diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index f405a18..5bc120f 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ Staging is a config override for Amendable developers, not a different command s
 - `AMENDABLE_API_URL=https://stage.api.amendable.io`
 - `AMENDABLE_APP_URL=https://stage.amendable.io`
 
-Do not document those URL env vars in customer docs (`../amendable-docs`). Hardcode production hosts there.
+`--staging` is hidden from `amendable --help`. Keep it that way. Do not put staging hostnames, `--staging`, or `AMENDABLE_API_URL` / `AMENDABLE_APP_URL` in `README.md` or customer docs (`../amendable-docs`). Hardcode production hosts there. Staging URLs stay in this file and in `src/config.rs`.
 
 Config file: `~/.config/amendable/config.toml` (mode `0600`).
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 389579c..12df4ef 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -9,14 +9,7 @@ amendable repo create hello
 amendable repo clone hello
 ```
 
-Defaults are production (`https://api.amendable.io`). Change hosts only when developing Amendable against the staging server:
-
-```bash
-amendable login --staging
-# or
-export AMENDABLE_API_URL=https://stage.api.amendable.io
-export AMENDABLE_APP_URL=https://stage.amendable.io
-```
+Talks to `https://api.amendable.io` by default.
 
 ## Install from a checkout
 
diff --git a/src/cli.rs b/src/cli.rs
index 692243d..fbc8dfe 100644
--- a/src/cli.rs
+++ b/src/cli.rs
@@ -22,8 +22,8 @@ use crate::error::Error;
     arg_required_else_help = true
 )]
 struct Cli {
-    /// Talk to stage.amendable.io (site, Git, and stage.api.amendable.io).
-    #[arg(long, global = true)]
+    /// Internal: talk to the Amendable staging server.
+    #[arg(long, global = true, hide = true)]
     staging: bool,
     #[command(subcommand)]
     command: Commands,
diff --git a/tests/cli.rs b/tests/cli.rs
index 2186cf3..3472678 100644
--- a/tests/cli.rs
+++ b/tests/cli.rs
@@ -243,6 +243,27 @@ fn missing_token_fails() {
         .stderr(contains("Not logged in"));
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn help_omits_staging() {
+    Command::cargo_bin("amendable")
+        .expect("binary")
+        .arg("--help")
+        .assert()
+        .success()
+        .stdout(contains("--staging").not())
+        .stdout(contains("stage.amendable.io").not())
+        .stdout(contains("stage.api.amendable.io").not());
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn hidden_staging_flag_is_accepted() {
+    Command::cargo_bin("amendable")
+        .expect("binary")
+        .args(["--staging", "--help"])
+        .assert()
+        .success();
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn git_credential_get() {
     let server = MockApiServer::start();