diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 05283295..84785cb4 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -132,19 +132,11 @@ asdf list-all <name>
 #### View current version
 
 ```bash
-asdf local [name]
-asdf global [name]
-# asdf local
-# asdf global
-# asdf local elixir
-# asdf global elixir
+asdf current <name>
+# asdf current erlang
+# 17.3 (set by /Users/kim/.tool-versions)
 ```
 
-`global` reads from `$HOME/.tool-versions`.
-
-`local` reads from `$PWD/.tool-versions` if it exists,
-or searches recursively in the parent directories until it finds a `.tool-versions` file.
-
 #### Set current version
 
 ```bash
diff --git a/help.txt b/help.txt
index aaaf8b99..b58ed1a8 100644
--- a/help.txt
+++ b/help.txt
@@ -13,9 +13,7 @@ MANAGE PACKAGES
   asdf uninstall <name> <version>      Remove a specific version of a package
   asdf current <name>                  Display current version set or being used for package
   asdf where <name> <version>          Display install path for an installed version
-  asdf local [name]                    Display a package local version
   asdf local <name> <version>          Set the package local version
-  asdf global [name]                   Display a package global version
   asdf global <name> <version>         Set the package global version
   asdf list <name>                     List installed versions of a package
   asdf list-all <name>                 List all versions of a package
diff --git a/lib/commands/version_commands.sh b/lib/commands/version_commands.sh
index 62b67cd0..d608e024 100644
--- a/lib/commands/version_commands.sh
+++ b/lib/commands/version_commands.sh
@@ -1,70 +1,21 @@
-get_plugin_version() {
-  local cmd=$1
-  local file=$2
-  local plugin=$3
-  local legacy_version_file_support=$(get_asdf_config_value "legacy_version_file")
-  local result
-
-  if [ $cmd = "local" -a "$legacy_version_file_support" = "yes" -a \
-            \( ! -f $file -o $file = "$HOME/.tool-versions" \) ]; then
-      result=$(get_tool_version_from_legacy_file $plugin $(pwd))
-      if [ -n "$result" ]; then
-          echo $result
-          exit 0
-      fi
-  fi
-
-  if [ -f $file ]; then
-    result=$(get_tool_version_from_file $file $plugin)
-  fi
-
-  if [ -n "$result" ]; then
-    echo $result
-    exit 0
-  fi
-
-
-  echo "version not set for $plugin"
-  exit 1
-}
-
 version_command() {
   local cmd=$1
-
+  local plugin=$2
+  local version=$3
   local file
-  if [ $cmd = "global" ]; then
-    file=$HOME/.tool-versions
-  else
-    file=$(get_asdf_versions_file_path)
-    if [ -z "$file" ]; then
-      file=.tool-versions
-    fi
-  fi
 
-  if [ $# -eq 1 -a ! -f $file ]; then
-    echo $file does not exist
+  if [ "$#" -ne 3 ]; then
+    echo "Usage: asdf $cmd <name> <version>"
     exit 1
   fi
 
-  if [ $# -eq 1 ]; then
-    cat $file
-    exit 0
-  fi
-
-  local plugin=$2
-
-  check_if_plugin_exists $plugin
-
-  if [ $# -eq 2 ]; then
-    get_plugin_version $cmd $file $plugin
-  fi
-
-  local version=${@:3}
-
-  if [ $cmd = "local" ]; then
+  if [ $cmd = "global" ]; then
+    file=$HOME/.tool-versions
+  else
     file=$(pwd)/.tool-versions
   fi
 
+  check_if_plugin_exists $plugin
   check_if_version_exists $plugin $version
 
   if [ -f $file ] && grep $plugin $file > /dev/null; then
diff --git a/test/version_commands.bats b/test/version_commands.bats
index 7399af6e..1471e818 100644
--- a/test/version_commands.bats
+++ b/test/version_commands.bats
@@ -9,14 +9,10 @@ setup() {
   install_dummy_plugin
   install_dummy_version "1.0.0"
   install_dummy_version "1.1.0"
-  install_dummy_version "1.2.0"
 
-  PROJECT_DIR=$BASE_DIR/project
+  PROJECT_DIR=$HOME/project
   mkdir -p $PROJECT_DIR
 
-  echo 'dummy 1.0.0' >> $HOME/.tool-versions
-  echo 'dummy 1.1.0' >> $PROJECT_DIR/.tool-versions
-
   cd $PROJECT_DIR
 }
 
@@ -24,19 +20,11 @@ teardown() {
   clean_asdf_dir
 }
 
-
-@test "local should emit an error when run in lookup mode and file does not exist" {
-  rm .tool-versions
-  run local_command
+# Warn users who invoke the old style command without arguments.
+@test "local should emit an error when called with incorrect arity" {
+  run local_command "dummy"
   [ "$status" -eq 1 ]
-  [ "$output" = ".tool-versions does not exist" ]
-}
-
-@test "global should emit an error when run in lookup mode and file does not exist" {
-  rm $HOME/.tool-versions
-  run global_command "dummy"
-  [ "$status" -eq 1 ]
-  [ "$output" = "version not set for dummy" ]
+  [ "$output" = "Usage: asdf local <name> <version>" ]
 }
 
 @test "local should emit an error when plugin does not exist" {
@@ -51,69 +39,28 @@ teardown() {
   [ "$output" = "version 0.0.1 is not installed for dummy" ]
 }
 
-@test "local should return and set the local version" {
-
-  run local_command
+@test "local should create a local .tool-versions file if it doesn't exist" {
+  run local_command "dummy" "1.1.0"
   [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
-  [ "$output" = "dummy 1.1.0" ]
-
-  run local_command dummy "1.2.0"
-
-  run local_command dummy
-  [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
-  [ "$output" = "1.2.0" ]
-
-  rm .tool-versions
-  run local_command dummy 1.2.0
-  [ -f .tool-versions ]
-
-  run local_command dummy
-  [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
-  [ "$output" = "1.2.0" ]
-  run global_command dummy
-  [ "$output" = "1.0.0" ]
-
-  mkdir $BASE_DIR/other && cd $BASE_DIR/other
-
-  run local_command dummy
-  [ "$status" -eq 1 ]
-
-  run local_command dummy 1.0.0
-  [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
-
-  run local_command dummy
-  [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
-  [ "$output" = "1.0.0" ]
+  [ "$(cat $PROJECT_DIR/.tool-versions)" = "dummy 1.1.0" ]
 }
 
-@test "local should fallback to legacy-file when enabled" {
-    echo 'legacy_version_file = yes' > $HOME/.asdfrc
-    echo '1.3.0' > .dummy-version
-    rm .tool-versions
-    run local_command dummy
-
-    [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
-    [ "$output" = "1.3.0" ]
+@test "local should overwrite the existing version if it's set" {
+  echo 'dummy 1.0.0' >> $PROJECT_DIR/.tool-versions
+  run local_command "dummy" "1.1.0"
+  [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+  [ "$(cat $PROJECT_DIR/.tool-versions)" = "dummy 1.1.0" ]
 }
 
-@test "local should ignore legacy-file when disabled" {
-    rm .tool-versions
-    run local_command dummy
-
-    [ "$status" -eq 1 ]
-    [ "$output" = "version not set for dummy" ]
+@test "global should create a global .tool-versions file if it doesn't exist" {
+  run global_command "dummy" "1.1.0"
+  [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+  [ "$(cat $HOME/.tool-versions)" = "dummy 1.1.0" ]
 }
 
-
-@test "global should return and set the global version" {
-  run global_command
+@test "global should overwrite the existing version if it's set" {
+  echo 'dummy 1.0.0' >> $HOME/.tool-versions
+  run global_command "dummy" "1.1.0"
   [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
-  [ "$output" = "dummy 1.0.0" ]
-
-  run global_command dummy 1.2.0
-  [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
-
-  run global_command dummy
-  [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
-  [ "$output" = "1.2.0" ]
+  [ "$(cat $HOME/.tool-versions)" = "dummy 1.1.0" ]
 }