diff --git a/app.go b/app.go
index edc7746..c1a4019 100644
--- a/app.go
+++ b/app.go
@@ -55,6 +55,10 @@ type App[C any] struct {
 	Root *Node[C]
 	// Greeting, if set, is printed after the version banner in interactive mode.
 	Greeting string
+	// JSON, when true, registers a -json flag that switches Emit to JSON output.
+	// Leave it false for CLIs whose commands do not (yet) use cli.Emit, so they
+	// never advertise a flag they cannot honor.
+	JSON bool
 
 	// DefaultServer is the -server default. If both it and ServerEnv are empty,
 	// no -server flag is registered (local CLI).
@@ -109,7 +113,10 @@ func (a *App[C]) Run(ctx context.Context, argv []string) error {
 		serverFlag = fs.String("server", defaultServer, usage)
 	}
 	color := fs.Bool("color", true, "colorize output (default: on in the shell, off one-shot)")
-	jsonOut := fs.Bool("json", false, "emit JSON instead of text")
+	var jsonOut *bool
+	if a.JSON {
+		jsonOut = fs.Bool("json", false, "emit JSON instead of text")
+	}
 	showVersion := fs.Bool("version", false, "print version and exit")
 	if a.RegisterFlags != nil {
 		a.RegisterFlags(fs)
@@ -125,7 +132,8 @@ func (a *App[C]) Run(ctx context.Context, argv []string) error {
 		fmt.Println(a.versionLine())
 		return nil
 	}
-	if *jsonOut {
+	jsonMode := jsonOut != nil && *jsonOut
+	if jsonMode {
 		SetFormat(FormatJSON)
 	}
 
@@ -145,7 +153,7 @@ func (a *App[C]) Run(ctx context.Context, argv []string) error {
 	if colorExplicit {
 		colorOn = *color
 	}
-	if *jsonOut {
+	if jsonMode {
 		colorOn = false
 	}
 	SetColor(colorOn)
diff --git a/docs/design.md b/docs/design.md
index c8e0ec0..5333a4c 100644
--- a/docs/design.md
+++ b/docs/design.md
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 
 | | |
 | --- | --- |
-| **Status** | Describes shipped behavior as of `v1.2.0` |
+| **Status** | Describes shipped behavior as of `v1.3.0` |
 | **Author** | Pim van Pelt `<pim@ipng.ch>` |
 | **Last updated** | 2026-06-05 |
 | **Audience** | Contributors, and authors of CLIs built on this library |
@@ -95,8 +95,9 @@ or JSON from the same code.
 
 **FR-5 `App` entry point**
 
-- **FR-5.1** `App` MUST register `-color`, `-json`, `-version`, and `-server`
-  (only when a server is configured).
+- **FR-5.1** `App` MUST register `-color` and `-version`; `-server` only when a
+  server is configured; and `-json` only when the app opts in (its commands use
+  `Emit`), so a CLI never advertises a flag it cannot honor.
 - **FR-5.2** `App` MUST NOT dial anything; the client is built in a caller's
   `Connect` callback.
 - **FR-5.3** `-version` MUST print and exit without connecting.
diff --git a/example/main.go b/example/main.go
index 8047e01..761475d 100644
--- a/example/main.go
+++ b/example/main.go
@@ -201,9 +201,10 @@ func buildTree() *cli.Node[inventory] {
 func main() {
 	(&cli.App[inventory]{
 		Name:     "example",
-		Version:  "1.1.0",
+		Version:  "1.3.0",
 		Prompt:   "inv> ",
 		Root:     buildTree(),
+		JSON:     true, // commands use cli.Emit, so advertise -json
 		Greeting: "golang-cli example — try: show server, ping db1, colors, '?' for help, TAB to complete",
 		// Local CLI: no -server flag. Connect just hands over the in-memory data,
 		// proving App is transport-agnostic (it never dials anything itself).