diff --git a/cmd/mesh-controller/seatverbs.go b/cmd/mesh-controller/seatverbs.go
index 2f2e47f6..92e42822 100644
--- a/cmd/mesh-controller/seatverbs.go
+++ b/cmd/mesh-controller/seatverbs.go
@@ -1367,7 +1367,10 @@ var commandReadForms = map[string]func(rest []string) bool{
 	// `plan <node>` previews a node's declaration; it sends nothing.
 	"plan": func([]string) bool { return true },
 	// `plans` lists and `plans <id>` shows one; `plans stop|close|go` acts.
-	"plans": func(r []string) bool { return !subIn(r, "stop", "close", "go") },
+	// Judged on every word, not the first: a flag before the subcommand (`plans --json go <id>`) still acts.
+	"plans": func(r []string) bool {
+		return !slices.ContainsFunc(r, func(w string) bool { return slices.Contains(plansActs, w) })
+	},
 	// `doctor` answers the last run, `probes` and `signals` describe; `doctor run` runs.
 	"doctor":     func(r []string) bool { return flagsOnly(r) || subIn(r, "probes", "signals") },
 	"conditions": func(r []string) bool { return flagsOnly(r) || subIn(r, "list", "show", "history") },
@@ -1388,6 +1391,9 @@ var commandReadForms = map[string]func(rest []string) bool{
 	},
 }
 
+// plansActs are the `plans` subcommands that act on a walk; no other word of a plans line is one of them.
+var plansActs = []string{"go", "stop", "close", "retry"}
+
 // heldAtTheTerminal is a refusal of policy (novox/hq ADR 0266): the verb is known and served, and this line is
 // the operator's at the controller's terminal. Never read as a verb this binary is behind on.
 type heldAtTheTerminal struct{ msg string }
diff --git a/cmd/mesh-controller/seatverbs_test.go b/cmd/mesh-controller/seatverbs_test.go
index 9a6643ab..e1a5bf24 100644
--- a/cmd/mesh-controller/seatverbs_test.go
+++ b/cmd/mesh-controller/seatverbs_test.go
@@ -369,7 +369,8 @@ func TestTheCommandVerbOnlyReads(t *testing.T) {
 		"secret recover a", "secret export a", "token issue --new x", "identity show", "broker users",
 		"api key", "licence show", "push anchor --why w", "assign novox m", "settings set m {}",
 		"settings clear m", "module add f", "module check /etc", "module forget m", "module issue m --node a",
-		"seat rename a b", "plans close p --why w", "plans go p", "doctor run", "conditions silence c --why w",
+		"seat rename a b", "plans close p --why w", "plans go p", "plans retry p", "plans stop p",
+		"plans --json go p", "plans -n 3 close p", "plans --what-if r retry p", "doctor run", "conditions silence c --why w",
 		"retire approve x", "cleanup delete x", "delivery check", "delivery go x", "bus upgrade",
 		"mirrors --record x", "mirrors --confirm", "hand-act record x --why y --cause z", "serve", "migrate",
 		"prepare", "declare x", "overlay x", "facts", "merge-gate", "check-here", "build x", "rebuild x",