diff --git a/src/uu/dir/src/dir.rs b/src/uu/dir/src/dir.rs
index 3e2d1d380..2f51395f2 100644
--- a/src/uu/dir/src/dir.rs
+++ b/src/uu/dir/src/dir.rs
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ use uucore::quoting_style::{Quotes, QuotingStyle};
 
 #[uucore::main]
 pub fn uumain(args: impl uucore::Args) -> UResult<()> {
-    let command = uu_ls::uu_app();
+    let command = uu_app();
 
     let matches = command.get_matches_from(args);
 
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ pub fn uumain(args: impl uucore::Args) -> UResult<()> {
 
 // To avoid code duplication, we reuse ls uu_app function which has the same
 // arguments. However, coreutils won't compile if one of the utils is missing
-// an uu_app function, so we need this dummy one.
+// an uu_app function, so we return the `ls` app.
 pub fn uu_app<'a>() -> Command<'a> {
-    Command::new(uucore::util_name())
+    uu_ls::uu_app()
 }
diff --git a/src/uu/vdir/src/vdir.rs b/src/uu/vdir/src/vdir.rs
index 7f7ac2740..96ba5d53d 100644
--- a/src/uu/vdir/src/vdir.rs
+++ b/src/uu/vdir/src/vdir.rs
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ use uucore::quoting_style::{Quotes, QuotingStyle};
 
 #[uucore::main]
 pub fn uumain(args: impl uucore::Args) -> UResult<()> {
-    let command = uu_ls::uu_app();
+    let command = uu_app();
     let matches = command.get_matches_from(args);
 
     let mut default_quoting_style = false;
@@ -64,5 +64,5 @@ pub fn uumain(args: impl uucore::Args) -> UResult<()> {
 // arguments. However, coreutils won't compile if one of the utils is missing
 // an uu_app function, so we need this dummy one.
 pub fn uu_app<'a>() -> Command<'a> {
-    Command::new(uucore::util_name())
+    uu_ls::uu_app()
 }