diff --git a/wile_coyote/bin/coyote b/wile_coyote/bin/coyote
index 78b403b55e2eccdbd4154c5bfd34c54149017748..5add157d83482928e83cec60b64a286c50196bd8 100755
--- a/wile_coyote/bin/coyote
+++ b/wile_coyote/bin/coyote
@@ -75,10 +75,12 @@ def get_certificate_metadata(certificate):
     return [san, not_after]
 
 
-def run_cbot(start, cbot_dom, prov, action, reuse_key, force, dry, w_card=None, extra_cmds=None):
+def run_cbot(
+    start, cbot_dom, prov, action, reuse_key, force, dry, w_card=None, extra_cmds=None
+):
     """
     get certificate from ACME provider
-    a few parameters for certbot are defined in /etc/<provider>/cli.ini
+    the parameters are defined in /etc/<provider>/cli.ini and can be overridden by extra_cmds
     """
     if action == "renew":
         domain_list = ""  # renew does not support list of domains
@@ -94,7 +96,7 @@ def run_cbot(start, cbot_dom, prov, action, reuse_key, force, dry, w_card=None,
         + f" -c /etc/{prov}/cli.ini --cert-name {cbot_dom[0]}"
         + f" {domain_list} {dry} {force} {reuse_key} {extra_cmd}"
     )
-    cbot_cmd = ' '.join(_cbot_cmd.split())
+    cbot_cmd = " ".join(_cbot_cmd.split())
 
     log.handler(f"executing: {cbot_cmd}", LOG_FILE)
 
@@ -124,7 +126,7 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
     atomic_checks(LOG_FILE, LEADER)
 
     # start logging ASAP
-    START_TIME = datetime.datetime.now()
+    NOW = datetime.datetime.now()
     CMD_LINE = " ".join(os.sys.argv)
     log.handler(80 * "=", LOG_FILE)  # since we use flock logs are tidy
     log.handler(f"JOB STARTED: {CMD_LINE}", LOG_FILE)
@@ -135,7 +137,7 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
     PROJECT = ARGS["--project"]
     ENV = ARGS["--nomad-env"]
     FIRST_NAME = DOMAIN[0]
-    WILDCARD = ARGS["--wildcard"]  # True or None
+    WCARD = ARGS["--wildcard"]  # True or None
     EXTRA = ARGS["--extra"]
 
     # client array elements are the folders where we upload the certificates
@@ -178,38 +180,25 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
     log.handler(DAYS_LEFT_MSG, LOG_FILE)
 
     if SAN != SORTED_DOMAIN or DAYS_LEFT < DAYS:
-        run_cbot(
-            START_TIME, DOMAIN, PROVIDER, ACTION, REUSE_KEY, FORCE, DRY, WILDCARD, EXTRA
-        )
-
-    # if we are here, everything went fine and we can upload the certificates
-    WILDCARD_STRING = " Wildcard" if WILDCARD else ""
+        run_cbot(NOW, DOMAIN, PROVIDER, ACTION, REUSE_KEY, FORCE, DRY, WCARD, EXTRA)
 
+    # if we are here, everything worked out and we can upload the certificates
     if ARGS["--tld"]:
         log.handler(f"uploading {FIRST_NAME} {PROVIDER} wildcard", LOG_FILE)
         wildcard_uploader.uploader(PROVIDER, FIRST_NAME)
     else:
+        WCARD_STRING = " Wildcard" if WCARD else ""
+        LOG_MSG = f"uploading {FIRST_NAME} {PROVIDER}{WCARD_STRING}"
         for single_unit in UNIT:
             if single_unit == "puppet":
                 for client in CLIENTS:
-                    log.handler(
-                        f"uploading {FIRST_NAME} {PROVIDER}{WILDCARD_STRING} for Puppet",
-                        LOG_FILE,
-                    )
-                    uploader.uploader(
-                        FIRST_NAME, PROVIDER, single_unit, client, WILDCARD
-                    )
+                    log.handler(f"{LOG_MSG} for Puppet", LOG_FILE)
+                    uploader.uploader(FIRST_NAME, PROVIDER, single_unit, client, WCARD)
             elif single_unit == "nomad":
-                log.handler(
-                    f"uploading {FIRST_NAME} {PROVIDER}{WILDCARD_STRING} for Nomad",
-                    LOG_FILE,
-                )
-                nomad_uploader.uploader(PROVIDER, PROJECT, FIRST_NAME, ENV, WILDCARD)
+                log.handler(f"{LOG_MSG} for Nomad", LOG_FILE)
+                nomad_uploader.uploader(PROVIDER, PROJECT, FIRST_NAME, ENV, WCARD)
             else:
-                log.handler(
-                    f"uploading {FIRST_NAME} {PROVIDER}{WILDCARD_STRING} for {UNIT}",
-                    LOG_FILE,
-                )
-                uploader.uploader(FIRST_NAME, PROVIDER, single_unit, None, WILDCARD)
+                log.handler(f"{LOG_MSG} for {UNIT}", LOG_FILE)
+                uploader.uploader(FIRST_NAME, PROVIDER, single_unit, None, WCARD)
 
-    sys_kit.coyote_exit(LOG_FILE, START_TIME)
+    sys_kit.coyote_exit(LOG_FILE, NOW)