diff --git a/internal/cli/inspect.go b/internal/cli/inspect.go
index a769fe2..6a03846 100644
--- a/internal/cli/inspect.go
+++ b/internal/cli/inspect.go
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ package cli
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"flag"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 
@@ -14,33 +13,17 @@ func inspectCommand(ctx context.Context, args []string, stdout, stderr io.Writer
 		printInspectHelp(stdout)
 		return exitOK
 	}
-	flags := flag.NewFlagSet("inspect", flag.ContinueOnError)
-	flags.SetOutput(stderr)
-	configPath := flags.String("config", "", "path to config file")
-	pipelineID := flags.String("pipeline", "", "pipeline id")
-	bundlePath := flags.String("bundle", "", "source-root-relative bundle path")
-	formatFlag := addFormatFlag(flags)
-	if err := flags.Parse(args); err != nil {
-		return exitUsage
-	}
-	format, ok := parseOutputFormat(stderr, "inspect", *formatFlag)
+	parsed, ok := parseSourceDiagnosticArgs(stderr, "inspect", args)
 	if !ok {
 		return exitUsage
 	}
-	path, ok := parseOptionalPathArg(stderr, "inspect", flags.Args())
-	if !ok {
-		return exitUsage
-	}
-	if !validateInspectModeOK(stderr, "inspect", path, *configPath, *pipelineID, *bundlePath) {
-		return exitUsage
-	}
 	if err := app.Inspect(ctx, app.InspectOptions{
-		Path:         path,
-		ConfigPath:   *configPath,
-		PipelineID:   *pipelineID,
-		BundlePath:   *bundlePath,
+		Path:         parsed.Path,
+		ConfigPath:   parsed.ConfigPath,
+		PipelineID:   parsed.PipelineID,
+		BundlePath:   parsed.BundlePath,
 		Stdout:       stdout,
-		OutputFormat: format,
+		OutputFormat: parsed.OutputFormat,
 	}); err != nil {
 		return fail(stderr, err)
 	}
diff --git a/internal/cli/root_test.go b/internal/cli/root_test.go
index da9de18..a646c04 100644
--- a/internal/cli/root_test.go
+++ b/internal/cli/root_test.go
@@ -217,12 +217,24 @@ func TestExecuteValidateArgs(t *testing.T) {
 			wantCode:   exitUsage,
 			wantStderr: "requires --config",
 		},
+		{
+			name:       "bundle without config",
+			args:       []string{"validate", "--bundle", "daily"},
+			wantCode:   exitUsage,
+			wantStderr: "requires --config",
+		},
 		{
 			name:       "config without pipeline",
 			args:       []string{"validate", "--config", "config.yml"},
 			wantCode:   exitUsage,
 			wantStderr: "requires --pipeline",
 		},
+		{
+			name:       "invalid format",
+			args:       []string{"validate", "--format", "xml", validPath},
+			wantCode:   exitUsage,
+			wantStderr: "format must be text or json",
+		},
 	}
 	for _, tt := range tests {
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
@@ -343,12 +355,24 @@ func TestExecuteInspectArgs(t *testing.T) {
 			wantCode:   exitUsage,
 			wantStderr: "requires --config",
 		},
+		{
+			name:       "bundle without config",
+			args:       []string{"inspect", "--bundle", "daily"},
+			wantCode:   exitUsage,
+			wantStderr: "requires --config",
+		},
 		{
 			name:       "config without pipeline",
 			args:       []string{"inspect", "--config", "config.yml"},
 			wantCode:   exitUsage,
 			wantStderr: "requires --pipeline",
 		},
+		{
+			name:       "invalid format",
+			args:       []string{"inspect", "--format", "xml", validPath},
+			wantCode:   exitUsage,
+			wantStderr: "format must be text or json",
+		},
 	}
 	for _, tt := range tests {
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/internal/cli/source_mode.go b/internal/cli/source_mode.go
index 7059f65..a76af92 100644
--- a/internal/cli/source_mode.go
+++ b/internal/cli/source_mode.go
@@ -1,10 +1,51 @@
 package cli
 
 import (
+	"flag"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
+
+	"gitea.maximumdirect.net/eric/distributor/internal/app"
 )
 
+type sourceDiagnosticArgs struct {
+	Path         string
+	ConfigPath   string
+	PipelineID   string
+	BundlePath   string
+	OutputFormat app.OutputFormat
+}
+
+func parseSourceDiagnosticArgs(stderr io.Writer, command string, args []string) (sourceDiagnosticArgs, bool) {
+	flags := flag.NewFlagSet(command, flag.ContinueOnError)
+	flags.SetOutput(stderr)
+	configPath := flags.String("config", "", "path to config file")
+	pipelineID := flags.String("pipeline", "", "pipeline id")
+	bundlePath := flags.String("bundle", "", "source-root-relative bundle path")
+	formatFlag := addFormatFlag(flags)
+	if err := flags.Parse(args); err != nil {
+		return sourceDiagnosticArgs{}, false
+	}
+	format, ok := parseOutputFormat(stderr, command, *formatFlag)
+	if !ok {
+		return sourceDiagnosticArgs{}, false
+	}
+	path, ok := parseOptionalPathArg(stderr, command, flags.Args())
+	if !ok {
+		return sourceDiagnosticArgs{}, false
+	}
+	if !validateInspectModeOK(stderr, command, path, *configPath, *pipelineID, *bundlePath) {
+		return sourceDiagnosticArgs{}, false
+	}
+	return sourceDiagnosticArgs{
+		Path:         path,
+		ConfigPath:   *configPath,
+		PipelineID:   *pipelineID,
+		BundlePath:   *bundlePath,
+		OutputFormat: format,
+	}, true
+}
+
 func validateInspectModeOK(stderr io.Writer, command, path, configPath, pipelineID, bundlePath string) bool {
 	configMode := configPath != "" || pipelineID != "" || bundlePath != ""
 	if !configMode {
diff --git a/internal/cli/validate.go b/internal/cli/validate.go
index 9673e0f..0d1fc43 100644
--- a/internal/cli/validate.go
+++ b/internal/cli/validate.go
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ package cli
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"flag"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 
@@ -14,33 +13,17 @@ func validateCommand(ctx context.Context, args []string, stdout, stderr io.Write
 		printValidateHelp(stdout)
 		return exitOK
 	}
-	flags := flag.NewFlagSet("validate", flag.ContinueOnError)
-	flags.SetOutput(stderr)
-	configPath := flags.String("config", "", "path to config file")
-	pipelineID := flags.String("pipeline", "", "pipeline id")
-	bundlePath := flags.String("bundle", "", "source-root-relative bundle path")
-	formatFlag := addFormatFlag(flags)
-	if err := flags.Parse(args); err != nil {
-		return exitUsage
-	}
-	format, ok := parseOutputFormat(stderr, "validate", *formatFlag)
+	parsed, ok := parseSourceDiagnosticArgs(stderr, "validate", args)
 	if !ok {
 		return exitUsage
 	}
-	path, ok := parseOptionalPathArg(stderr, "validate", flags.Args())
-	if !ok {
-		return exitUsage
-	}
-	if !validateInspectModeOK(stderr, "validate", path, *configPath, *pipelineID, *bundlePath) {
-		return exitUsage
-	}
 	if err := app.Validate(ctx, app.ValidateOptions{
-		Path:         path,
-		ConfigPath:   *configPath,
-		PipelineID:   *pipelineID,
-		BundlePath:   *bundlePath,
+		Path:         parsed.Path,
+		ConfigPath:   parsed.ConfigPath,
+		PipelineID:   parsed.PipelineID,
+		BundlePath:   parsed.BundlePath,
 		Stdout:       stdout,
-		OutputFormat: format,
+		OutputFormat: parsed.OutputFormat,
 	}); err != nil {
 		return fail(stderr, err)
 	}