diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 2196830..03953d6 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,6 +4,17 @@ All notable changes to netbox-super-cli are tracked here. Format follows [Keep a
 
 ## Unreleased
 
+### Fixed
+
+- **`--branch` after a subcommand no longer switches branches** ([#170]). It is
+  a global option only before the subcommand. After it, `--branch` belongs to
+  that command (for example a plugin's `branch` filter) and is left alone.
+- **Branch failures while loading `--saved` filters honour `-o json`** ([#173]).
+  They now emit the branch error's structured envelope (with its usual exit
+  code) in the requested format instead of falling through to the catch-all
+  table renderer. `nsc --branch X <meta command>` (e.g. `profiles list`) is
+  also recognised as a meta command again instead of bootstrapping the schema.
+
 ## v1.8.0 — 2026-10-22
 
 Minor release. Adds NetBox Branching support (`--branch`, `NSC_BRANCH`,
@@ -91,6 +102,8 @@ notices, and a fix for `nsc login` reporting the wrong user.
 
 [#1]: https://github.com/thomaschristory/netbox-super-cli/issues/1
 [#166]: https://github.com/thomaschristory/netbox-super-cli/issues/166
+[#170]: https://github.com/thomaschristory/netbox-super-cli/issues/170
+[#173]: https://github.com/thomaschristory/netbox-super-cli/issues/173
 [#150]: https://github.com/thomaschristory/netbox-super-cli/issues/150
 [#151]: https://github.com/thomaschristory/netbox-super-cli/issues/151
 
diff --git a/docs/guides/branching.md b/docs/guides/branching.md
index 8de87cb..d402550 100644
--- a/docs/guides/branching.md
+++ b/docs/guides/branching.md
@@ -34,6 +34,11 @@ The active branch comes from the first of these that is set:
 `--branch main` or `NSC_BRANCH=main` forces main for that invocation even when
 the profile has a sticky branch.
 
+`--branch` is a global option and must come **before** the subcommand
+(`nsc --branch X dcim sites list`). After the subcommand, `--branch` belongs to
+that command, for example the Branching plugin's own `changes list` filter, and
+doesn't switch branches.
+
 `nsc branch use` needs a saved profile to store the branch on. With only
 `NSC_URL`/`NSC_TOKEN` set (no profile), use `NSC_BRANCH` or `--branch`.
 
diff --git a/nsc/cli/app.py b/nsc/cli/app.py
index 669c26d..012ed16 100644
--- a/nsc/cli/app.py
+++ b/nsc/cli/app.py
@@ -73,19 +73,27 @@ def _extract_global_overrides(args: list[str]) -> CLIOverrides:
         "-o": "output",
         "--branch": "branch",
     }
+    # Only `--branch` is root-only: dynamic commands may define their own
+    # `--branch` filter (e.g. the Branching plugin's changes list), which must
+    # not switch the whole invocation into a branch.
+    root_only = {"--branch"}
+    seen_subcommand = False
     i = 0
     while i < len(args):
         a = args[i]
         if a.startswith("--") and "=" in a:
             flag, _, value = a.partition("=")
-            if flag in two_arg:
+            if flag in two_arg and not (seen_subcommand and flag in root_only):
                 kwargs[two_arg[flag]] = value
             i += 1
             continue
         if a in two_arg and i + 1 < len(args):
-            kwargs[two_arg[a]] = args[i + 1]
+            if not (seen_subcommand and a in root_only):
+                kwargs[two_arg[a]] = args[i + 1]
             i += 2
             continue
+        if not a.startswith("-"):
+            seen_subcommand = True
         if a == "--insecure":
             kwargs["insecure"] = True
             i += 1
@@ -134,6 +142,7 @@ def _first_non_option(args: list[str]) -> str | None:
         "--schema",
         "--output",
         "-o",
+        "--branch",
     }
     for a in args:
         if skip_next:
diff --git a/nsc/cli/registration.py b/nsc/cli/registration.py
index 225351b..515880e 100644
--- a/nsc/cli/registration.py
+++ b/nsc/cli/registration.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 # different, rejected type on the vendored-click line). See issue #82.
 from typer._types import TyperChoice as ChoiceType
 
+from nsc.branching.errors import BranchError
 from nsc.cli.handlers import (
     handle_create,
     handle_custom_action,
@@ -22,7 +23,7 @@
     handle_list,
     handle_update,
 )
-from nsc.cli.runtime import RuntimeContext
+from nsc.cli.runtime import RuntimeContext, emit_envelope, map_error
 from nsc.config.models import OutputFormat
 from nsc.http.errors import NetBoxAPIError, NetBoxClientError
 from nsc.model.command_model import (
@@ -196,14 +197,20 @@ def impl(**kwargs: Any) -> None:
         explicit_filters = [
             (item.split("=", 1)[0], item.split("=", 1)[1]) for item in filters_raw if "=" in item
         ]
+        try:
+            filters = _resolve_saved_filters(
+                ctx, tag_name, resource_name, operation.path, saved_name, explicit_filters, kwargs
+            )
+        except BranchError as exc:
+            env = map_error(exc, branch=ctx.branch.name if ctx.branch else None)
+            fmt = OutputFormat(output) if output else ctx.output_format
+            raise typer.Exit(emit_envelope(env, output_format=fmt, color=ctx.color_stderr)) from exc
         update: dict[str, Any] = {
             "compact": compact,
             "columns_override": columns_csv.split(",") if columns_csv else None,
             "limit": limit,
             "fetch_all": fetch_all,
-            "filters": _resolve_saved_filters(
-                ctx, tag_name, resource_name, operation.path, saved_name, explicit_filters, kwargs
-            ),
+            "filters": filters,
         }
         if output:
             update["output_format"] = OutputFormat(output)
diff --git a/tests/cli/test_branch_commands.py b/tests/cli/test_branch_commands.py
index 06cb7c5..ff2558a 100644
--- a/tests/cli/test_branch_commands.py
+++ b/tests/cli/test_branch_commands.py
@@ -273,3 +273,19 @@ def test_api_error_envelope_names_active_branch(httpx2_mock: respx.Router, _home
     result = _invoke("dcim", "sites", "list", "--output", "json")
     assert result.exit_code == 4, result.output
     assert json.loads(result.stdout)["details"]["branch"] == "my-change"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.httpx2(assert_all_called=False)
+def test_saved_filter_branch_failure_honours_json_output(
+    httpx2_mock: respx.Router, _home: Path
+) -> None:
+    _mock_schema(httpx2_mock)
+    _set_profile_branch(_home, "my-change")
+    _mock_lookup(httpx2_mock, status={"value": "merged"})
+    sites = httpx2_mock.get(url__startswith=f"{NB}/api/dcim/sites/").respond(200, json=page())
+    result = _invoke("dcim", "sites", "list", "--saved", "mine", "--output", "json")
+    assert result.exit_code == 12, (result.exit_code, result.output, result.exception)
+    envelope = json.loads(result.stdout)
+    assert envelope["type"] == "config"
+    assert envelope["details"]["branch"] == "my-change"
+    assert not sites.called
diff --git a/tests/cli/test_runtime_branch.py b/tests/cli/test_runtime_branch.py
index 34c530f..345090b 100644
--- a/tests/cli/test_runtime_branch.py
+++ b/tests/cli/test_runtime_branch.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
     BranchNotReadyError,
 )
 from nsc.cli import globals as globals_mod
-from nsc.cli.app import _extract_global_overrides
+from nsc.cli.app import _extract_global_overrides, _first_non_option
 from nsc.cli.globals import GlobalState, build_runtime_context
 from nsc.cli.runtime import BranchSelection, CLIOverrides, map_error, resolve_branch_selection
 from nsc.config.loader import load_config
@@ -133,3 +133,25 @@ def test_map_error_job_failed_details() -> None:
     env = map_error(BranchJobFailedError("x", {"id": 7, "error": "nope"}))
     assert env.details["job_id"] == 7
     assert env.details["job_error"] == "nope"
+
+
+def test_branch_after_subcommand_is_not_global() -> None:
+    # A dynamic command's own --branch filter (e.g. the plugin's changes list)
+    # must not switch the whole invocation into a branch.
+    args = ["plugins", "branching", "changes", "list", "--branch", "x"]
+    assert _extract_global_overrides(args).branch is None
+    assert _extract_global_overrides([*args[:-2], "--branch=x"]).branch is None
+
+
+def test_branch_before_subcommand_is_global_and_other_flags_still_scan() -> None:
+    overrides = _extract_global_overrides(
+        ["--profile", "p", "--branch", "x", "dcim", "sites", "list", "--output", "json"]
+    )
+    assert overrides.branch == "x"
+    assert overrides.profile == "p"
+    assert overrides.output == "json"
+
+
+def test_first_non_option_skips_branch_value() -> None:
+    assert _first_non_option(["--branch", "x", "profiles", "list"]) == "profiles"
+    assert _first_non_option(["--branch=x", "profiles", "list"]) == "profiles"