diff --git a/packages/cli/src/config/config.test.ts b/packages/cli/src/config/config.test.ts
index 47e9a4f03c..33299375ba 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/config/config.test.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/config/config.test.ts
@@ -1971,3 +1971,55 @@ describe('loadCliConfig fileFiltering', () => {
     },
   );
 });
+
+describe('parseArguments with positional prompt', () => {
+  const originalArgv = process.argv;
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    process.argv = originalArgv;
+  });
+
+  it('should throw an error when both a positional prompt and the --prompt flag are used', async () => {
+    process.argv = [
+      'node',
+      'script.js',
+      'positional',
+      'prompt',
+      '--prompt',
+      'test prompt',
+    ];
+
+    const mockExit = vi.spyOn(process, 'exit').mockImplementation(() => {
+      throw new Error('process.exit called');
+    });
+
+    const mockConsoleError = vi
+      .spyOn(console, 'error')
+      .mockImplementation(() => {});
+
+    await expect(parseArguments({} as Settings)).rejects.toThrow(
+      'process.exit called',
+    );
+
+    expect(mockConsoleError).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.stringContaining(
+        'Cannot use both a positional prompt and the --prompt (-p) flag together',
+      ),
+    );
+
+    mockExit.mockRestore();
+    mockConsoleError.mockRestore();
+  });
+
+  it('should correctly parse a positional prompt', async () => {
+    process.argv = ['node', 'script.js', 'positional', 'prompt'];
+    const argv = await parseArguments({} as Settings);
+    expect(argv.promptWords).toEqual(['positional', 'prompt']);
+  });
+
+  it('should correctly parse a prompt from the --prompt flag', async () => {
+    process.argv = ['node', 'script.js', '--prompt', 'test prompt'];
+    const argv = await parseArguments({} as Settings);
+    expect(argv.prompt).toBe('test prompt');
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/config/config.ts b/packages/cli/src/config/config.ts
index 8e047682d1..c127ebc98b 100755
--- a/packages/cli/src/config/config.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/config/config.ts
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ export interface CliArgs {
   screenReader: boolean | undefined;
   useSmartEdit: boolean | undefined;
   sessionSummary: string | undefined;
+  promptWords: string[] | undefined;
 }
 
 export async function parseArguments(settings: Settings): Promise<CliArgs> {
@@ -89,7 +90,7 @@ export async function parseArguments(settings: Settings): Promise<CliArgs> {
     .usage(
       'Usage: gemini [options] [command]\n\nGemini CLI - Launch an interactive CLI, use -p/--prompt for non-interactive mode',
     )
-    .command('$0', 'Launch Gemini CLI', (yargsInstance) =>
+    .command('$0 [promptWords...]', 'Launch Gemini CLI', (yargsInstance) =>
       yargsInstance
         .option('model', {
           alias: 'm',
@@ -277,8 +278,18 @@ export async function parseArguments(settings: Settings): Promise<CliArgs> {
           'all-files',
           'Use @ includes in the application instead. This flag will be removed in a future version.',
         )
+        .deprecateOption(
+          'prompt',
+          'Use the positional prompt instead. This flag will be removed in a future version.',
+        )
         .check((argv) => {
-          if (argv.prompt && argv['promptInteractive']) {
+          const promptWords = argv['promptWords'] as string[] | undefined;
+          if (argv['prompt'] && promptWords && promptWords.length > 0) {
+            throw new Error(
+              'Cannot use both a positional prompt and the --prompt (-p) flag together',
+            );
+          }
+          if (argv['prompt'] && argv['promptInteractive']) {
             throw new Error(
               'Cannot use both --prompt (-p) and --prompt-interactive (-i) together',
             );
@@ -439,7 +450,8 @@ export async function loadCliConfig(
   );
 
   let mcpServers = mergeMcpServers(settings, activeExtensions);
-  const question = argv.promptInteractive || argv.prompt || '';
+  const question =
+    argv.promptInteractive || argv.prompt || (argv.promptWords || []).join(' ');
 
   // Determine approval mode with backward compatibility
   let approvalMode: ApprovalMode;