diff --git a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/cli_config.rs b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/cli_config.rs
index 9be414a5b..359efc5db 100644
--- a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/cli_config.rs
+++ b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/cli_config.rs
@@ -16,14 +16,30 @@ pub(crate) fn load_cli_settings() -> anyhow::Result<FabroSettings> {
     ConfigLayer::cli()?.resolve()
 }
 
+pub(crate) fn cli_layer_with_globals(globals: &GlobalArgs) -> anyhow::Result<ConfigLayer> {
+    let layer = ConfigLayer::cli()?;
+    Ok(apply_global_overrides(layer, globals))
+}
+
 pub(crate) fn load_cli_settings_with_globals(
     globals: &GlobalArgs,
 ) -> anyhow::Result<FabroSettings> {
-    let mut layer = ConfigLayer::cli()?;
+    cli_layer_with_globals(globals)?.resolve()
+}
+
+pub(crate) fn apply_global_overrides(mut layer: ConfigLayer, globals: &GlobalArgs) -> ConfigLayer {
     if let Some(dir) = &globals.storage_dir {
         layer.storage_dir = Some(dir.clone());
+        layer.mode = Some(ExecutionMode::Standalone);
     }
-    layer.resolve()
+
+    #[cfg(feature = "server")]
+    if let Some(url) = &globals.server_url {
+        layer.server.get_or_insert_with(Default::default).base_url = Some(url.clone());
+        layer.mode = Some(ExecutionMode::Server);
+    }
+
+    layer
 }
 
 #[cfg(feature = "server")]
diff --git a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/config/mod.rs b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/config/mod.rs
index 2fcaa559e..c1b445053 100644
--- a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/config/mod.rs
+++ b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/config/mod.rs
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ use std::io::Write;
 use std::path::Path;
 
 use crate::args::{ConfigCommand, ConfigNamespace, ConfigShowArgs, GlobalArgs};
+use crate::cli_config;
 use fabro_config::{ConfigLayer, FabroSettings};
 
 pub(crate) fn dispatch(ns: ConfigNamespace, globals: &GlobalArgs) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
@@ -16,10 +17,7 @@ fn merged_config(workflow: Option<&Path>, globals: &GlobalArgs) -> anyhow::Resul
         Some(path) => ConfigLayer::for_workflow(path, &cwd)?,
         None => ConfigLayer::project(&cwd)?,
     };
-    let mut cli = ConfigLayer::cli()?;
-    if let Some(dir) = &globals.storage_dir {
-        cli.storage_dir = Some(dir.clone());
-    }
+    let cli = cli_config::cli_layer_with_globals(globals)?;
 
     base.combine(cli).resolve()
 }
diff --git a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/preflight.rs b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/preflight.rs
index fa27bac3d..77da2d39e 100644
--- a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/preflight.rs
+++ b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/preflight.rs
@@ -17,15 +17,12 @@ use fabro_workflows::git::{GitSyncStatus, sync_status};
 use fabro_workflows::operations::{ValidateInput, WorkflowInput, validate};
 
 use crate::args::{GlobalArgs, PreflightArgs};
-use crate::cli_config::load_cli_settings_with_globals;
+use crate::cli_config::{cli_layer_with_globals, load_cli_settings_with_globals};
 use crate::shared::github::build_github_app_credentials;
 
 pub(crate) async fn execute(mut args: PreflightArgs, globals: &GlobalArgs) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     let styles: &'static Styles = Box::leak(Box::new(Styles::detect_stderr()));
-    let mut cli = ConfigLayer::cli()?;
-    if let Some(dir) = &globals.storage_dir {
-        cli.storage_dir = Some(dir.clone());
-    }
+    let cli = cli_layer_with_globals(globals)?;
     let cli_settings: FabroSettings = load_cli_settings_with_globals(globals)?;
     args.verbose = args.verbose || cli_settings.verbose_enabled();
 
diff --git a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/run/command.rs b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/run/command.rs
index dfff31f64..7d58c920d 100644
--- a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/run/command.rs
+++ b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/run/command.rs
@@ -1,20 +1,18 @@
 use anyhow::Result;
-use fabro_config::ConfigLayer;
 use fabro_util::terminal::Styles;
 
 use crate::args::{GlobalArgs, RunArgs};
-use crate::cli_config;
+use crate::cli_config::{self, cli_layer_with_globals};
 
 pub(crate) async fn execute(mut args: RunArgs, globals: &GlobalArgs) -> Result<()> {
     let styles: &'static Styles = Box::leak(Box::new(Styles::detect_stderr()));
     let cli_settings = cli_config::load_cli_settings_with_globals(globals)?;
-    let cli = ConfigLayer::cli()?;
+    let cli = cli_layer_with_globals(globals)?;
     args.verbose = args.verbose || cli_settings.verbose_enabled();
 
     let quiet = args.detach;
     let prevent_idle_sleep = cli_settings.prevent_idle_sleep_enabled();
-    let (run_id, run_dir) =
-        super::create::create_run(&args, cli, styles, quiet, globals.storage_dir.clone())?;
+    let (run_id, run_dir) = super::create::create_run(&args, cli, styles, quiet)?;
 
     #[cfg(feature = "sleep_inhibitor")]
     let _sleep_guard = crate::sleep_inhibitor::guard(prevent_idle_sleep);
diff --git a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/run/create.rs b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/run/create.rs
index d16338db4..b36d1835c 100644
--- a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/run/create.rs
+++ b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/run/create.rs
@@ -16,16 +16,12 @@ pub(crate) fn create_run(
     cli_defaults: ConfigLayer,
     styles: &Styles,
     quiet: bool,
-    storage_dir_override: Option<PathBuf>,
 ) -> anyhow::Result<(String, PathBuf)> {
     let workflow_path = args
         .workflow
         .as_ref()
         .ok_or_else(|| anyhow::anyhow!("--workflow is required"))?;
-    let mut cli_args_config = ConfigLayer::try_from(args)?;
-    if let Some(dir) = storage_dir_override {
-        cli_args_config.storage_dir = Some(dir);
-    }
+    let cli_args_config = ConfigLayer::try_from(args)?;
     let cwd = std::env::current_dir().unwrap_or_else(|_| PathBuf::from("."));
     let settings: FabroSettings = cli_args_config
         .combine(ConfigLayer::for_workflow(workflow_path, &cwd)?)
diff --git a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/run/mod.rs b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/run/mod.rs
index e1dec0e77..2e25ada0a 100644
--- a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/run/mod.rs
+++ b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/src/commands/run/mod.rs
@@ -1,11 +1,10 @@
 use anyhow::Result;
-use fabro_config::ConfigLayer;
 use fabro_config::FabroSettingsExt;
 use fabro_util::terminal::Styles;
 use fabro_workflows::run_lookup::{resolve_run_combined, runs_base};
 
 use crate::args::{GlobalArgs, RunCommands};
-use crate::cli_config::load_cli_settings_with_globals;
+use crate::cli_config::{cli_layer_with_globals, load_cli_settings_with_globals};
 use crate::store;
 
 pub(crate) mod attach;
@@ -36,9 +35,8 @@ pub(crate) async fn dispatch(cmd: RunCommands, globals: &GlobalArgs) -> Result<(
         RunCommands::Run(args) => command::execute(args, globals).await,
         RunCommands::Create(args) => {
             let styles: &'static Styles = Box::leak(Box::new(Styles::detect_stderr()));
-            let cli = ConfigLayer::cli()?;
-            let (run_id, _run_dir) =
-                create::create_run(&args, cli, styles, true, globals.storage_dir.clone())?;
+            let cli = cli_layer_with_globals(globals)?;
+            let (run_id, _run_dir) = create::create_run(&args, cli, styles, true)?;
             println!("{run_id}");
             Ok(())
         }
diff --git a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/tests/it/cli.rs b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/tests/it/cli.rs
index 5e5e4eff3..66b4547a9 100644
--- a/lib/crates/fabro-cli/tests/it/cli.rs
+++ b/lib/crates/fabro-cli/tests/it/cli.rs
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ use std::time::Duration;
 use assert_cmd::Command;
 use chrono::TimeZone;
 use fabro_config::FabroSettings;
+#[cfg(feature = "server")]
+use fabro_config::cli::ExecutionMode;
 use fabro_config::mcp::McpTransport;
 use fabro_git_storage::branchstore::BranchStore;
 use fabro_git_storage::gitobj::Store as GitStore;
@@ -2017,3 +2019,37 @@ fn config_show_missing_run_config_errors() {
         .failure()
         .stderr(predicate::str::contains("Workflow not found"));
 }
+
+#[test]
+#[cfg(feature = "server")]
+fn config_show_server_url_overrides_cli_defaults() {
+    let (home, project) = setup_config_show_fixture();
+    let cli_toml = home.path().join(".fabro").join("cli.toml");
+    std::fs::write(
+        &cli_toml,
+        format!(
+            "{}\nmode = \"standalone\"\n[server]\nbase_url = \"https://config.example.com\"\n",
+            std::fs::read_to_string(&cli_toml).unwrap()
+        ),
+    )
+    .unwrap();
+
+    let output = arc()
+        .env("HOME", home.path())
+        .current_dir(project.path())
+        .args(["--server-url", "https://cli.example.com", "config", "show"])
+        .assert()
+        .success()
+        .get_output()
+        .stdout
+        .clone();
+
+    let cfg = parse_config_show(&output);
+    assert_eq!(cfg.mode, Some(ExecutionMode::Server));
+    assert_eq!(
+        cfg.server
+            .as_ref()
+            .and_then(|server| server.base_url.as_deref()),
+        Some("https://cli.example.com")
+    );
+}