diff --git a/src/cli/commands/run/command.tsx b/src/cli/commands/run/command.tsx
index db036ce8d..fcea6b2f2 100644
--- a/src/cli/commands/run/command.tsx
+++ b/src/cli/commands/run/command.tsx
@@ -398,13 +398,17 @@ export const registerRun = (program: Command) => {
           if (!cliOptions.json) console.log(message);
         };
 
+        if (cliOptions.name?.trim() === '') {
+          throw new ValidationError('--name must not be empty. Omit the flag to auto-generate a name.');
+        }
+
         await runCliCommand('run.job', !!cliOptions.json, async () => {
           const engine = createJobEngine(new ConfigIO());
 
           const insightIds = cliOptions.insights ?? ['Builtin.Insight.FailureAnalysis'];
           const lookbackDays = cliOptions.lookbackDays ? parseInt(cliOptions.lookbackDays, 10) : undefined;
           if (lookbackDays !== undefined && (isNaN(lookbackDays) || lookbackDays < 1 || lookbackDays > 90)) {
-            throw new Error('--lookback-days must be between 1 and 90');
+            throw new ValidationError('--lookback-days must be a positive integer between 1 and 90.');
           }
 
           const startResult = await engine.start('insights', {