diff --git a/bin/omarchy b/bin/omarchy
index a48f0487..91c593cc 100755
--- a/bin/omarchy
+++ b/bin/omarchy
@@ -122,6 +122,31 @@ append_pipe_value() {
   fi
 }
 
+# A route can resolve to a binary before all args are consumed (`update aur` only matches the `update` binary, leaving `aur` and `--help` as leftovers)
+# --help must never be lost among those leftovers and get forwarded into the real command, so this checks the whole remainder rather than just the first token.
+# A `--` marks everything after it as belonging to the command itself, so scanning stops there.
+remaining_has_help_flag() {
+  local token=""
+
+  for token in "$@"; do
+    [[ $token == "--" ]] && break
+    [[ $token == "--help" || $token == "-h" ]] && return 0
+  done
+
+  return 1
+}
+
+remaining_has_json_flag() {
+  local token=""
+
+  for token in "$@"; do
+    [[ $token == "--" ]] && break
+    [[ $token == "--json" ]] && return 0
+  done
+
+  return 1
+}
+
 register_route() {
   local route="$1"
   local key="$2"
@@ -930,7 +955,7 @@ dispatch_fast_or_help() {
     remaining=("${args[@]:DIRECT_RESOLVED_COUNT}")
     binary_path="$OMARCHY_BIN_DIR/$DIRECT_RESOLVED_BINARY"
 
-    if (( ${#remaining[@]} > 0 )) && [[ ${remaining[0]} == "--help" || ${remaining[0]} == "-h" ]]; then
+    if remaining_has_help_flag "${remaining[@]}"; then
       if ! load_command_by_binary "$DIRECT_RESOLVED_BINARY"; then
         echo "Binary is missing or not executable: $DIRECT_RESOLVED_BINARY" >&2
         return 127
@@ -941,7 +966,7 @@ dispatch_fast_or_help() {
       fi
 
       key="${BINARY_TO_KEY[$DIRECT_RESOLVED_BINARY]}"
-      if [[ " ${remaining[*]} " == *" --json "* ]]; then
+      if remaining_has_json_flag "${remaining[@]}"; then
         show_command_json "$key"
       else
         show_command_help "$key"
@@ -994,8 +1019,8 @@ dispatch_or_help() {
     key="$RESOLVED_KEY"
     remaining=("${args[@]:RESOLVED_COUNT}")
 
-    if (( ${#remaining[@]} > 0 )) && [[ ${remaining[0]} == "--help" || ${remaining[0]} == "-h" ]]; then
-      if [[ " ${remaining[*]} " == *" --json "* ]]; then
+    if remaining_has_help_flag "${remaining[@]}"; then
+      if remaining_has_json_flag "${remaining[@]}"; then
         show_command_json "$key"
       else
         show_command_help "$key"
diff --git a/test/cli b/test/cli
index 1b85da83..c4cd45c0 100755
--- a/test/cli
+++ b/test/cli
@@ -755,3 +755,55 @@ assert_output_contains "partial metadata command dispatches" "$output" "partial-
 
 output=$("$TMPDIR/omarchy" body metadata test)
 assert_output_contains "body metadata command dispatches by filename" "$output" "body-metadata-ok"
+
+# A trailing --help must render help even when the route only partially
+# resolves, leaving unresolved words ahead of the flag (e.g. `update aur --help`
+# used to start a real update because only the first leftover token was checked).
+{
+  printf '#!/bin/bash\n\n'
+  printf '# omarchy:summary=Partial resolution help test parent\n'
+  printf '# omarchy:alias=omarchy parenthelp-alias\n'
+  printf 'echo "parenthelp-parent-ran args=[$*]"\n'
+} >"$TMPDIR/omarchy-parenthelp"
+chmod +x "$TMPDIR/omarchy-parenthelp"
+
+{
+  printf '#!/bin/bash\n\n'
+  printf '# omarchy:summary=Partial resolution help test child\n'
+  printf 'echo parenthelp-child-ran\n'
+} >"$TMPDIR/omarchy-parenthelp-child"
+chmod +x "$TMPDIR/omarchy-parenthelp-child"
+
+output=$("$TMPDIR/omarchy" parenthelp bogus --help)
+assert_output_contains "trailing --help after an unresolved word renders help" "$output" "omarchy-parenthelp"
+assert_output_contains "partial resolution help lists related commands" "$output" "omarchy parenthelp child"
+if [[ $output == *"parenthelp-parent-ran"* ]]; then
+  fail "trailing --help after an unresolved word does not execute the command"
+fi
+pass "trailing --help after an unresolved word does not execute the command"
+
+output=$("$TMPDIR/omarchy" parenthelp bogus -h)
+assert_output_contains "trailing -h after an unresolved word renders help" "$output" "omarchy-parenthelp"
+
+output=$("$TMPDIR/omarchy" parenthelp-alias bogus --help)
+assert_output_contains "trailing --help after an unresolved word renders help via alias route" "$output" "omarchy-parenthelp"
+if [[ $output == *"parenthelp-parent-ran"* ]]; then
+  fail "trailing --help on an alias route does not execute the command"
+fi
+pass "trailing --help on an alias route does not execute the command"
+
+output=$("$TMPDIR/omarchy" parenthelp bogus --json --help)
+grep -q '"ok": true' <<<"$output" || fail "--json with --help renders JSON help"
+pass "--json with --help renders JSON help"
+
+output=$("$TMPDIR/omarchy" parenthelp "explain --json output" --help)
+assert_output_contains "a --json embedded inside one argument does not switch help to JSON" "$output" "Partial resolution help test parent"
+
+output=$("$TMPDIR/omarchy" parenthelp bogus trailing)
+assert_output_contains "leftover args without a help flag still forward" "$output" "parenthelp-parent-ran args=[bogus trailing]"
+
+output=$("$TMPDIR/omarchy" parenthelp run -- --help)
+assert_output_contains "a --help behind -- belongs to the command and still forwards" "$output" "parenthelp-parent-ran args=[run -- --help]"
+
+output=$("$TMPDIR/omarchy" parenthelp --helpme x--help)
+assert_output_contains "help lookalike tokens do not trigger help" "$output" "parenthelp-parent-ran args=[--helpme x--help]"