--- a/gitnexus/src/cli/index.ts
+++ b/gitnexus/src/cli/index.ts
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@
   .command('status')
   .description('Show index status for the current repo or a registered index')
   .option('-r, --repo <name>', 'Registered repository alias or path (works after checkout removal)')
-  .option('--json', 'Emit machine-readable index and analyzer provenance')
+  .option('-j, --json', 'Emit machine-readable index and analyzer provenance')
   .addHelpText('after', () => t('help.identityCache.environment'))
   .action(createLazyAction(() => import('./status.js'), 'statusCommand'));