1 files changed, 7 insertions, 4 deletions

diff --git a/command.py b/command.py
index 12fe4172..bd6d0817 100644
--- a/command.py
+++ b/command.py
@@ -144,11 +144,10 @@ class Command(object):
           help=f'number of jobs to run in parallel (default: {default})')
 
     m = p.add_option_group('Multi-manifest options')
-    m.add_option('--outer-manifest', action='store_true',
+    m.add_option('--outer-manifest', action='store_true', default=None,
                  help='operate starting at the outermost manifest')
     m.add_option('--no-outer-manifest', dest='outer_manifest',
-                 action='store_false', default=None,
-                 help='do not operate on outer manifests')
+                 action='store_false', help='do not operate on outer manifests')
     m.add_option('--this-manifest-only', action='store_true', default=None,
                  help='only operate on this (sub)manifest')
     m.add_option('--no-this-manifest-only', '--all-manifests',
@@ -186,6 +185,10 @@ class Command(object):
     """Validate common options."""
     opt.quiet = opt.output_mode is False
     opt.verbose = opt.output_mode is True
+    if opt.outer_manifest is None:
+      # By default, treat multi-manifest instances as a single manifest from
+      # the user's perspective.
+      opt.outer_manifest = True
 
   def ValidateOptions(self, opt, args):
     """Validate the user options & arguments before executing.
@@ -385,7 +388,7 @@ class Command(object):
       opt: The command options.
     """
     top = self.outer_manifest
-    if opt.outer_manifest is False or opt.this_manifest_only:
+    if not opt.outer_manifest or opt.this_manifest_only:
       top = self.manifest
     yield top
     if not opt.this_manifest_only: