diff --git a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/command_context.rs b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/command_context.rs
index 60348841d..6e3c48dfa 100644
--- a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/command_context.rs
+++ b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/command_context.rs
@@ -228,25 +228,6 @@ mod tests {
         }
     }
 
-    fn synthetic_context(process_local_json: bool, printer: Printer) -> CommandContext {
-        let cli_layer = cli_layer_with_json_and_verbose();
-        let (machine_settings, user_settings) =
-            merge_settings_layer(parse_settings_layer("_version = 1\n").unwrap(), &cli_layer)
-                .expect("settings should merge");
-
-        CommandContext {
-            printer,
-            process_local_json,
-            cwd: PathBuf::from("/tmp/workspace"),
-            base_config_path: PathBuf::from("/tmp/settings.toml"),
-            cli_layer,
-            machine_settings,
-            user_settings,
-            server_mode: ServerMode::None,
-            server: OnceCell::new(),
-        }
-    }
-
     fn synthetic_context_with_settings(
         process_local_json: bool,
         printer: Printer,
@@ -268,6 +249,21 @@ mod tests {
         }
     }
 
+    fn synthetic_context(process_local_json: bool, printer: Printer) -> CommandContext {
+        let cli_layer = cli_layer_with_json_and_verbose();
+        let (machine_settings, user_settings) =
+            merge_settings_layer(parse_settings_layer("_version = 1\n").unwrap(), &cli_layer)
+                .expect("settings should merge");
+        synthetic_context_with_settings(
+            process_local_json,
+            printer,
+            cli_layer,
+            machine_settings,
+            user_settings,
+            ServerMode::None,
+        )
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn context_exposes_resolved_output_and_explicit_json_state() {
         let ctx = synthetic_context(true, Printer::Default);
diff --git a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/graph.rs b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/graph.rs
index 066d41cad..5848cb845 100644
--- a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/graph.rs
+++ b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/graph.rs
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ pub(crate) async fn run(
     styles: &Styles,
     base_ctx: &CommandContext,
 ) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
-    if base_ctx.explicit_json_requested() && args.output.is_none() {
+    if args.output.is_none() {
         base_ctx.require_no_json_override()?;
     }
 
diff --git a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/pr/close.rs b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/pr/close.rs
index cdc9bcba7..2d9975709 100644
--- a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/pr/close.rs
+++ b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/pr/close.rs
@@ -7,8 +7,7 @@ use crate::command_context::CommandContext;
 use crate::shared::print_json_pretty;
 
 pub(super) async fn close_command(args: PrCloseArgs, base_ctx: &CommandContext) -> Result<()> {
-    let ctx = base_ctx.with_target(&args.server)?;
-    let printer = ctx.printer();
+    let printer = base_ctx.printer();
     let (record, _run_id) = super::load_pr_record(&args.server, &args.run_id, base_ctx).await?;
 
     let creds = super::load_github_credentials_required(base_ctx)?;
@@ -24,7 +23,7 @@ pub(super) async fn close_command(args: PrCloseArgs, base_ctx: &CommandContext)
     .map_err(|err| anyhow::anyhow!("{err}"))?;
 
     info!(number = record.number, owner = %record.owner, repo = %record.repo, "Closed pull request");
-    if ctx.user_settings().cli.output.format == OutputFormat::Json {
+    if base_ctx.user_settings().cli.output.format == OutputFormat::Json {
         print_json_pretty(&serde_json::json!({
             "number": record.number,
             "html_url": record.html_url,
diff --git a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/pr/merge.rs b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/pr/merge.rs
index ac043b654..9966e3169 100644
--- a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/pr/merge.rs
+++ b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/pr/merge.rs
@@ -7,8 +7,7 @@ use crate::command_context::CommandContext;
 use crate::shared::print_json_pretty;
 
 pub(super) async fn merge_command(args: PrMergeArgs, base_ctx: &CommandContext) -> Result<()> {
-    let ctx = base_ctx.with_target(&args.server)?;
-    let printer = ctx.printer();
+    let printer = base_ctx.printer();
     let (record, _run_id) = super::load_pr_record(&args.server, &args.run_id, base_ctx).await?;
 
     let creds = super::load_github_credentials_required(base_ctx)?;
@@ -25,7 +24,7 @@ pub(super) async fn merge_command(args: PrMergeArgs, base_ctx: &CommandContext)
     .map_err(|err| anyhow::anyhow!("{err}"))?;
 
     info!(number = record.number, owner = %record.owner, repo = %record.repo, method = %args.method, "Merged pull request");
-    if ctx.user_settings().cli.output.format == OutputFormat::Json {
+    if base_ctx.user_settings().cli.output.format == OutputFormat::Json {
         print_json_pretty(&serde_json::json!({
             "number": record.number,
             "html_url": record.html_url,
diff --git a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/pr/view.rs b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/pr/view.rs
index e0f934d15..8e96729e7 100644
--- a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/pr/view.rs
+++ b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/pr/view.rs
@@ -7,8 +7,7 @@ use crate::command_context::CommandContext;
 use crate::shared::print_json_pretty;
 
 pub(super) async fn view_command(args: PrViewArgs, base_ctx: &CommandContext) -> Result<()> {
-    let ctx = base_ctx.with_target(&args.server)?;
-    let printer = ctx.printer();
+    let printer = base_ctx.printer();
     let (record, _run_id) = super::load_pr_record(&args.server, &args.run_id, base_ctx).await?;
 
     let creds = super::load_github_credentials_required(base_ctx)?;
@@ -25,7 +24,7 @@ pub(super) async fn view_command(args: PrViewArgs, base_ctx: &CommandContext) ->
 
     info!(number = detail.number, owner = %record.owner, repo = %record.repo, "Viewing pull request");
 
-    if ctx.user_settings().cli.output.format == OutputFormat::Json {
+    if base_ctx.user_settings().cli.output.format == OutputFormat::Json {
         print_json_pretty(&detail)?;
         return Ok(());
     }
diff --git a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/run/ssh.rs b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/run/ssh.rs
index 537c781e9..8ed85380b 100644
--- a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/run/ssh.rs
+++ b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/run/ssh.rs
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ use crate::command_context::CommandContext;
 use crate::shared::print_json_pretty;
 
 pub(crate) async fn run(args: SshArgs, base_ctx: &CommandContext) -> Result<()> {
-    if base_ctx.explicit_json_requested() && !args.print {
+    if !args.print {
         base_ctx.require_no_json_override()?;
     }