diff --git a/cli/bash/commands/basectl/basectl.sh b/cli/bash/commands/basectl/basectl.sh
index 64cc93da..5b5189bc 100644
--- a/cli/bash/commands/basectl/basectl.sh
+++ b/cli/bash/commands/basectl/basectl.sh
@@ -539,6 +539,9 @@ basectl_args_request_help() {
             continue
         fi
         case "$argument" in
+            --)
+                return 1
+                ;;
             --manifest|--format|--repos|--profile|--environment|--config|--log-file|--project|--workspace|--path|--target|--version|--command|--status|--older-than|--keep-last|--since|--until|--last|--lines)
                 expect_value=1
                 ;;
diff --git a/cli/bash/commands/basectl/subcommands/build.sh b/cli/bash/commands/basectl/subcommands/build.sh
index c94e0f2d..dac94766 100644
--- a/cli/bash/commands/basectl/subcommands/build.sh
+++ b/cli/bash/commands/basectl/subcommands/build.sh
@@ -85,7 +85,6 @@ base_build_run_target_record() {
     base_project_set_history_context "$resolved_name" "$project_root" "$manifest_path"
 
     command_to_run="$(base_command_with_runner "$command_runner" "$build_command" "" "${extra_args[@]}")" || return $?
-    command_to_run="$(base_command_with_mise_config "$mise_config_path" "$command_to_run")" || return $?
     display_command="$(base_display_command_with_runner "$command_runner" "$build_command" "" "${extra_args[@]}")" || return $?
     display_command="$(base_command_with_mise_config "$mise_config_path" "$display_command")" || return $?
 
@@ -104,7 +103,7 @@ base_build_run_target_record() {
 
     base_std_log_info "Building target '$target_name' for project '$resolved_name': $display_command"
     base_validate_command_runner "$command_runner"
-    base_project_run_shell_command "$working_dir" "$command_to_run" basectl-build "${extra_args[@]}"
+    base_project_run_shell_command "$working_dir" "$command_to_run" basectl-build "$mise_config_path" "${extra_args[@]}"
 }
 
 base_build_list_targets() {
diff --git a/cli/bash/commands/basectl/subcommands/demo.sh b/cli/bash/commands/basectl/subcommands/demo.sh
index 6e3f3e0f..7920e4af 100644
--- a/cli/bash/commands/basectl/subcommands/demo.sh
+++ b/cli/bash/commands/basectl/subcommands/demo.sh
@@ -62,7 +62,6 @@ base_demo_subcommand_main() {
     command_runner="${command_runner:-}"
     printf -v quoted_demo_script '%q' "$demo_script"
     command_to_run="$(base_command_with_runner "$command_runner" "$quoted_demo_script" "" "${extra_args[@]}")" || return $?
-    command_to_run="$(base_command_with_mise_config "$mise_config_path" "$command_to_run")" || return $?
     display_command="$(base_display_command_with_runner "$command_runner" "$quoted_demo_script" "" "${extra_args[@]}")" || return $?
     display_command="$(base_command_with_mise_config "$mise_config_path" "$display_command")" || return $?
 
@@ -82,5 +81,5 @@ base_demo_subcommand_main() {
         return $?
     fi
     base_validate_command_runner "$command_runner"
-    base_project_run_shell_command "$project_root" "$command_to_run" basectl-demo "${extra_args[@]}"
+    base_project_run_shell_command "$project_root" "$command_to_run" basectl-demo "$mise_config_path" "${extra_args[@]}"
 }
diff --git a/cli/bash/commands/basectl/subcommands/project_command_helpers.sh b/cli/bash/commands/basectl/subcommands/project_command_helpers.sh
index 2d87d98d..050c53b2 100644
--- a/cli/bash/commands/basectl/subcommands/project_command_helpers.sh
+++ b/cli/bash/commands/basectl/subcommands/project_command_helpers.sh
@@ -389,7 +389,8 @@ base_project_run_shell_command() {
     local working_dir="$1"
     local command_to_run="$2"
     local command_name="$3"
-    shift 3
+    local mise_config_path="${4:-}"
+    shift 4
 
     # Bash assigns the word after `bash -c <command>` to `$0`; use a stable
     # sentinel so delegated extra args start at `$1` and populate `$@`.
@@ -408,6 +409,10 @@ base_project_run_shell_command() {
             PATH="${PATH:+$PATH:}$HOME/.local/bin"
             export PATH
         fi
+        if [[ -n "$mise_config_path" ]]; then
+            export MISE_CONFIG_FILE="$mise_config_path"
+            export MISE_OVERRIDE_CONFIG_FILENAMES="$mise_config_path"
+        fi
         cd "$working_dir" && bash -c "$command_to_run" "$command_name" "$@"
     )
 }
diff --git a/cli/bash/commands/basectl/subcommands/run.sh b/cli/bash/commands/basectl/subcommands/run.sh
index 2bf3a667..a7744e3b 100644
--- a/cli/bash/commands/basectl/subcommands/run.sh
+++ b/cli/bash/commands/basectl/subcommands/run.sh
@@ -262,7 +262,6 @@ base_run_subcommand_main() {
 
     command_runner="${command_runner:-}"
     command_to_run="$(base_command_with_runner "$command_runner" "$run_command" "$uv_extras" "${extra_args[@]}")" || return $?
-    command_to_run="$(base_command_with_mise_config "$mise_config_path" "$command_to_run")" || return $?
     display_command="$(base_display_command_with_runner "$command_runner" "$run_command" "$uv_extras" "${extra_args[@]}")" || return $?
     display_command="$(base_command_with_mise_config "$mise_config_path" "$display_command")" || return $?
 
@@ -278,5 +277,5 @@ base_run_subcommand_main() {
 
     base_std_log_info "Running command '$command_name' for project '$resolved_name': $display_command"
     base_validate_command_runner "$command_runner"
-    base_project_run_shell_command "$project_root" "$command_to_run" basectl-run "${extra_args[@]}"
+    base_project_run_shell_command "$project_root" "$command_to_run" basectl-run "$mise_config_path" "${extra_args[@]}"
 }
diff --git a/cli/bash/commands/basectl/subcommands/test.sh b/cli/bash/commands/basectl/subcommands/test.sh
index d50edd9c..2ac7d3c4 100644
--- a/cli/bash/commands/basectl/subcommands/test.sh
+++ b/cli/bash/commands/basectl/subcommands/test.sh
@@ -63,7 +63,6 @@ base_test_subcommand_main() {
 
     command_runner="${command_runner:-}"
     command_to_run="$(base_command_with_runner "$command_runner" "$test_command" "$uv_extras" "${extra_args[@]}")" || return $?
-    command_to_run="$(base_command_with_mise_config "$mise_config_path" "$command_to_run")" || return $?
     display_command="$(base_display_command_with_runner "$command_runner" "$test_command" "$uv_extras" "${extra_args[@]}")" || return $?
     display_command="$(base_command_with_mise_config "$mise_config_path" "$display_command")" || return $?
 
@@ -86,12 +85,11 @@ base_test_subcommand_main() {
     uv_extras="${BASE_COMMAND_PROTOCOL_FIELDS[uv_extras]:-}"
     command_runner="${command_runner:-}"
     command_to_run="$(base_command_with_runner "$command_runner" "$test_command" "$uv_extras" "${extra_args[@]}")" || return $?
-    command_to_run="$(base_command_with_mise_config "$mise_config_path" "$command_to_run")" || return $?
 
     base_project_activate_environment \
         "$resolved_name" "$project_root" "$manifest_path" "$dry_run" "$route_venv_dir" "$uses_uv_manager" >/dev/null
 
     base_std_log_info "Running tests for project '$resolved_name': $display_command"
     base_validate_command_runner "$command_runner"
-    base_project_run_shell_command "$project_root" "$command_to_run" basectl-test "${extra_args[@]}"
+    base_project_run_shell_command "$project_root" "$command_to_run" basectl-test "$mise_config_path" "${extra_args[@]}"
 }
diff --git a/cli/bash/commands/basectl/tests/project-command-helpers.bats b/cli/bash/commands/basectl/tests/project-command-helpers.bats
index 823c3ac3..9a8dfbc4 100644
--- a/cli/bash/commands/basectl/tests/project-command-helpers.bats
+++ b/cli/bash/commands/basectl/tests/project-command-helpers.bats
@@ -356,6 +356,7 @@ manifest=$project_root/base_manifest.yaml" ]
         "$working_dir" \
         'printf "pwd=%s\n" "$PWD"; printf "sentinel=%s\n" "$0"; printf "args=<%s><%s>\n" "$1" "$2"' \
         basectl-test \
+        "" \
         "one word" \
         two
 
@@ -365,6 +366,26 @@ manifest=$project_root/base_manifest.yaml" ]
     [[ "$output" == *"args=<one word><two>"* ]]
 }
 
+@test "project command helper binds mise config around compound shell commands" {
+    source_project_command_helpers
+
+    local working_dir="$TEST_TMPDIR/project"
+    local mise_config="$working_dir/.mise.toml"
+    mkdir -p "$working_dir"
+    touch "$mise_config"
+
+    run base_project_run_shell_command \
+        "$working_dir" \
+        'if [[ "$MISE_CONFIG_FILE" == "$1" ]]; then printf "config=%s\n" "$MISE_CONFIG_FILE"; else exit 1; fi; true && printf "override=%s\n" "$MISE_OVERRIDE_CONFIG_FILENAMES"' \
+        basectl-test \
+        "$mise_config" \
+        "$mise_config"
+
+    [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+    [[ "$output" == *"config=$mise_config"* ]]
+    [[ "$output" == *"override=$mise_config"* ]]
+}
+
 @test "project command helper wraps uv runner commands" {
     source_project_command_helpers
 
diff --git a/cli/bash/commands/basectl/tests/runtime-dispatch.bats b/cli/bash/commands/basectl/tests/runtime-dispatch.bats
index f44aef92..53f16999 100644
--- a/cli/bash/commands/basectl/tests/runtime-dispatch.bats
+++ b/cli/bash/commands/basectl/tests/runtime-dispatch.bats
@@ -641,6 +641,24 @@ EOF
     [[ "$output" != *"basectl $(head -n 1 "$BASE_REPO_ROOT/VERSION")"* ]]
 }
 
+@test "basectl preserves literal help after the passthrough delimiter" {
+    run env \
+        BASE_HOME="$BASE_REPO_ROOT" \
+        bash -c '
+            source "$BASE_HOME/cli/bash/commands/basectl/basectl.sh"
+            base_std_log_debug() { :; }
+            basectl_get_base_home() { :; }
+            basectl_initialize_run_bundle() { :; }
+            basectl_finalize_run_bundle() { :; }
+            basectl_history_record() { :; }
+            basectl_do_test() { printf "test-args=%s\\n" "$*"; }
+            basectl_main test -- help
+        '
+
+    [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+    [ "$output" = "test-args=-- help" ]
+}
+
 @test "README version badge matches VERSION" {
     local expected_version expected_badge
 
diff --git a/lib/shell/completions/tests/completions.bats b/lib/shell/completions/tests/completions.bats
index 2f168955..7ef2ac1d 100644
--- a/lib/shell/completions/tests/completions.bats
+++ b/lib/shell/completions/tests/completions.bats
@@ -5,6 +5,9 @@ bats_require_minimum_version 1.5.0
 
 setup() {
     setup_test_tmpdir
+    export HOME="$TEST_TMPDIR/home"
+    export BASE_CACHE_DIR="$TEST_TMPDIR/base-cache"
+    mkdir -p "$HOME" "$BASE_CACHE_DIR"
 }
 
 basectl_help_commands() {
@@ -234,16 +237,38 @@ for line in Path(sys.argv[1]).read_text(encoding="utf-8").splitlines():
         continue
     tokens = command.split()[1:]
     path = []
-    for token in tokens:
-        if token.startswith(("<", "[")):
-            break
+    index = 0
+    while index < len(tokens):
+        token = tokens[index]
         if token == "--ci":
+            index += 1
             continue
+        if token.startswith("[") or token.startswith("<"):
+            break
         path.append(token)
+        if token.startswith("--") and index + 1 < len(tokens) and tokens[index + 1].startswith("<"):
+            value_name = tokens[index + 1][1:-1].lower()
+            if "version" in value_name:
+                path.append("1.8.0")
+            elif "number" in value_name or value_name.endswith("-id") or value_name == "id":
+                path.append("1")
+            else:
+                path.append("example")
+            index += 1
+        index += 1
     print(" ".join(path))
 PY
 }
 
+@test "documented public leaves provide values for required selector options" {
+    run documented_public_leaves
+
+    [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+    [[ "$output" == *$'release check --version 1.8.0\n'* ]]
+    [[ "$output" == *$'release plan --version 1.8.0\n'* ]]
+    [[ "$output" != *$'release check --version\n'* ]]
+}
+
 @test "documented public leaves drive completion option parity" {
     local path
     # GitHub pass-through leaves have no Base-owned option contract. Workspace