diff --git a/cmd/args.go b/cmd/args.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6c2f0a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/args.go
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+package cmd
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"regexp"
+	"strings"
+
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+)
+
+var requiredArgRe = regexp.MustCompile(`<(\w+)>`)
+
+func wrapArgsWithNames(cmd *cobra.Command) {
+	if cmd.Args != nil {
+		v := cmd.Args
+		cmd.Args = func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+			err := v(cmd, args)
+			if err == nil {
+				return nil
+			}
+			required := requiredArgNames(cmd.Use)
+			if len(args) < len(required) {
+				missing := required[len(args):]
+				return fmt.Errorf(`required argument(s) "%s" not set`, strings.Join(missing, `", "`))
+			}
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+	for _, c := range cmd.Commands() {
+		wrapArgsWithNames(c)
+	}
+}
+
+func requiredArgNames(use string) []string {
+	matches := requiredArgRe.FindAllStringSubmatch(use, -1)
+	names := make([]string, len(matches))
+	for i, m := range matches {
+		names[i] = m[1]
+	}
+	return names
+}
diff --git a/cmd/args_test.go b/cmd/args_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ba80400
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/args_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,118 @@
+package cmd
+
+import (
+	"reflect"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+)
+
+func TestWrapArgsWithNames_LeavesNilArgsAlone(t *testing.T) {
+	root := &cobra.Command{Use: "root"}
+	bare := &cobra.Command{Use: "bare"}
+	root.AddCommand(bare)
+
+	wrapArgsWithNames(root)
+
+	if bare.Args != nil {
+		t.Fatal("bare command should not be wrapped")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestWrapArgsWithNames_PassesThroughOnSuccess(t *testing.T) {
+	cmd := &cobra.Command{Use: "login <name>", Args: cobra.ExactArgs(1)}
+	wrapArgsWithNames(cmd)
+
+	if err := cmd.Args(cmd, []string{"x"}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected nil, got %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestWrapArgsWithNames_NamesMissingArg(t *testing.T) {
+	cmd := &cobra.Command{Use: "login <name>", Args: cobra.ExactArgs(1)}
+	wrapArgsWithNames(cmd)
+
+	err := cmd.Args(cmd, nil)
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected error")
+	}
+	if got, want := err.Error(), `required argument(s) "name" not set`; got != want {
+		t.Fatalf("error = %q, want %q", got, want)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestWrapArgsWithNames_NamesMultipleMissingArgs(t *testing.T) {
+	cmd := &cobra.Command{Use: "thing <a> <b>", Args: cobra.ExactArgs(2)}
+	wrapArgsWithNames(cmd)
+
+	err := cmd.Args(cmd, nil)
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected error")
+	}
+	if got, want := err.Error(), `required argument(s) "a", "b" not set`; got != want {
+		t.Fatalf("error = %q, want %q", got, want)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestWrapArgsWithNames_NamesOnlyTrailingMissingArgs(t *testing.T) {
+	cmd := &cobra.Command{Use: "thing <a> <b>", Args: cobra.ExactArgs(2)}
+	wrapArgsWithNames(cmd)
+
+	err := cmd.Args(cmd, []string{"first"})
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected error")
+	}
+	if got, want := err.Error(), `required argument(s) "b" not set`; got != want {
+		t.Fatalf("error = %q, want %q", got, want)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestWrapArgsWithNames_FallsBackOnTooManyArgs(t *testing.T) {
+	cmd := &cobra.Command{Use: "login <name>", Args: cobra.ExactArgs(1)}
+	wrapArgsWithNames(cmd)
+
+	err := cmd.Args(cmd, []string{"a", "b"})
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected error")
+	}
+	if got, want := err.Error(), "accepts 1 arg(s), received 2"; got != want {
+		t.Fatalf("error = %q, want %q", got, want)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestWrapArgsWithNames_RecursesIntoChildren(t *testing.T) {
+	root := &cobra.Command{Use: "root"}
+	parent := &cobra.Command{Use: "parent"}
+	grandchild := &cobra.Command{Use: "grandchild <event>", Args: cobra.ExactArgs(1)}
+	parent.AddCommand(grandchild)
+	root.AddCommand(parent)
+
+	wrapArgsWithNames(root)
+
+	err := grandchild.Args(grandchild, nil)
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected error")
+	}
+	if got, want := err.Error(), `required argument(s) "event" not set`; got != want {
+		t.Fatalf("error = %q, want %q", got, want)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestRequiredArgNames(t *testing.T) {
+	cases := []struct {
+		use  string
+		want []string
+	}{
+		{"login <name>", []string{"name"}},
+		{"thing <a> <b>", []string{"a", "b"}},
+		{"use [name]", nil},
+		{"mixed <id> [extra]", []string{"id"}},
+		{"bare", nil},
+	}
+	for _, tc := range cases {
+		got := requiredArgNames(tc.use)
+		if !reflect.DeepEqual(got, tc.want) && !(len(got) == 0 && len(tc.want) == 0) {
+			t.Errorf("requiredArgNames(%q) = %v, want %v", tc.use, got, tc.want)
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/cmd/root.go b/cmd/root.go
index d6bf239..39fe8cf 100644
--- a/cmd/root.go
+++ b/cmd/root.go
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"charm.land/fang/v2"
-	"github.com/loops-so/loops-go"
 	"github.com/loops-so/cli/internal/config"
+	"github.com/loops-so/loops-go"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 )
 
@@ -69,6 +69,8 @@ func Execute() {
 		}
 	}()
 
+	wrapArgsWithNames(rootCmd)
+
 	err := fang.Execute(
 		context.Background(),
 		rootCmd,