diff --git a/.changeset/plain-text-body-metadata.md b/.changeset/plain-text-body-metadata.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b680b63cf2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/plain-text-body-metadata.md
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+---
+"cf": patch
+---
+
+Describe plain-text `--body` correctly in command metadata
+
+For commands that send `--body` as `text/plain`, command metadata used by
+`cf tools` now gives the same description as `--help` instead of asking for
+raw JSON. This includes media types with parameters such as
+`text/plain;charset=UTF-8`. When no description is provided, both metadata
+and `--help` use plain-text wording.
diff --git a/packages/cli/generator/plugin/emit/builder.ts b/packages/cli/generator/plugin/emit/builder.ts
index c2fbe6c164..ba7ddd8a8d 100644
--- a/packages/cli/generator/plugin/emit/builder.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/generator/plugin/emit/builder.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,26 @@ function option(name: string, fields: [string, Value | undefined][]): string {
 
 const quoted = (v: readonly string[]) => v.map((c) => `'${c}'`).join(", ");
 
+export const JSON_BODY_DESCRIPTION =
+	"Raw JSON request body (bypasses individual flags)";
+
+/** Matches the plain-text body classification in `wire()`. */
+export const isPlainTextBody = (op: Ctx["op"]) =>
+	op.requestContentTypes.length > 0 &&
+	op.requestContentTypes.every((type) => type.startsWith("text/plain"));
+
+export function bodyOptionDescription(op: Ctx["op"]): string {
+	if (
+		op.requestBodyDescription !== undefined &&
+		op.requestBodyDescription !== ""
+	) {
+		return op.requestBodyDescription;
+	}
+	return isPlainTextBody(op)
+		? "Plain-text request body (without JSON quotes)"
+		: JSON_BODY_DESCRIPTION;
+}
+
 /** `generateBuilderLines`. */
 export function builderLines(ctx: Ctx): string[] {
 	const d = ctx.derived;
@@ -91,11 +111,7 @@ export function builderLines(ctx: Ctx): string[] {
 		);
 	}
 	if (d.hasBody) {
-		const desc =
-			op.requestBodyDescription !== undefined &&
-			op.requestBodyDescription !== ""
-				? op.requestBodyDescription
-				: "Raw JSON request body (bypasses individual flags)";
+		const desc = bodyOptionDescription(op);
 		lines.push("      .option('body', {");
 		lines.push("        type: 'string',");
 		lines.push(`        description: '${escapeSingle(desc)}',`);
diff --git a/packages/cli/generator/plugin/files.ts b/packages/cli/generator/plugin/files.ts
index d2effb49ad..a3def10e1f 100644
--- a/packages/cli/generator/plugin/files.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/generator/plugin/files.ts
@@ -19,7 +19,12 @@ import {
 	scalar,
 } from "./args.js";
 import { requiresConfirmation } from "./confirmation.js";
-import { builderLines } from "./emit/builder.js";
+import {
+	bodyOptionDescription,
+	builderLines,
+	isPlainTextBody,
+	JSON_BODY_DESCRIPTION,
+} from "./emit/builder.js";
 import { ACCOUNT_OR_ZONE_HELP, handler, imports } from "./emit/handler.js";
 import { context, escapeSingle } from "./emit/index.js";
 import { operationLiteral, operationPath, usesPathTag } from "./emit/sdk.js";
@@ -346,7 +351,13 @@ class Walk {
 					["name", "body"],
 					["type", "string"],
 					["required", false],
-					["description", "Raw JSON request body (bypasses individual flags)"],
+					[
+						"description",
+						// `cf tools` schemas must not tell callers to send JSON here.
+						isPlainTextBody(op)
+							? bodyOptionDescription(op)
+							: JSON_BODY_DESCRIPTION,
+					],
 				])
 			);
 		}
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/__tests__/generator/plugin/body-description.test.ts b/packages/cli/src/__tests__/generator/plugin/body-description.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e05c52e580
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli/src/__tests__/generator/plugin/body-description.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+import { stripTypeScriptTypes } from "node:module";
+import { Script } from "node:vm";
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vite-plus/test";
+import yargs, { type CommandModule } from "yargs";
+import { generateFiles } from "../../helpers/cli-plugin.js";
+import type { CommandMeta } from "../../../lib/command-meta.js";
+
+const JSON_BODY = "Raw JSON request body (bypasses individual flags)";
+const PLAIN = "Send the workflow name as plain text, without JSON quotes.";
+const PLAIN_BODY = "Plain-text request body (without JSON quotes)";
+
+async function bodyDescriptions(contentTypes: string[], description?: string) {
+	const files = generateFiles({
+		openapi: "3.0.3",
+		info: { title: "Body descriptions", version: "1" },
+		paths: {
+			"/things": {
+				put: {
+					"x-fern-sdk-group-name": "things",
+					"x-fern-sdk-method-name": "update",
+					summary: "Update a thing",
+					requestBody: {
+						required: true,
+						...(description === undefined ? {} : { description }),
+						content: Object.fromEntries(
+							contentTypes.map((type) => [type, { schema: { type: "string" } }])
+						),
+					},
+					responses: { "200": { description: "OK" } },
+				},
+			},
+		},
+	});
+	const metadata = JSON.parse(files.get("_meta/commands.json") ?? "") as {
+		commands: CommandMeta[];
+	};
+	const bodyDescription = metadata.commands
+		.find((c) => c.command === "cf things update")
+		?.options.find((o) => o.name === "body")?.description;
+	const source = stripTypeScriptTypes(files.get("things/update.ts") ?? "")
+		.replace(/^import[\s\S]*?;\n/gm, "")
+		.replace("export default command;", "command;");
+	const command = new Script(source).runInNewContext() as CommandModule;
+	const help = await yargs(["update"]).command(command).wrap(null).getHelp();
+	return { metadata: bodyDescription, help };
+}
+
+describe.each([
+	{ contentTypes: ["text/plain"] },
+	{ contentTypes: ["text/plain;charset=UTF-8"] },
+	{ contentTypes: ["text/plain", "text/plain; charset=UTF-8"] },
+])("plain-text --body descriptions ($contentTypes)", ({ contentTypes }) => {
+	it("uses the provided description in metadata and --help", async () => {
+		const result = await bodyDescriptions(contentTypes, PLAIN);
+		expect(result.metadata).toBe(PLAIN);
+		expect(result.help).toContain(PLAIN);
+	});
+
+	it.each([undefined, ""])(
+		"uses a plain-text fallback when the description is %j",
+		async (description) => {
+			const result = await bodyDescriptions(contentTypes, description);
+			expect(result.metadata).toBe(PLAIN_BODY);
+			expect(result.help).toContain(PLAIN_BODY);
+			expect(result.help).not.toContain(JSON_BODY);
+		}
+	);
+});
+
+describe("other --body metadata descriptions", () => {
+	it.each([
+		{ contentTypes: ["application/json"] },
+		{ contentTypes: ["application/octet-stream"] },
+		{ contentTypes: ["text/plain", "application/json"] },
+		{ contentTypes: ["application/json", "text/plain"] },
+	])("keeps the JSON wording for $contentTypes", async ({ contentTypes }) => {
+		const result = await bodyDescriptions(contentTypes, PLAIN);
+		expect(result.metadata).toBe(JSON_BODY);
+	});
+
+	it("omits --body when no content types are declared", async () => {
+		const result = await bodyDescriptions([], PLAIN);
+		expect(result.metadata).toBeUndefined();
+		expect(result.help).not.toContain("--body");
+	});
+});
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/_generated/_meta/commands.json b/packages/cli/src/commands/_generated/_meta/commands.json
index 0b94f16c35..ea7a7184c8 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/_generated/_meta/commands.json
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/_generated/_meta/commands.json
@@ -15606,7 +15606,7 @@
 					"name": "body",
 					"type": "string",
 					"required": false,
-					"description": "Raw JSON request body (bypasses individual flags)"
+					"description": "Plain-text request body (without JSON quotes)"
 				},
 				{
 					"name": "file",
@@ -67470,7 +67470,7 @@
 					"name": "body",
 					"type": "string",
 					"required": false,
-					"description": "Raw JSON request body (bypasses individual flags)"
+					"description": "Plain-text request body (without JSON quotes)"
 				},
 				{
 					"name": "file",
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/_generated/analytics-engine/sql/query.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/_generated/analytics-engine/sql/query.ts
index 1a88aedcbd..c5ade6a3c8 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/_generated/analytics-engine/sql/query.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/_generated/analytics-engine/sql/query.ts
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ function builder(yargs: Argv<CommonYargsOptions>) {
 		})
 		.option("body", {
 			type: "string",
-			description: "Raw JSON request body (bypasses individual flags)",
+			description: "Plain-text request body (without JSON quotes)",
 		})
 		.option("file", {
 			type: "string",
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/_generated/logs/query.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/_generated/logs/query.ts
index d7ff895c60..e2064f633c 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/_generated/logs/query.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/_generated/logs/query.ts
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ function builder(yargs: Argv<CommonYargsOptions>) {
 		})
 		.option("body", {
 			type: "string",
-			description: "Raw JSON request body (bypasses individual flags)",
+			description: "Plain-text request body (without JSON quotes)",
 		})
 		.option("file", {
 			type: "string",