diff --git a/apps/cli/src/parse-args.test.ts b/apps/cli/src/parse-args.test.ts
index 749474c..a115b65 100644
--- a/apps/cli/src/parse-args.test.ts
+++ b/apps/cli/src/parse-args.test.ts
@@ -63,6 +63,23 @@ describe('parseArgs', () => {
     expect(p.unknownFlags).toContain('--mode invalid');
   });
 
+  it('--permission-mode is a true alias for --mode (sets mode, is wired)', () => {
+    // Regression: previously parsed into a separate field that cli.ts never read,
+    // so --permission-mode was silently ignored. It must set `mode` like --mode.
+    expect(parseArgs(['--permission-mode', 'plan']).mode).toBe('plan');
+    expect(parseArgs(['--permission-mode', 'bypassPermissions']).mode).toBe('bypassPermissions');
+    const p = parseArgs(['--permission-mode', 'invalid']);
+    expect(p.mode).toBeUndefined();
+    expect(p.unknownFlags).toContain('--permission-mode invalid');
+  });
+
+  it('--mode and --permission-mode: last flag wins', () => {
+    expect(parseArgs(['--mode', 'plan', '--permission-mode', 'acceptEdits']).mode).toBe(
+      'acceptEdits',
+    );
+    expect(parseArgs(['--permission-mode', 'acceptEdits', '--mode', 'plan']).mode).toBe('plan');
+  });
+
   it('--effort validation', () => {
     expect(parseArgs(['--effort', 'high']).effort).toBe('high');
     expect(parseArgs(['--effort', 'wrong']).unknownFlags).toContain('--effort wrong');
diff --git a/apps/cli/src/parse-args.ts b/apps/cli/src/parse-args.ts
index 23d4323..f2fc27f 100644
--- a/apps/cli/src/parse-args.ts
+++ b/apps/cli/src/parse-args.ts
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ export interface ParsedArgs {
 
   // Session shaping
   mode?: Mode;
-  permissionMode?: Mode;
   model?: string;
   effort?: Effort;
   maxTurns?: number;
@@ -159,9 +158,12 @@ export function parseArgs(argv: string[]): ParsedArgs {
         else out.unknownFlags.push(`--mode ${v ?? ''}`);
         break;
       }
+      // Claude Code alias for --mode: set out.mode directly so it's actually
+      // wired through cli.ts (which only forwards args.mode). Last flag wins if
+      // both --mode and --permission-mode are given.
       case a === '--permission-mode': {
         const v = next();
-        if (v && (VALID_MODES as string[]).includes(v)) out.permissionMode = v as Mode;
+        if (v && (VALID_MODES as string[]).includes(v)) out.mode = v as Mode;
         else out.unknownFlags.push(`--permission-mode ${v ?? ''}`);
         break;
       }