diff --git a/artifacts/requirements.yaml b/artifacts/requirements.yaml
index f336ef3..69a93d4 100644
--- a/artifacts/requirements.yaml
+++ b/artifacts/requirements.yaml
@@ -6497,3 +6497,35 @@ artifacts:
       created-by: ai-assisted
       model: claude-opus-4-8
       timestamp: 2026-06-06T01:49:27Z
+  - id: REQ-209
+    type: requirement
+    title: "Top-level path args (`--project`/`--schemas`) must be position-independent (clap `global`)"
+    status: implemented
+    description: |
+      Finding (issue #500, hit while implementing #488). `--project`/`-p` and
+      `--schemas` were declared on the top-level Cli without `global = true`, so
+      they only parsed BEFORE the subcommand: `rivet -p X validate` worked but
+      `rivet validate -p X` errored — and with `--format json` produced empty
+      stdout (error on stderr), a confusing failure for anything shelling out to
+      rivet (it cost a debug cycle in the #488 `--new-since` subprocess).
+
+      Fix: mark both args `global = true` so they work in any position. Additive
+      and low-risk — the pre-subcommand form still parses.
+
+      Acceptance:
+        - `cargo test -p rivet-cli --bin rivet cli_global_args_tests` passes
+          (`--project`/`--schemas` parse after the subcommand; `-p` before still parses).
+        - `rivet validate --project .` and `rivet validate -p . --format json`
+          both succeed (previously errored).
+        - `rivet validate` on the rivet repo still PASS.
+    tags: [cli, ergonomics, clap, args, dogfooding]
+    fields:
+      priority: should
+      category: functional
+    links:
+      - type: traces-to
+        target: REQ-007
+    provenance:
+      created-by: ai-assisted
+      model: claude-opus-4-8
+      timestamp: 2026-06-06T02:18:14Z
diff --git a/rivet-cli/src/main.rs b/rivet-cli/src/main.rs
index 71fb6f7..891f702 100644
--- a/rivet-cli/src/main.rs
+++ b/rivet-cli/src/main.rs
@@ -193,12 +193,16 @@ fn check_for_updates() {
 #[derive(Parser)]
 #[command(name = "rivet", about = "SDLC artifact traceability and validation", version = build_version())]
 struct Cli {
-    /// Path to the project directory (containing rivet.yaml)
-    #[arg(short, long, default_value = ".")]
+    /// Path to the project directory (containing rivet.yaml).
+    /// `global` so it works in any position (`rivet validate -p X` as well as
+    /// `rivet -p X validate`) — a non-global path arg silently errors when
+    /// placed after the subcommand, which is surprising for tools (#500).
+    #[arg(short, long, default_value = ".", global = true)]
     project: PathBuf,
 
-    /// Path to schemas directory
-    #[arg(long)]
+    /// Path to schemas directory. `global` for the same position-independence
+    /// as `--project` (#500).
+    #[arg(long, global = true)]
     schemas: Option<PathBuf>,
 
     /// Increase verbosity
@@ -16990,6 +16994,32 @@ fn print_diagnostics_with_remediation(
 
 // ── LSP unit tests ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod cli_global_args_tests {
+    use super::Cli;
+    use clap::Parser;
+
+    // rivet: verifies REQ-209
+    #[test]
+    fn project_and_schemas_parse_after_the_subcommand() {
+        // The #500 regression: a non-global `--project` errored when placed
+        // after the subcommand. With `global = true` both positions parse.
+        let after =
+            Cli::try_parse_from(["rivet", "validate", "--project", "/x", "--schemas", "/s"])
+                .expect("`--project`/`--schemas` must parse AFTER the subcommand");
+        assert_eq!(after.project.to_str(), Some("/x"));
+        assert_eq!(
+            after.schemas.as_deref().and_then(|p| p.to_str()),
+            Some("/s")
+        );
+
+        // The pre-subcommand form still works (no regression).
+        let before = Cli::try_parse_from(["rivet", "-p", "/y", "validate"])
+            .expect("`-p` before the subcommand must still parse");
+        assert_eq!(before.project.to_str(), Some("/y"));
+    }
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod new_since_diff_tests {
     use super::diff_new_diagnostics;