diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ai-context/references/communicate.md b/packages/cli/src/ai-context/references/communicate.md
index 745cd505b..506b42448 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ai-context/references/communicate.md
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ai-context/references/communicate.md
@@ -20,11 +20,13 @@ Write commands (`incidents create`, `incidents update`, `incidents resolve`, `de
 **Rules for agents:**
 
 1. When exit code is 2 and output contains `"status": "confirmation_required"`, **always present the `changes` array to the user** and ask for confirmation.
-2. **Never auto-append `--force`** — only run the `confirmCommand` after the user explicitly approves.
+2. **Run the `confirmCommand` verbatim, and only after the user explicitly approves.** It is normally the command you just ran, plus `--force` to skip the second prompt. Don't append `--force` to anything yourself, and don't edit the `confirmCommand` — changing its flags changes what you were authorized to do.
 3. This applies to **every** write command, not just the first one. Incident updates and resolutions also require confirmation.
 4. Use `--dry-run` to preview what a command will do without executing or prompting.
 5. Read-only commands (`incidents list`, `status-pages list`) execute immediately without confirmation.
 
+The `confirmCommand` omits flags left at their default, so a bare `npx checkly deploy` confirms as `checkly deploy --force` rather than echoing back every boolean the parser filled in. Treat every flag you see there as deliberate.
+
 ## Available Commands
 
 Parse and read further reference documentation when tasked with any of the following:
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ai-context/references/configure.md b/packages/cli/src/ai-context/references/configure.md
index a45c2e1b4..c32c53b84 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ai-context/references/configure.md
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ai-context/references/configure.md
@@ -75,3 +75,26 @@ Run `npx checkly skills manage plan` for the full reference.
 ## Deploying
 
 - Deploy checks using the `npx checkly deploy` command. Use `--output` to see the created, updated, and deleted resources. Use `--verbose` to also include each resource's name and physical ID (UUID), which is useful for programmatically referencing deployed resources (e.g. `npx checkly checks get <id>`).
+- Use `--preview` to see what a deploy would change without applying it.
+
+### Deleted resources
+
+A deploy makes the account match the code. **Any resource that was deployed before and is no longer in the code gets deleted, along with its run history.** Pass `--preserve-resources` to keep those resources and their history in the Checkly account instead, where the user can manage them from the web app.
+
+This matters when the local project isn't the whole picture — a partial checkout, or a project whose checks were also edited elsewhere. If you're not sure the code is the complete source of truth, say so before deploying.
+
+### Confirmation
+
+`deploy` is a write command: without `--force` it returns exit code 2 and a `confirmation_required` envelope. Present its `changes` to the user and run the `confirmCommand` verbatim only after they approve.
+
+That confirmation happens **before the project is parsed**, so it cannot tell you which resources would be deleted — its `changes` only warn that deletion is possible. There is a second, itemised guard that lists each doomed resource by name, but it is skipped by `--force`, and `--force` is exactly what the `confirmCommand` carries. **An agent following the confirmation protocol never sees that list.** It is a prompt for humans deploying by hand.
+
+So when resources may have been removed from the code, don't rely on the confirmation to surface it — preview first:
+
+```bash
+npx checkly deploy --preview
+```
+
+This is a dry run: nothing is applied and nothing is confirmed. It prints the resources that would be created, updated, and deleted (add `--verbose` for names and IDs). Show the user what would be deleted, and only then deploy.
+
+Run `npx checkly skills communicate` for the full protocol.
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/ai-context/skill.md b/packages/cli/src/ai-context/skill.md
index 9f28eac82..c24f11267 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/ai-context/skill.md
+++ b/packages/cli/src/ai-context/skill.md
@@ -34,9 +34,11 @@ Run `npx checkly skills manage` for the full reference.
 
 ## Confirmation Protocol
 
-Write commands (e.g. `incidents create`, `deploy`, `destroy`) return exit code 2 with a `confirmation_required` JSON envelope instead of executing. **Always present the `changes` to the user and wait for approval before running the `confirmCommand`.** Never auto-append `--force`. This applies to every write command individually — updates and resolutions need confirmation too, not just the initial create.
+Write commands (e.g. `incidents create`, `deploy`, `destroy`) return exit code 2 with a `confirmation_required` JSON envelope instead of executing. **Always present the `changes` to the user and wait for approval before running the `confirmCommand`.** This applies to every write command individually — updates and resolutions need confirmation too, not just the initial create.
 
-Run `npx checkly skills communicate` for the full protocol details.
+The `confirmCommand` is the approved command, ready to run verbatim: it repeats the flags you passed and already ends in `--force`. Run it as-is once the user approves — don't add `--force` to a command yourself, and don't add flags the user didn't ask for.
+
+Run `npx checkly skills communicate` for the full protocol details, or `npx checkly skills configure` for what `deploy` confirms.
 
 ## API Pass-Through (fallback for any endpoint)
 
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/__tests__/confirm-flow-deploy.spec.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/__tests__/confirm-flow-deploy.spec.ts
index 9e85e5e1b..ce37f1c1f 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/__tests__/confirm-flow-deploy.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/__tests__/confirm-flow-deploy.spec.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { Parser } from '@oclif/core'
 import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
 
 vi.mock('../../helpers/cli-mode', () => ({
@@ -39,11 +40,23 @@ vi.mock('prompts', () => ({
 }))
 
 import { detectCliMode } from '../../helpers/cli-mode.js'
+import { buildConfirmCommand } from '../../helpers/command-preview.js'
 import * as api from '../../rest/api.js'
 import { parseProject } from '../../services/project-parser.js'
 import { AuthCommand } from '../authCommand.js'
 import Deploy from '../deploy.js'
 
+/** Turn a generated confirmCommand back into argv, so oclif can re-parse it. */
+function flagArgv (confirmCommand: string): string[] {
+  return [...confirmCommand.matchAll(/--[a-zA-Z0-9-]+(?:="[^"]*")?/g)]
+    .map(([token]) => token.replace(/="(.*)"$/, '=$1'))
+}
+
+async function confirmCommandFor (argv: string[]): Promise<string> {
+  const { flags, metadata } = await Parser.parse(argv, { flags: Deploy.flags, strict: true })
+  return buildConfirmCommand('deploy', flags, undefined, metadata.flags)
+}
+
 function createConfirmContext () {
   const logged: string[] = []
   let exitCodeValue: number | undefined
@@ -156,6 +169,17 @@ describe('deploy confirmation flow', () => {
         'debug-bundle': false,
         'debug-bundle-output-file': './debug-bundle.json',
       },
+      metadata: {
+        flags: {
+          'preview': { setFromDefault: true },
+          'output': { setFromDefault: true },
+          'verbose': { setFromDefault: true },
+          'schedule-on-deploy': { setFromDefault: true },
+          'verify-runtime-dependencies': { setFromDefault: true },
+          'debug-bundle': { setFromDefault: true },
+          'debug-bundle-output-file': { setFromDefault: true },
+        },
+      },
     })
 
     await expect(
@@ -172,5 +196,28 @@ describe('deploy confirmation flow', () => {
     expect(output.command).toBe('deploy')
     expect(output.classification.idempotent).toBe(true)
     expect(output.confirmCommand).toContain('--force')
+    expect(output.confirmCommand).not.toContain('--no-preview')
+  })
+})
+
+describe('deploy confirmCommand', () => {
+  it('echoes only the flags the user typed', async () => {
+    expect(await confirmCommandFor([])).toBe('checkly deploy --force')
+    expect(await confirmCommandFor(['--preserve-resources'])).toBe('checkly deploy --preserve-resources --force')
+  })
+
+  it('keeps an explicit --no-<flag> for flags that allow it', async () => {
+    expect(await confirmCommandFor(['--no-schedule-on-deploy']))
+      .toBe('checkly deploy --no-schedule-on-deploy --force')
+  })
+
+  it('generates a command oclif can parse back', async () => {
+    for (const argv of [[], ['--preserve-resources'], ['--no-schedule-on-deploy'], ['--verbose']]) {
+      const confirmCommand = await confirmCommandFor(argv)
+      await expect(
+        Parser.parse(flagArgv(confirmCommand), { flags: Deploy.flags, strict: true }),
+        `confirmCommand for "checkly deploy ${argv.join(' ')}" must be runnable: ${confirmCommand}`,
+      ).resolves.toBeDefined()
+    }
   })
 })
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/__tests__/confirm-flow-destroy.spec.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/__tests__/confirm-flow-destroy.spec.ts
index c4f65c381..bb41fce53 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/__tests__/confirm-flow-destroy.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/__tests__/confirm-flow-destroy.spec.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { Parser } from '@oclif/core'
 import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
 
 vi.mock('../../helpers/cli-mode', () => ({
@@ -29,14 +30,26 @@ vi.mock('prompts', () => ({
 import { detectCliMode } from '../../helpers/cli-mode.js'
 import prompts from 'prompts'
 import * as api from '../../rest/api.js'
+import { buildConfirmCommand } from '../../helpers/command-preview.js'
 import { AuthCommand } from '../authCommand.js'
 import Destroy from '../destroy.js'
 
-function createCommandContext (parsed: unknown) {
+/** Turn a generated confirmCommand back into argv, so oclif can re-parse it. */
+function flagArgv (confirmCommand: string): string[] {
+  return [...confirmCommand.matchAll(/--[a-zA-Z0-9-]+(?:="[^"]*")?/g)]
+    .map(([token]) => token.replace(/="(.*)"$/, '=$1'))
+}
+
+async function confirmCommandFor (argv: string[]): Promise<string> {
+  const { flags, metadata } = await Parser.parse(argv, { flags: Destroy.flags, strict: true })
+  return buildConfirmCommand('destroy', flags, undefined, metadata.flags)
+}
+
+function createCommandContext (parsed: { flags: Record<string, unknown>, metadata?: unknown }) {
   const logged: string[] = []
   let exitCodeValue: number | undefined
   return {
-    parse: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(parsed),
+    parse: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ metadata: { flags: {} }, ...parsed }),
     log: vi.fn((msg?: string) => {
       if (msg) logged.push(msg)
     }),
@@ -172,3 +185,20 @@ describe('destroy confirmation flow', () => {
     expect(Destroy.idempotent).toBe(false)
   })
 })
+
+describe('destroy confirmCommand', () => {
+  it('echoes only the flags the user typed', async () => {
+    expect(await confirmCommandFor([])).toBe('checkly destroy --force')
+    expect(await confirmCommandFor(['--preserve-resources'])).toBe('checkly destroy --preserve-resources --force')
+  })
+
+  it('generates a command oclif can parse back', async () => {
+    for (const argv of [[], ['--preserve-resources'], ['--cancel-in-progress-deployment']]) {
+      const confirmCommand = await confirmCommandFor(argv)
+      await expect(
+        Parser.parse(flagArgv(confirmCommand), { flags: Destroy.flags, strict: true }),
+        `confirmCommand for "checkly destroy ${argv.join(' ')}" must be runnable: ${confirmCommand}`,
+      ).resolves.toBeDefined()
+    }
+  })
+})
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/deploy.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/deploy.ts
index c09554cbe..8bd258395 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/deploy.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/deploy.ts
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ export default class Deploy extends AuthCommand {
   }
 
   async run (): Promise<void> {
-    const { flags } = await this.parse(Deploy)
+    const { flags, metadata } = await this.parse(Deploy)
     const {
       force,
       preview,
@@ -146,6 +146,7 @@ export default class Deploy extends AuthCommand {
             : 'Delete any resources removed from code, losing their run history. Pass --preserve-resources to keep them in your Checkly account instead',
         ],
         flags,
+        flagMetadata: metadata.flags,
         classification: {
           readOnly: Deploy.readOnly,
           destructive: Deploy.destructive,
@@ -316,6 +317,7 @@ export default class Deploy extends AuthCommand {
               `Delete ${PRETTY_RESOURCE_TYPES[resourceType] ?? resourceType}: ${logicalId}`),
           ],
           flags,
+          flagMetadata: metadata.flags,
           classification: {
             readOnly: Deploy.readOnly,
             destructive: Deploy.destructive,
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/destroy.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/destroy.ts
index 3054c8581..4ec85eaaf 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/destroy.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/destroy.ts
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ export default class Destroy extends AuthCommand {
   }
 
   async run (): Promise<void> {
-    const { flags } = await this.parse(Destroy)
+    const { flags, metadata } = await this.parse(Destroy)
     const {
       config: configFilename,
       'preserve-resources': preserveResources,
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ export default class Destroy extends AuthCommand {
           : `PERMANENTLY delete ALL resources associated with the project "${checklyConfig.projectName}" in account "${account.name}"`,
       ],
       flags,
+      flagMetadata: metadata.flags,
       classification: {
         readOnly: Destroy.readOnly,
         destructive: Destroy.destructive,
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/incidents/__tests__/confirm-flow.spec.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/incidents/__tests__/confirm-flow.spec.ts
index 0dad4ee1c..193e3f9c7 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/incidents/__tests__/confirm-flow.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/incidents/__tests__/confirm-flow.spec.ts
@@ -50,12 +50,12 @@ const incidentFixture = {
   services: [{ id: 'svc-1', name: 'Checkout API', accountId: 'acc-1' }],
 }
 
-function createCommandContext (parsed: unknown) {
+function createCommandContext (parsed: { flags: Record<string, unknown>, args?: unknown, metadata?: unknown }) {
   const logged: string[] = []
   let didExit = false
   let exitCodeValue: number | undefined
   return {
-    parse: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(parsed),
+    parse: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ metadata: { flags: {} }, ...parsed }),
     log: vi.fn((msg?: string) => {
       if (msg) logged.push(msg)
     }),
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/incidents/__tests__/notify-subscribers.spec.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/incidents/__tests__/notify-subscribers.spec.ts
index c00d3fe67..7dcabf76a 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/incidents/__tests__/notify-subscribers.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/incidents/__tests__/notify-subscribers.spec.ts
@@ -43,10 +43,13 @@ const statusPageFixture: StatusPage = {
   updated_at: '2026-02-25T10:00:00.000Z',
 }
 
-function createCommandContext (parsed: unknown, CommandClass: any = IncidentsCreate) {
+function createCommandContext (
+  parsed: { flags: Record<string, unknown>, args?: unknown, metadata?: unknown },
+  CommandClass: any = IncidentsCreate,
+) {
   const logged: string[] = []
   return {
-    parse: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(parsed),
+    parse: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ metadata: { flags: {} }, ...parsed }),
     log: vi.fn((msg?: string) => {
       if (msg) logged.push(msg)
     }),
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/incidents/create.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/incidents/create.ts
index 88dcebf1a..490c76348 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/incidents/create.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/incidents/create.ts
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ export default class IncidentsCreate extends AuthCommand {
   }
 
   async run (): Promise<void> {
-    const { flags } = await this.parse(IncidentsCreate)
+    const { flags, metadata } = await this.parse(IncidentsCreate)
     this.style.outputFormat = flags.output
 
     const statusPage = await api.statusPages.get(flags['status-page-id'])
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ export default class IncidentsCreate extends AuthCommand {
           : 'Subscribers will NOT be notified',
       ],
       flags,
+      flagMetadata: metadata.flags,
       classification: {
         readOnly: IncidentsCreate.readOnly,
         destructive: IncidentsCreate.destructive,
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/incidents/resolve.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/incidents/resolve.ts
index d76b8997c..16039842c 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/incidents/resolve.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/incidents/resolve.ts
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ export default class IncidentsResolve extends AuthCommand {
   }
 
   async run (): Promise<void> {
-    const { args, flags } = await this.parse(IncidentsResolve)
+    const { args, flags, metadata } = await this.parse(IncidentsResolve)
     this.style.outputFormat = flags.output
 
     const incident = await api.incidents.get(args.id)
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ export default class IncidentsResolve extends AuthCommand {
           : 'Subscribers will NOT be notified',
       ],
       flags,
+      flagMetadata: metadata.flags,
       args: { id: args.id },
       classification: {
         readOnly: IncidentsResolve.readOnly,
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/incidents/update.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/incidents/update.ts
index c798c7771..1c87f8c2f 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/incidents/update.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/incidents/update.ts
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ export default class IncidentsUpdate extends AuthCommand {
   }
 
   async run (): Promise<void> {
-    const { args, flags } = await this.parse(IncidentsUpdate)
+    const { args, flags, metadata } = await this.parse(IncidentsUpdate)
     this.style.outputFormat = flags.output
 
     const incident = await api.incidents.get(args.id)
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ export default class IncidentsUpdate extends AuthCommand {
       description: 'Post progress update to incident',
       changes,
       flags,
+      flagMetadata: metadata.flags,
       args: { id: args.id },
       classification: {
         readOnly: IncidentsUpdate.readOnly,
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/helpers/__tests__/command-preview.spec.ts b/packages/cli/src/helpers/__tests__/command-preview.spec.ts
index 93ea1b707..32a1dffb4 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/helpers/__tests__/command-preview.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/helpers/__tests__/command-preview.spec.ts
@@ -124,4 +124,22 @@ describe('buildConfirmCommand', () => {
     const result = buildConfirmCommand('incidents update', { message: 'Fix deployed' }, { id: 'inc-123' })
     expect(result).toBe('checkly incidents update inc-123 --message="Fix deployed" --force')
   })
+
+  it('omits flags oclif filled in from their default', () => {
+    const result = buildConfirmCommand('deploy', {
+      'preview': false,
+      'schedule-on-deploy': true,
+      'preserve-resources': true,
+    }, undefined, {
+      'preview': { setFromDefault: true },
+      'schedule-on-deploy': { setFromDefault: true },
+      'preserve-resources': { setFromDefault: false },
+    })
+    expect(result).toBe('checkly deploy --preserve-resources --force')
+  })
+
+  it('keeps default-valued flags when no metadata is given', () => {
+    const result = buildConfirmCommand('deploy', { 'schedule-on-deploy': true })
+    expect(result).toBe('checkly deploy --schedule-on-deploy --force')
+  })
 })
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/helpers/command-preview.ts b/packages/cli/src/helpers/command-preview.ts
index 7d59c7060..64f8368d1 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/helpers/command-preview.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/helpers/command-preview.ts
@@ -4,11 +4,18 @@ export type CommandClassification = {
   idempotent: boolean
 }
 
+/**
+ * The subset of oclif's parse metadata we rely on: which flags were filled in from
+ * `default:` rather than typed by the user. Pass `metadata.flags` from `this.parse()`.
+ */
+export type FlagMetadata = Record<string, { setFromDefault?: boolean } | undefined>
+
 export type CommandPreview = {
   command: string
   description: string
   changes: string[]
   flags: Record<string, unknown>
+  flagMetadata?: FlagMetadata
   args?: Record<string, unknown>
   classification: CommandClassification
 }
@@ -28,6 +35,7 @@ export function buildConfirmCommand (
   command: string,
   flags: Record<string, unknown>,
   args?: Record<string, unknown>,
+  flagMetadata?: FlagMetadata,
 ): string {
   const parts = ['checkly', command]
 
@@ -40,6 +48,9 @@ export function buildConfirmCommand (
   for (const [key, value] of Object.entries(flags)) {
     if (OMITTED_FLAGS.has(key)) continue
     if (value === undefined || value === null) continue
+    // Defaults are not part of what the user asked for, and a default `false` renders as
+    // `--no-x`, which only parses when the flag sets `allowNo: true`.
+    if (flagMetadata?.[key]?.setFromDefault) continue
 
     if (Array.isArray(value)) {
       for (const item of value) {
@@ -66,7 +77,7 @@ export function formatPreviewForAgent (
     description: preview.description,
     classification: preview.classification,
     changes: preview.changes,
-    confirmCommand: buildConfirmCommand(preview.command, preview.flags, preview.args),
+    confirmCommand: buildConfirmCommand(preview.command, preview.flags, preview.args, preview.flagMetadata),
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/skills/checkly/SKILL.md b/skills/checkly/SKILL.md
index 0c1e17744..c44432618 100644
--- a/skills/checkly/SKILL.md
+++ b/skills/checkly/SKILL.md
@@ -34,9 +34,11 @@ Run `npx checkly skills manage` for the full reference.
 
 ## Confirmation Protocol
 
-Write commands (e.g. `incidents create`, `deploy`, `destroy`) return exit code 2 with a `confirmation_required` JSON envelope instead of executing. **Always present the `changes` to the user and wait for approval before running the `confirmCommand`.** Never auto-append `--force`. This applies to every write command individually — updates and resolutions need confirmation too, not just the initial create.
+Write commands (e.g. `incidents create`, `deploy`, `destroy`) return exit code 2 with a `confirmation_required` JSON envelope instead of executing. **Always present the `changes` to the user and wait for approval before running the `confirmCommand`.** This applies to every write command individually — updates and resolutions need confirmation too, not just the initial create.
 
-Run `npx checkly skills communicate` for the full protocol details.
+The `confirmCommand` is the approved command, ready to run verbatim: it repeats the flags you passed and already ends in `--force`. Run it as-is once the user approves — don't add `--force` to a command yourself, and don't add flags the user didn't ask for.
+
+Run `npx checkly skills communicate` for the full protocol details, or `npx checkly skills configure` for what `deploy` confirms.
 
 ## API Pass-Through (fallback for any endpoint)