version: X.Y');
+});
+
+test('php throws an error if the first element is not the string "php"', async () => {
+	const options = await getWpNowConfig({
+		path: exampleDir,
+	});
+	try {
+		await executePHP(
+			['word-different-to-php', path.join(exampleDir, 'php-version.php')],
+			{
+				...options,
+				phpVersion: '7.4',
+			}
+		);
+	} catch (error) {
+		expect(error.message).toBe(
+			'The first argument to executePHP must be the string "php".'
+		);
+	}
+});
+
+describe('validate php arguments passed through yargs', () => {
+	let output = '';
+	let consoleLogMock;
+	let processExitMock;
+	const argv = process.argv;
+	beforeEach(() => {
+		consoleLogMock = vi
+			.spyOn(console, 'log')
+			.mockImplementation((newLine: string) => {
+				output += `${newLine}\n`;
+			});
+		processExitMock = vi
+			.spyOn(process, 'exit')
+			.mockImplementation(() => null);
+	});
+
+	afterEach(() => {
+		output = '';
+		process.argv = argv;
+		consoleLogMock.mockRestore();
+		processExitMock.mockRestore();
+	});
+
+	test('php should receive the correct yargs arguments', async () => {
+		process.argv = ['node', 'wp-now', 'php', '--', '--version'];
+		await runCli();
+		expect(output).toMatch(/PHP 8\.0(.*)\(cli\)/i);
+		expect(processExitMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith(0);
+	});
+
+	test('wp-now should change the php version', async () => {
+		process.argv = [
+			'node',
+			'wp-now',
+			'php',
+			'--php=7.4',
+			'--',
+			'--version',
+		];
+		await runCli();
+		expect(output).toMatch(/PHP 7\.4(.*)\(cli\)/i);
+		expect(processExitMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith(0);
+	});
+
+	test('php should execute a file', async () => {
+		const filePath = path.join(exampleDir, 'print-php-version.php');
+		process.argv = ['node', 'wp-now', 'php', filePath];
+		await runCli();
+		expect(output).toMatch(/8\.0/i);
+		expect(processExitMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith(0);
+	});
+
+	test('php should execute a file and change php version', async () => {
+		const filePath = path.join(exampleDir, 'print-php-version.php');
+		process.argv = ['node', 'wp-now', 'php', '--php=7.4', '--', filePath];
+		await runCli();
+		expect(output).toMatch(/7\.4/i);
+		expect(processExitMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith(0);
+	});
+});
diff --git a/packages/wp-now/src/tests/execute-php-file/hello-world-result.txt b/packages/wp-now/src/tests/execute-php/hello-world-result.txt
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/wp-now/src/tests/execute-php-file/hello-world-result.txt
rename to packages/wp-now/src/tests/execute-php/hello-world-result.txt
diff --git a/packages/wp-now/src/tests/execute-php-file/hello-world.php b/packages/wp-now/src/tests/execute-php/hello-world.php
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/wp-now/src/tests/execute-php-file/hello-world.php
rename to packages/wp-now/src/tests/execute-php/hello-world.php
diff --git a/packages/wp-now/src/tests/execute-php-file/index.php b/packages/wp-now/src/tests/execute-php/index.php
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/wp-now/src/tests/execute-php-file/index.php
rename to packages/wp-now/src/tests/execute-php/index.php
diff --git a/packages/wp-now/src/tests/execute-php-file/php-version-result.txt b/packages/wp-now/src/tests/execute-php/php-version-result.txt
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/wp-now/src/tests/execute-php-file/php-version-result.txt
rename to packages/wp-now/src/tests/execute-php/php-version-result.txt
diff --git a/packages/wp-now/src/tests/execute-php-file/php-version.php b/packages/wp-now/src/tests/execute-php/php-version.php
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/wp-now/src/tests/execute-php-file/php-version.php
rename to packages/wp-now/src/tests/execute-php/php-version.php
diff --git a/packages/wp-now/src/tests/execute-php/print-php-version.php b/packages/wp-now/src/tests/execute-php/print-php-version.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f80a041e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/wp-now/src/tests/execute-php/print-php-version.php
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+<?php echo phpversion();