diff --git a/letsencrypt/renewer.py b/letsencrypt/renewer.py
index 7ac22138d..57df57ffc 100644
--- a/letsencrypt/renewer.py
+++ b/letsencrypt/renewer.py
@@ -96,12 +96,21 @@ def renew(cert, old_version):
     #       (where fewer than all names were renewed)
 
 
+def _paths_parser(parser):
+    add = parser.add_argument_group("paths").add_argument
+    add("--config-dir", default=cli.flag_default("config_dir"),
+        help=cli.config_help("config_dir"))
+    add("--work-dir", default=cli.flag_default("work_dir"),
+        help=cli.config_help("work_dir"))
+    return parser
+
+
 def _create_parser():
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
     #parser.add_argument("--cron", action="store_true", help="Run as cronjob.")
     # pylint: disable=protected-access
-    cli._paths_parser(parser.add_argument_group("paths"))
-    return parser
+    return _paths_parser(parser)
+
 
 def main(config=None, args=sys.argv[1:]):
     """Main function for autorenewer script."""