diff --git a/src/runner.py b/src/runner.py
index bf28b96..d8078b5 100644
--- a/src/runner.py
+++ b/src/runner.py
@@ -15,25 +15,36 @@ class Runner:
     main_test_name: Optional[str] = None
     sub_tests: list[SubTest] = []
 
-    def __init__(self, dotenv_path: Path):
+    def __init__(self, dotenv_path: Path, tests_dir: Path, session_id: str):
+        self.dotenv_path = dotenv_path
+        self.tests_dir = tests_dir
+        self.session_id = session_id
+
         ic(f"creating instance of {self.__class__.__name__}")
         assert self.test_dir_name is not None
         self.root_dir = Path(__file__).parent
-        self.dotenv_path = dotenv_path
 
     def _run_main_test(self):
         if isinstance(self.main_test_name, str):
             self._run_pytest(self.main_test_name)
 
-    def _run_pytest(self, test_name: str):
-        ic(f"running test: {test_name}")
+    def _run_pytest(self, full_test_path: Path):
+        """runs pytest programmatically
+
+        will run all tests in the file at full_test_path with some command line arguments"""
+
+        ic(f"running test: {full_test_path}")
         pytest.main(
             [
                 "-v",
                 "-rp",
-                self.root_dir / self.test_dir_name / test_name,
-                "--env_file_path",
-                self.dotenv_path,
+                str(full_test_path),
+                "--env_file",
+                str(self.dotenv_path),
+                "--tests_dir",
+                str(self.tests_dir),
+                "--session_id",
+                self.session_id,
             ]
         )
 
@@ -46,4 +57,5 @@ class Runner:
             condition_function = sub_test["condition"]
             if condition_function(self.dotenv_path):
                 test_name = sub_test["test_file"]
-                self._run_pytest(test_name)
+                full_test_path = self.root_dir / self.test_dir_name / test_name
+                self._run_pytest(full_test_path)