diff --git a/internal/app/wwctl/container/exec/main.go b/internal/app/wwctl/container/exec/main.go
index c57cc731..a0d1787e 100644
--- a/internal/app/wwctl/container/exec/main.go
+++ b/internal/app/wwctl/container/exec/main.go
@@ -124,10 +124,6 @@ func CobraRunE(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	// getting syncuser from cmd, e.g., shell comamnd will call exec command and passing --syncuser
-	if syncUserFlag, err := cmd.Flags().GetBool("syncuser"); err == nil {
-		SyncUser = SyncUser || syncUserFlag
-	}
 	userdbChanged := false
 	if !beforePasswdTime.IsZero() {
 		afterPasswdTime := getTime(path.Join(containerPath, "/etc/passwd"))
diff --git a/internal/app/wwctl/container/shell/main.go b/internal/app/wwctl/container/shell/main.go
index 2d2cc5a9..d31ecdc6 100644
--- a/internal/app/wwctl/container/shell/main.go
+++ b/internal/app/wwctl/container/shell/main.go
@@ -22,11 +22,6 @@ func CobraRunE(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		wwlog.Error("Unknown Warewulf container: %s", containerName)
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
-	/*
-		for _, b := range binds {
-			allargs = append(allargs, "--bind", b)
-		}
-	*/
 	shellName := os.Getenv("SHELL")
 	if !container.ValidSource(containerName) {
 		wwlog.Error("Unknown Warewulf container: %s", containerName)
@@ -49,5 +44,6 @@ func CobraRunE(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	wwlog.Debug("Calling exec with args: %s", allargs)
 	cntexec.SetBinds(binds)
 	cntexec.SetNode(nodeName)
+	cntexec.SyncUser = syncUser
 	return cntexec.CobraRunE(cmd, allargs)
 }