diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 2f20c93e..42bfce55 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ If the default `--runtime` value does not point to your runtime:
 
 #### Create a pod
 ```
-$ ocic pod create --config test/testdata/sandbox_config.json
+$ ocic pod run --config test/testdata/sandbox_config.json
 ```
 
 #### Get pod status
diff --git a/cmd/client/sandbox.go b/cmd/client/sandbox.go
index 00637385..ad8455bf 100644
--- a/cmd/client/sandbox.go
+++ b/cmd/client/sandbox.go
@@ -24,12 +24,12 @@ var podSandboxCommand = cli.Command{
 }
 
 var runPodSandboxCommand = cli.Command{
-	Name:  "create",
-	Usage: "create a pod",
+	Name:  "run",
+	Usage: "run a pod",
 	Flags: []cli.Flag{
 		cli.StringFlag{
 			Name:  "config",
-			Value: "config.json",
+			Value: "",
 			Usage: "the path of a pod sandbox config file",
 		},
 		cli.StringFlag{
diff --git a/test/apparmor.bats b/test/apparmor.bats
index 94bc3de4..480acb9f 100644
--- a/test/apparmor.bats
+++ b/test/apparmor.bats
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ function teardown() {
 
     sed -e 's/%VALUE%/,"container\.apparmor\.security\.beta\.kubernetes\.io\/testname1": "runtime\/default"/g' "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config_seccomp.json > "$TESTDIR"/apparmor1.json
 
-    run ocic pod create --name apparmor1 --config "$TESTDIR"/apparmor1.json
+    run ocic pod run --name apparmor1 --config "$TESTDIR"/apparmor1.json
     echo "$output"
     [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
     pod_id="$output"
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ function teardown() {
 
     sed -e 's/%VALUE%/,"container\.apparmor\.security\.beta\.kubernetes\.io\/testname2": "apparmor-test-deny-write"/g' "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config_seccomp.json > "$TESTDIR"/apparmor2.json
 
-    run ocic pod create --name apparmor2 --config "$TESTDIR"/apparmor2.json
+    run ocic pod run --name apparmor2 --config "$TESTDIR"/apparmor2.json
     echo "$output"
     [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
     pod_id="$output"
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ function teardown() {
 
     sed -e 's/%VALUE%/,"container\.apparmor\.security\.beta\.kubernetes\.io\/testname3": "apparmor-test-deny-write"/g' "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config_seccomp.json > "$TESTDIR"/apparmor3.json
 
-    run ocic pod create --name apparmor3 --config "$TESTDIR"/apparmor3.json
+    run ocic pod run --name apparmor3 --config "$TESTDIR"/apparmor3.json
     echo "$output"
     [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
     pod_id="$output"
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ function teardown() {
 
     sed -e 's/%VALUE%/,"container\.apparmor\.security\.beta\.kubernetes\.io\/testname4": "not-exists"/g' "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config_seccomp.json > "$TESTDIR"/apparmor4.json
 
-    run ocic pod create --name apparmor4 --config "$TESTDIR"/apparmor4.json
+    run ocic pod run --name apparmor4 --config "$TESTDIR"/apparmor4.json
     echo "$output"
     [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
     pod_id="$output"
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ function teardown() {
 
     sed -e 's/%VALUE%/,"container\.apparmor\.security\.beta\.kubernetes\.io\/testname5": "runtime\/default"/g' "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config_seccomp.json > "$TESTDIR"/apparmor5.json
 
-    run ocic pod create --name apparmor5 --config "$TESTDIR"/apparmor5.json
+    run ocic pod run --name apparmor5 --config "$TESTDIR"/apparmor5.json
     echo "$output"
     [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
     pod_id="$output"
diff --git a/test/ctr.bats b/test/ctr.bats
index aa73da41..1d351c87 100644
--- a/test/ctr.bats
+++ b/test/ctr.bats
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ function teardown() {
 	fi
 
 	start_ocid
-	run ocic pod create --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json
+	run ocic pod run --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json
 	echo "$output"
 	[ "$status" -eq 0 ]
 	pod_id="$output"
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ function teardown() {
 	fi
 
 	start_ocid
-	run ocic pod create --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json
+	run ocic pod run --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json
 	echo "$output"
 	[ "$status" -eq 0 ]
 	pod_id="$output"
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ function teardown() {
 	fi
 
 	start_ocid
-	run ocic pod create --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json
+	run ocic pod run --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json
 	echo "$output"
 	[ "$status" -eq 0 ]
 	pod_id="$output"
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ function teardown() {
 	fi
 
 	start_ocid
-	run ocic pod create --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json --name pod1
+	run ocic pod run --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json --name pod1
 	echo "$output"
 	[ "$status" -eq 0 ]
 	pod1_id="$output"
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ function teardown() {
 	run ocic ctr start --id "$ctr1_id"
 	echo "$output"
 	[ "$status" -eq 0 ]
-	run ocic pod create --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json --name pod2
+	run ocic pod run --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json --name pod2
 	echo "$output"
 	[ "$status" -eq 0 ]
 	pod2_id="$output"
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ function teardown() {
 	echo "$output"
 	[ "$status" -eq 0 ]
 	ctr2_id="$output"
-	run ocic pod create --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json --name pod3
+	run ocic pod run --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json --name pod3
 	echo "$output"
 	[ "$status" -eq 0 ]
 	pod3_id="$output"
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ function teardown() {
 	fi
 
 	start_ocid
-	run ocic pod create --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json
+	run ocic pod run --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json
 	echo "$output"
 	[ "$status" -eq 0 ]
 	pod_id="$output"
@@ -305,7 +305,7 @@ function teardown() {
 	fi
 
 	start_ocid
-	run ocic pod create --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json
+	run ocic pod run --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json
 	echo "$output"
 	[ "$status" -eq 0 ]
 	pod_id="$output"
@@ -340,7 +340,7 @@ function teardown() {
 	fi
 
 	start_ocid
-	run ocic pod create --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json
+	run ocic pod run --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json
 	echo "$output"
 	[ "$status" -eq 0 ]
 	pod_id="$output"
@@ -373,7 +373,7 @@ function teardown() {
 	fi
 
 	start_ocid
-	run ocic pod create --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json
+	run ocic pod run --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json
 	echo "$output"
 	[ "$status" -eq 0 ]
 	pod_id="$output"
@@ -401,7 +401,7 @@ function teardown() {
 	fi
 
 	start_ocid
-	run ocic pod create --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json
+	run ocic pod run --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json
 	echo "$output"
 	[ "$status" -eq 0 ]
 	pod_id="$output"
diff --git a/test/pod.bats b/test/pod.bats
index 8b1eb690..4331fcdb 100644
--- a/test/pod.bats
+++ b/test/pod.bats
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ function teardown() {
 	fi
 
 	start_ocid
-	run ocic pod create --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json
+	run ocic pod run --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json
 	echo "$output"
 	[ "$status" -eq 0 ]
 	id="$output"
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ function teardown() {
 	run ocic pod remove --id "$id"
 	echo "$output"
 	[ "$status" -eq 0 ]
-	run ocic pod create --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json
+	run ocic pod run --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json
 	echo "$output"
 	[ "$status" -eq 0 ]
 	id="$output"
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ function teardown() {
 	fi
 
 	start_ocid
-	run ocic pod create --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json
+	run ocic pod run --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json
 	echo "$output"
 	[ "$status" -eq 0 ]
 	pod_id="$output"
@@ -73,15 +73,15 @@ function teardown() {
 	fi
 
 	start_ocid
-	run ocic pod create --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json -name pod1 --label "a=b" --label "c=d" --label "e=f"
+	run ocic pod run --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json -name pod1 --label "a=b" --label "c=d" --label "e=f"
 	echo "$output"
 	[ "$status" -eq 0 ]
 	pod1_id="$output"
-	run ocic pod create --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json -name pod2 --label "a=b" --label "c=d"
+	run ocic pod run --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json -name pod2 --label "a=b" --label "c=d"
 	echo "$output"
 	[ "$status" -eq 0 ]
 	pod2_id="$output"
-	run ocic pod create --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json -name pod3 --label "a=b"
+	run ocic pod run --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json -name pod3 --label "a=b"
 	echo "$output"
 	[ "$status" -eq 0 ]
 	pod3_id="$output"
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ function teardown() {
 	fi
 
 	start_ocid
-	run ocic pod create --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json
+	run ocic pod run --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json
 	echo "$output"
 	[ "$status" -eq 0 ]
 	pod_id="$output"
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ function teardown() {
 	fi
 
 	start_ocid
-	run ocic pod create --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json
+	run ocic pod run --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json
 	echo "$output"
 	[ "$status" -eq 0 ]
 	pod_id="$output"
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@ function teardown() {
 	fi
 
 	start_ocid
-	run ocic pod create --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json
+	run ocic pod run --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json
 	echo "$output"
 	[ "$status" -eq 0 ]
 	pod_id="$output"
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ function teardown() {
 	fi
 
 	start_ocid
-	run ocic pod create --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json
+	run ocic pod run --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json
 	echo "$output"
 	[ "$status" -eq 0 ]
 	pod_id="$output"
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ function teardown() {
 	fi
 
 	start_ocid
-	run ocic pod create --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json
+	run ocic pod run --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json
 	echo "$output"
 	[ "$status" -eq 0 ]
 	pod_id="$output"
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@ function teardown() {
 	fi
 
 	start_ocid
-	run ocic pod create --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json
+	run ocic pod run --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json
 	echo "$output"
 	[ "$status" -eq 0 ]
 	pod_id="$output"
diff --git a/test/restore.bats b/test/restore.bats
index d6dcd16e..5d36e284 100644
--- a/test/restore.bats
+++ b/test/restore.bats
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ function teardown() {
 	fi
 
 	start_ocid
-	run ocic pod create --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json
+	run ocic pod run --config "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config.json
 	echo "$output"
 	[ "$status" -eq 0 ]
 	pod_id="$output"
diff --git a/test/seccomp.bats b/test/seccomp.bats
index 8b26d729..ecfbaaf4 100644
--- a/test/seccomp.bats
+++ b/test/seccomp.bats
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ function teardown() {
 	start_ocid "$TESTDIR"/seccomp_profile1.json
 
 	sed -e 's/%VALUE%/,"security\.alpha\.kubernetes\.io\/seccomp\/container\/redhat\.test\.ocid-seccomp1-1-testname-0": "unconfined"/g' "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config_seccomp.json > "$TESTDIR"/seccomp1.json
-	run ocic pod create --name seccomp1 --config "$TESTDIR"/seccomp1.json
+	run ocic pod run --name seccomp1 --config "$TESTDIR"/seccomp1.json
 	echo "$output"
 	[ "$status" -eq 0 ]
 	pod_id="$output"
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ function teardown() {
 	start_ocid "$TESTDIR"/seccomp_profile1.json
 
 	sed -e 's/%VALUE%/,"security\.alpha\.kubernetes\.io\/seccomp\/container\/redhat\.test\.ocid-seccomp2-1-testname2-0": "runtime\/default"/g' "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config_seccomp.json > "$TESTDIR"/seccomp2.json
-	run ocic pod create --name seccomp2 --config "$TESTDIR"/seccomp2.json
+	run ocic pod run --name seccomp2 --config "$TESTDIR"/seccomp2.json
 	echo "$output"
 	[ "$status" -eq 0 ]
 	pod_id="$output"
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ function teardown() {
 	start_ocid "$TESTDIR"/seccomp_profile1.json
 
 	sed -e 's/%VALUE%/,"security\.alpha\.kubernetes\.io\/seccomp\/container\/redhat\.test\.ocid-seccomp3-1-testname3-1": "notgood"/g' "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config_seccomp.json > "$TESTDIR"/seccomp3.json
-	run ocic pod create --name seccomp3 --config "$TESTDIR"/seccomp3.json
+	run ocic pod run --name seccomp3 --config "$TESTDIR"/seccomp3.json
 	echo "$output"
 	[ "$status" -eq 0 ]
 	pod_id="$output"
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ function teardown() {
 	start_ocid "$TESTDIR"/seccomp_profile1.json
 
 	sed -e 's/%VALUE%/,"security\.alpha\.kubernetes\.io\/seccomp\/container\/redhat\.test\.ocid-seccomp2-1-testname2-0-not-exists": "unconfined", "security\.alpha\.kubernetes\.io\/seccomp\/pod": "runtime\/default"/g' "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config_seccomp.json > "$TESTDIR"/seccomp5.json
-	run ocic pod create --name seccomp5 --config "$TESTDIR"/seccomp5.json
+	run ocic pod run --name seccomp5 --config "$TESTDIR"/seccomp5.json
 	echo "$output"
 	[ "$status" -eq 0 ]
 	pod_id="$output"
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ function teardown() {
 	start_ocid "$TESTDIR"/seccomp_profile1.json
 
 	sed -e 's/%VALUE%/,"security\.alpha\.kubernetes\.io\/seccomp\/container\/redhat\.test\.ocid-seccomp6-1-testname6-0-not-exists": "runtime-default"/g' "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config_seccomp.json > "$TESTDIR"/seccomp6.json
-	run ocic pod create --name seccomp6 --config "$TESTDIR"/seccomp6.json
+	run ocic pod run --name seccomp6 --config "$TESTDIR"/seccomp6.json
 	echo "$output"
 	[ "$status" -eq 0 ]
 	pod_id="$output"
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ function teardown() {
 	start_ocid "$TESTDIR"/seccomp_profile1.json
 
 	sed -e 's/%VALUE%/,"security\.alpha\.kubernetes\.io\/seccomp\/pod": "unconfined"/g' "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config_seccomp.json > "$TESTDIR"/seccomp1.json
-	run ocic pod create --name seccomp1 --config "$TESTDIR"/seccomp1.json
+	run ocic pod run --name seccomp1 --config "$TESTDIR"/seccomp1.json
 	echo "$output"
 	[ "$status" -eq 0 ]
 	pod_id="$output"
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ function teardown() {
 	start_ocid "$TESTDIR"/seccomp_profile1.json
 
 	sed -e 's/%VALUE%/,"security\.alpha\.kubernetes\.io\/seccomp\/pod": "runtime\/default"/g' "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config_seccomp.json > "$TESTDIR"/seccomp2.json
-	run ocic pod create --name seccomp2 --config "$TESTDIR"/seccomp2.json
+	run ocic pod run --name seccomp2 --config "$TESTDIR"/seccomp2.json
 	echo "$output"
 	[ "$status" -eq 0 ]
 	pod_id="$output"
@@ -338,7 +338,7 @@ function teardown() {
 
 	# 3. test running with pod wrong profile name
 	sed -e 's/%VALUE%/,"security\.alpha\.kubernetes\.io\/seccomp\/pod": "notgood"/g' "$TESTDATA"/sandbox_config_seccomp.json > "$TESTDIR"/seccomp3.json
-	run ocic pod create --name seccomp3 --config "$TESTDIR"/seccomp3.json
+	run ocic pod run --name seccomp3 --config "$TESTDIR"/seccomp3.json
 	echo "$output"
 	[ "$status" -eq 0 ]
 	pod_id="$output"
diff --git a/test/testdata/README.md b/test/testdata/README.md
index 34c037e1..d198b7ab 100644
--- a/test/testdata/README.md
+++ b/test/testdata/README.md
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ In terminal 2:
 sudo ./ocic runtimeversion
 
 sudo rm -rf /var/lib/ocid/sandboxes/podsandbox1
-sudo ./ocic pod create --config testdata/sandbox_config.json
+sudo ./ocic pod run --config testdata/sandbox_config.json
 
 sudo rm -rf /var/lib/ocid/containers/container1
 sudo ./ocic container create --pod podsandbox1 --config testdata/container_config.json