diff --git a/src/command-presentation.test.ts b/src/command-presentation.test.ts
index 29eee224b..bc09e3cbb 100644
--- a/src/command-presentation.test.ts
+++ b/src/command-presentation.test.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
 import { Strategy, type CliCommand } from './registry.js';
 import {
+  commandHelpData,
   commandListPresentation,
   commandListRows,
   filterCommandsByTag,
@@ -184,6 +185,33 @@ describe('shared command presentation', () => {
     );
   });
 
+  it('shows adapter-owned flags only with their adapter meanings', () => {
+    const command = toPresentableCommand({
+      ...localCommand,
+      args: [
+        { name: 'json', type: 'bool', help: 'Adapter JSON' },
+        { name: 'trace', type: 'string', help: 'Adapter trace' },
+        { name: 'window', type: 'string', help: 'Adapter window' },
+      ],
+    });
+    const help = formatCommandHelp(command);
+    const data = commandHelpData(command) as {
+      common_options: Array<{ name: string }>;
+      browser_common_options: Array<{ name: string }>;
+    };
+
+    expect(help).toContain('Adapter JSON');
+    expect(help).toContain('Adapter trace');
+    expect(help).toContain('Adapter window');
+    expect(help).not.toContain('Alias of --format json');
+    expect(help).not.toContain('Trace capture:');
+    expect(help).not.toContain('Browser window mode:');
+    expect(data.common_options.map(option => option.name)).not.toContain('json');
+    expect(data.common_options.map(option => option.name)).not.toContain('trace');
+    expect(data.browser_common_options.map(option => option.name)).not.toContain('window');
+    expect(data.common_options.map(option => option.name)).toContain('format');
+  });
+
   it('builds byte-identical structured and display list rows', () => {
     const local = toPresentableCommand(localCommand);
     const hosted = toPresentableCommand(hostedCommand);
diff --git a/src/command-presentation.ts b/src/command-presentation.ts
index 5b5916e93..fb1d427a4 100644
--- a/src/command-presentation.ts
+++ b/src/command-presentation.ts
@@ -586,29 +586,35 @@ export function commandHelpData(command: PresentableCommand): Record<string, unk
   return {
     site: command.site,
     ...compactCommand(command),
-    common_options: COMMON_OPTIONS.map(compactCommonOption),
-    ...(command.browser ? { browser_common_options: BROWSER_COMMON_OPTIONS.map(compactCommonOption) } : {}),
+    common_options: unshadowedOptions(COMMON_OPTIONS, command).map(compactCommonOption),
+    ...(command.browser ? { browser_common_options: unshadowedOptions(BROWSER_COMMON_OPTIONS, command).map(compactCommonOption) } : {}),
     output_formats: ['table', 'plain', 'yaml', 'json', 'md', 'csv'],
   };
 }
 
-export function formatCommonOptionsHelp(): string {
-  const rows = COMMON_OPTIONS.map((option) => {
+function unshadowedOptions<T extends { name: string }>(options: readonly T[], command?: PresentableCommand): T[] {
+  if (!command) return [...options];
+  const owned = new Set(commandOptions(command).map(arg => arg.name));
+  return options.filter(option => !owned.has(option.name));
+}
+
+export function formatCommonOptionsHelp(command?: PresentableCommand): string {
+  const rows = unshadowedOptions(COMMON_OPTIONS, command).map((option) => {
     const details: string[] = [option.help];
     if ('default' in option) details.push(`default: ${option.default}`);
     if ('choices' in option) details.push(`choices: ${option.choices.join(', ')}`);
     return [option.flags, details.join('  ')] as [string, string];
   });
-  return ['Common options:', ...formatRows(rows)].join('\n');
+  return rows.length ? ['Common options:', ...formatRows(rows)].join('\n') : '';
 }
 
-export function formatBrowserCommonOptionsHelp(): string {
-  const rows = BROWSER_COMMON_OPTIONS.map((option) => {
+export function formatBrowserCommonOptionsHelp(command?: PresentableCommand): string {
+  const rows = unshadowedOptions(BROWSER_COMMON_OPTIONS, command).map((option) => {
     const details: string[] = [option.help];
     if ('choices' in option) details.push(`choices: ${option.choices.join(', ')}`);
     return [option.flags, details.join('  ')] as [string, string];
   });
-  return ['Browser common options:', ...formatRows(rows)].join('\n');
+  return rows.length ? ['Browser common options:', ...formatRows(rows)].join('\n') : '';
 }
 
 export function formatSiteHelp(site: string, commands: readonly PresentableCommand[]): string {
@@ -650,8 +656,12 @@ export function formatCommandHelp(command: PresentableCommand): string {
   ] as [string, string]);
   if (optionRows.length) lines.push('Command options:', ...formatRows(optionRows), '');
 
-  lines.push(formatCommonOptionsHelp(), '');
-  if (command.browser) lines.push(formatBrowserCommonOptionsHelp(), '');
+  const commonOptions = formatCommonOptionsHelp(command);
+  if (commonOptions) lines.push(commonOptions, '');
+  if (command.browser) {
+    const browserOptions = formatBrowserCommonOptionsHelp(command);
+    if (browserOptions) lines.push(browserOptions, '');
+  }
 
   const meta = [
     `Access: ${command.access}`,
diff --git a/src/command-surface.test.ts b/src/command-surface.test.ts
index 51f337354..65a47d938 100644
--- a/src/command-surface.test.ts
+++ b/src/command-surface.test.ts
@@ -219,6 +219,29 @@ describe('configureCommandSurface', () => {
     ]));
     expect(command.registeredArguments.map((argument) => argument.name())).toEqual(['query', 'scope']);
   });
+
+  it('preserves adapter arguments that collide with shared execution flags', () => {
+    const command = new Command('search');
+    const collisions = ['format', 'json', 'trace', 'verbose', 'window', 'site-session', 'keep-tab'];
+    configureCommandSurface(command, {
+      ...metadata,
+      browser: true,
+      args: collisions.map(name => ({ name, type: 'string' })),
+    });
+
+    expect(command.options.map(option => option.long)).toEqual(collisions.map(name => `--${name}`));
+    expect(parseCommandSurface({
+      ...metadata,
+      browser: true,
+      args: [{ name: 'json', type: 'bool', default: false }],
+    }, ['--json'])).toMatchObject({
+      args: { json: true },
+      format: 'plain',
+      formatExplicit: false,
+      trace: 'off',
+      verbose: false,
+    });
+  });
 });
 
 describe('unknown option contract', () => {
diff --git a/src/command-surface.ts b/src/command-surface.ts
index e71cbd5b6..d22794846 100644
--- a/src/command-surface.ts
+++ b/src/command-surface.ts
@@ -232,15 +232,21 @@ export function configureCommandSurface(command: Command, metadata: CommandSurfa
     else command.option(flag, arg.help ?? '');
   }
 
-  addOutputFormatOption(command)
-    .option('--trace <mode>', `Trace capture: ${TRACE_MODES.join(', ')}`, 'off')
-    .option('-v, --verbose', 'Debug output', false);
+  addSharedExecutionOptions(command);
 
   if (metadata.browser) {
-    command
-      .option('--window <mode>', `Browser window mode: ${BROWSER_WINDOW_MODES.join(' or ')} (default: background)`)
-      .option('--site-session <mode>', `Adapter site session lifecycle: ${SITE_SESSION_MODES.join(' or ')}`)
-      .option('--keep-tab <bool>', 'Keep the browser tab lease after the command finishes');
+    addSharedOption(command, '--window', () => command.option(
+      '--window <mode>',
+      `Browser window mode: ${BROWSER_WINDOW_MODES.join(' or ')} (default: background)`,
+    ));
+    addSharedOption(command, '--site-session', () => command.option(
+      '--site-session <mode>',
+      `Adapter site session lifecycle: ${SITE_SESSION_MODES.join(' or ')}`,
+    ));
+    addSharedOption(command, '--keep-tab', () => command.option(
+      '--keep-tab <bool>',
+      'Keep the browser tab lease after the command finishes',
+    ));
   }
 }
 
@@ -324,8 +330,8 @@ export function parseCommandSurface(
   const args = coerceCommandArguments(metadata.args, input);
   const formatExplicit = outputFormatIsExplicit(command);
   const format = parseOutputFormat(formatExplicit ? requestedOutputFormat(command, parsedOptions.format) : defaultFormat);
-  const trace = parseTraceMode(parsedOptions.trace ?? 'off');
-  const verbose = parsedOptions.verbose === true;
+  const trace = isSharedCommandOption(command, '--trace') ? parseTraceMode(parsedOptions.trace ?? 'off') : 'off';
+  const verbose = isSharedCommandOption(command, '--verbose') && parsedOptions.verbose === true;
 
   return {
     args,
@@ -455,6 +461,41 @@ export function addOutputFormatOption(command: Command, defaultFormat = 'table')
     .option('--json', JSON_FORMAT_ALIAS_HELP, false);
 }
 
+type CommandWithSharedOptions = Command & { _webcmdSharedOptions?: Set<string> };
+
+function addSharedExecutionOptions(command: Command): void {
+  const flags = command.options.flatMap(option => [option.short, option.long]).filter(Boolean) as string[];
+  const shared = new Set<string>();
+  (command as CommandWithSharedOptions)._webcmdSharedOptions = shared;
+
+  if (!flags.includes('--format')) {
+    command.option(flags.includes('-f') ? '--format <fmt>' : '-f, --format <fmt>', OUTPUT_FORMAT_HELP, 'table');
+    shared.add('--format');
+  }
+  addSharedOption(command, '--json', () => command.option('--json', JSON_FORMAT_ALIAS_HELP, false));
+  addSharedOption(command, '--trace', () => command.option('--trace <mode>', `Trace capture: ${TRACE_MODES.join(', ')}`, 'off'));
+  if (!command.options.some(option => option.long === '--verbose')) {
+    command.option(
+      command.options.some(option => option.short === '-v') ? '--verbose' : '-v, --verbose',
+      'Debug output',
+      false,
+    );
+    shared.add('--verbose');
+  }
+}
+
+function addSharedOption(command: Command, flag: string, register: () => void): void {
+  if (command.options.some(option => option.short === flag || option.long === flag)) return;
+  register();
+  ((command as CommandWithSharedOptions)._webcmdSharedOptions ??= new Set()).add(flag);
+}
+
+/** Whether an option belongs to webcmd rather than to the adapter grammar. */
+export function isSharedCommandOption(command: Command, flag: string): boolean {
+  const shared = (command as CommandWithSharedOptions)._webcmdSharedOptions;
+  return shared ? shared.has(flag) : command.options.some(option => option.short === flag || option.long === flag);
+}
+
 /**
  * Give every command in a tree the same output-format grammar.
  *
@@ -487,12 +528,15 @@ export function ensureOutputFormatOptions(command: Command): void {
 }
 
 export function outputFormatIsExplicit(command: Command): boolean {
-  return command.getOptionValueSource('format') === 'cli' || command.getOptionValueSource('json') === 'cli';
+  return (isSharedCommandOption(command, '--format') && command.getOptionValueSource('format') === 'cli')
+    || (isSharedCommandOption(command, '--json') && command.getOptionValueSource('json') === 'cli');
 }
 
 /** Resolve `--json` onto `--format json` unless `--format` was also passed. */
 export function requestedOutputFormat(command: Command, format: unknown): unknown {
-  return command.getOptionValueSource('json') === 'cli' && command.getOptionValueSource('format') !== 'cli'
+  return isSharedCommandOption(command, '--json')
+    && command.getOptionValueSource('json') === 'cli'
+    && command.getOptionValueSource('format') !== 'cli'
     ? 'json'
     : format;
 }
diff --git a/src/commanderAdapter.ts b/src/commanderAdapter.ts
index d2e252d4f..f98d8736e 100644
--- a/src/commanderAdapter.ts
+++ b/src/commanderAdapter.ts
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ import { Command } from 'commander';
 import { log } from './logger.js';
 import { type CliCommand, fullName, getRegistry } from './registry.js';
 import { errorEnvelopeFormat, formatErrorEnvelope, render as renderOutput } from './output.js';
-import { configureCommandSurface, outputFormatIsExplicit, parseOutputFormat, prepareCommandArgs, requestedOutputFormat } from './command-surface.js';
+import { configureCommandSurface, isSharedCommandOption, outputFormatIsExplicit, parseOutputFormat, prepareCommandArgs, requestedOutputFormat } from './command-surface.js';
 import {
   commandHelpData,
   formatCommandHelpText,
@@ -95,8 +95,11 @@ export function registerCommandToProgram(
       }
       const kwargs = prepareCommandArgs(cmd, rawKwargs);
 
-      const verbose = optionsRecord.verbose === true;
-      let format = parseOutputFormat(requestedOutputFormat(subCmd, optionsRecord.format ?? 'table'));
+      const verbose = isSharedCommandOption(subCmd, '--verbose') && optionsRecord.verbose === true;
+      let format = parseOutputFormat(requestedOutputFormat(
+        subCmd,
+        isSharedCommandOption(subCmd, '--format') ? optionsRecord.format ?? 'table' : 'table',
+      ));
       const formatExplicit = outputFormatIsExplicit(subCmd);
       if (verbose) process.env.WEBCMD_VERBOSE = '1';
       const globals = typeof subCmd.optsWithGlobals === 'function' ? subCmd.optsWithGlobals() as Record<string, unknown> : {};
@@ -106,10 +109,10 @@ export function registerCommandToProgram(
           prepared: true,
           ...(typeof globals.profile === 'string' && globals.profile.trim() ? { profile: globals.profile.trim() } : {}),
           ...(typeof globals.session === 'string' && globals.session.trim() ? { session: globals.session.trim() } : {}),
-          ...(typeof optionsRecord.trace === 'string' && optionsRecord.trace !== 'off' ? { trace: optionsRecord.trace } : {}),
-          ...(cmd.browser && typeof optionsRecord.window === 'string' ? { windowMode: optionsRecord.window } : {}),
-          ...(cmd.browser && typeof optionsRecord.siteSession === 'string' ? { siteSession: optionsRecord.siteSession } : {}),
-          ...(cmd.browser && typeof optionsRecord.keepTab === 'string' ? { keepTab: optionsRecord.keepTab } : {}),
+          ...(isSharedCommandOption(subCmd, '--trace') && typeof optionsRecord.trace === 'string' && optionsRecord.trace !== 'off' ? { trace: optionsRecord.trace } : {}),
+          ...(cmd.browser && isSharedCommandOption(subCmd, '--window') && typeof optionsRecord.window === 'string' ? { windowMode: optionsRecord.window } : {}),
+          ...(cmd.browser && isSharedCommandOption(subCmd, '--site-session') && typeof optionsRecord.siteSession === 'string' ? { siteSession: optionsRecord.siteSession } : {}),
+          ...(cmd.browser && isSharedCommandOption(subCmd, '--keep-tab') && typeof optionsRecord.keepTab === 'string' ? { keepTab: optionsRecord.keepTab } : {}),
         });
       if (result === null || result === undefined) {
         return;