diff --git a/doc/source/basicgameplay/terminal.rst b/doc/source/basicgameplay/terminal.rst
index 89f6abc70..2c5a7596b 100644
--- a/doc/source/basicgameplay/terminal.rst
+++ b/doc/source/basicgameplay/terminal.rst
@@ -335,7 +335,7 @@ Then to kill this script the same arguments would have to be used::
 
     $ kill foo.script 50e3 sigma-cosmetics
 
-If you are killing the script using its PID, then the PID argument must be numeric. 
+If you are killing the script using its PID, then the PID argument must be numeric.
 
 killall
 ^^^^^^^
@@ -347,7 +347,7 @@ Kills all scripts on the current server.
 ls
 ^^
 
-    $ ls [dir] [| grep pattern]
+    $ ls [dir] [--grep pattern]
 
 Prints files and directories on the current server to the Terminal screen.
 
@@ -358,19 +358,19 @@ followed by the files (also in alphabetical order).
 The :code:`dir` optional parameter allows you to specify the directory for which to display
 files.
 
-The :code:`| grep pattern` optional parameter allows you to only display files and directories
+The :code:`--grep pattern` optional parameter allows you to only display files and directories
 with a certain pattern in their names.
 
 Examples::
 
     // List files/directories with the '.script' extension in the current directory
-    $ ls | grep .script
+    $ ls --grep .script
 
     // List files/directories with the '.js' extension in the root directory
-    $ ls / | grep .js
+    $ ls / --grep .js
 
     // List files/directories with the word 'purchase' in the name, in the :code:`scripts` directory
-    $ ls scripts | grep purchase
+    $ ls scripts --grep purchase
 
 
 lscpu
diff --git a/src/Terminal/HelpText.ts b/src/Terminal/HelpText.ts
index ba19f49c8..d5346fdaa 100644
--- a/src/Terminal/HelpText.ts
+++ b/src/Terminal/HelpText.ts
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ export const TerminalHelpText: string[] = [
   "    hostname                             Displays the hostname of the machine",
   "    kill [script/pid] [args...]          Stops the specified script on the current server ",
   "    killall                              Stops all running scripts on the current machine",
-  "    ls [dir] [| grep pattern]            Displays all files on the machine",
+  "    ls [dir] [--grep pattern]            Displays all files on the machine",
   "    lscpu                                Displays the number of CPU cores on the machine",
   "    mem [script] [-t n]                  Displays the amount of RAM required to run the script",
   "    mv [src] [dest]                      Move/rename a text or script file",
@@ -295,28 +295,28 @@ export const HelpTexts: IMap<string[]> = {
     " ",
   ],
   ls: [
-    "Usage: ls [dir] [| grep pattern]",
+    "Usage: ls [dir] [--grep pattern]",
     " ",
     "The ls command, with no arguments, prints all files and directories on the current server's directory to the Terminal screen. ",
     "The files will be displayed in alphabetical order. ",
     " ",
     "The 'dir' optional parameter can be used to display files/directories in another directory.",
     " ",
-    "The '| grep pattern' optional parameter can be used to only display files whose filenames match the specified pattern.",
+    "The '--grep pattern' optional parameter can be used to only display files whose filenames match the specified pattern.",
     " ",
     "Examples:",
     " ",
     "List all files with the '.script' extension in the current directory:",
     " ",
-    "    ls | grep .script",
+    "    ls --grep .script",
     " ",
     "List all files with the '.js' extension in the root directory:",
     " ",
-    "    ls / | grep .js",
+    "    ls / --grep .js",
     " ",
     "List all files with the word 'purchase' in the filename, in the 'scripts' directory:",
     " ",
-    "    ls scripts | grep purchase",
+    "    ls scripts --grep purchase",
     " ",
   ],
   lscpu: ["Usage: lscpu", " ", "Prints the number of CPU Cores the current server has", " "],
diff --git a/src/Terminal/commands/ls.tsx b/src/Terminal/commands/ls.tsx
index a7ed3027d..5e218b2ad 100644
--- a/src/Terminal/commands/ls.tsx
+++ b/src/Terminal/commands/ls.tsx
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import { BaseServer } from "../../Server/BaseServer";
 import { evaluateDirectoryPath, getFirstParentDirectory, isValidDirectoryPath } from "../../Terminal/DirectoryHelpers";
 import { IRouter } from "../../ui/Router";
 import { ITerminal } from "../ITerminal";
+import * as libarg from "arg"
 
 export function ls(
   terminal: ITerminal,
@@ -16,43 +17,46 @@ export function ls(
   server: BaseServer,
   args: (string | number | boolean)[],
 ): void {
+  let flags;
+  try {
+    flags = libarg({
+      '--grep': String,
+      '-g': '--grep'
+    },
+      { argv: args }
+    )
+  } catch (e) {
+    // catch passing only -g / --grep with no string to use as the search
+    incorrectUsage()
+    return;
+  }
+  const filter = flags['--grep']
+
   const numArgs = args.length;
   function incorrectUsage(): void {
-    terminal.error("Incorrect usage of ls command. Usage: ls [dir] [| grep pattern]");
+    terminal.error("Incorrect usage of ls command. Usage: ls [dir] [-g, --grep pattern]");
   }
 
-  if (numArgs > 4 || numArgs === 2) {
+  if (numArgs > 3) {
     return incorrectUsage();
   }
 
-  // Grep
-  let filter = ""; // Grep
-
   // Directory path
   let prefix = terminal.cwd();
   if (!prefix.endsWith("/")) {
     prefix += "/";
   }
 
-  // If there are 3+ arguments, then the last 3 must be for grep
-  if (numArgs >= 3) {
-    if (args[numArgs - 2] !== "grep" || args[numArgs - 3] !== "|") {
-      return incorrectUsage();
+  // If no filter then it must be for listing a directory
+  if (filter === undefined) {
+    const dir = args[0] || ""
+    const newPath = evaluateDirectoryPath(dir + "", terminal.cwd());
+    prefix = newPath || "";
+    if (!prefix.endsWith("/")) {
+      prefix += "/";
     }
-    filter = args[numArgs - 1] + "";
-  }
-
-  // If the second argument is not a pipe, then it must be for listing a directory
-  if (numArgs >= 1 && args[0] !== "|") {
-    const newPath = evaluateDirectoryPath(args[0] + "", terminal.cwd());
-    prefix = newPath ? newPath : "";
-    if (prefix != null) {
-      if (!prefix.endsWith("/")) {
-        prefix += "/";
-      }
-      if (!isValidDirectoryPath(prefix)) {
-        return incorrectUsage();
-      }
+    if (!isValidDirectoryPath(prefix)) {
+      return incorrectUsage();
     }
   }