diff --git a/weed/shell/command_collection_delete.go b/weed/shell/command_collection_delete.go
index 02e142bc1..92473e8e3 100644
--- a/weed/shell/command_collection_delete.go
+++ b/weed/shell/command_collection_delete.go
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ func (c *commandCollectionDelete) Do(args []string, commandEnv *CommandEnv, writ
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	handleDeprecatedForceFlag(writer, args, applyBalancingAlias, applyBalancing)
+	handleDeprecatedForceFlag(writer, colDeleteCommand, applyBalancingAlias, applyBalancing)
 	infoAboutSimulationMode(writer, *applyBalancing, "-apply")
 
 	if err = commandEnv.confirmIsLocked(args); err != nil {
diff --git a/weed/shell/command_ec_balance.go b/weed/shell/command_ec_balance.go
index 760d1ed86..935348602 100644
--- a/weed/shell/command_ec_balance.go
+++ b/weed/shell/command_ec_balance.go
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ func (c *commandEcBalance) Do(args []string, commandEnv *CommandEnv, writer io.W
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	handleDeprecatedForceFlag(writer, args, applyBalancingAlias, applyBalancing)
+	handleDeprecatedForceFlag(writer, balanceCommand, applyBalancingAlias, applyBalancing)
 	infoAboutSimulationMode(writer, *applyBalancing, "-apply")
 
 	if err = commandEnv.confirmIsLocked(args); err != nil {
diff --git a/weed/shell/command_ec_rebuild.go b/weed/shell/command_ec_rebuild.go
index d7eb04add..bef56d191 100644
--- a/weed/shell/command_ec_rebuild.go
+++ b/weed/shell/command_ec_rebuild.go
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ func (c *commandEcRebuild) Do(args []string, commandEnv *CommandEnv, writer io.W
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	handleDeprecatedForceFlag(writer, args, applyChangesAlias, applyChanges)
+	handleDeprecatedForceFlag(writer, fixCommand, applyChangesAlias, applyChanges)
 	infoAboutSimulationMode(writer, *applyChanges, "-apply")
 
 	if err = commandEnv.confirmIsLocked(args); err != nil {
diff --git a/weed/shell/command_fs_configure.go b/weed/shell/command_fs_configure.go
index 499cb1fbd..547879f43 100644
--- a/weed/shell/command_fs_configure.go
+++ b/weed/shell/command_fs_configure.go
@@ -161,21 +161,18 @@ func infoAboutSimulationMode(writer io.Writer, forceMode bool, forceModeOption s
 }
 
 // handleDeprecatedForceFlag handles the deprecated -force flag by checking if it was
-// explicitly provided (in any form), printing a deprecation warning, and copying its
+// explicitly provided, printing a deprecation warning, and copying its
 // value to the new flag. This ensures that explicit -force=false takes precedence.
-// Returns true if the deprecated flag was used.
-func handleDeprecatedForceFlag(writer io.Writer, args []string, forceAlias *bool, applyFlag *bool) bool {
+func handleDeprecatedForceFlag(writer io.Writer, fs *flag.FlagSet, forceAlias *bool, applyFlag *bool) {
 	forceIsSet := false
-	for _, arg := range args {
-		if arg == "-force" || strings.HasPrefix(arg, "-force=") {
+	fs.Visit(func(f *flag.Flag) {
+		if f.Name == "force" {
 			forceIsSet = true
-			break
 		}
-	}
+	})
+
 	if forceIsSet {
 		fmt.Fprintf(writer, "WARNING: -force is deprecated, please use -apply instead\n")
 		*applyFlag = *forceAlias
-		return true
 	}
-	return false
 }
diff --git a/weed/shell/command_fs_meta_change_volume_id.go b/weed/shell/command_fs_meta_change_volume_id.go
index 860513363..f219d2d06 100644
--- a/weed/shell/command_fs_meta_change_volume_id.go
+++ b/weed/shell/command_fs_meta_change_volume_id.go
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ func (c *commandFsMetaChangeVolumeId) Do(args []string, commandEnv *CommandEnv,
 		return err
 	}
 
-	handleDeprecatedForceFlag(writer, args, applyChangesAlias, applyChanges)
+	handleDeprecatedForceFlag(writer, fsMetaChangeVolumeIdCommand, applyChangesAlias, applyChanges)
 
 	// load the mapping
 	mapping := make(map[needle.VolumeId]needle.VolumeId)
diff --git a/weed/shell/command_volume_balance.go b/weed/shell/command_volume_balance.go
index 9d9ef6d24..88058807f 100644
--- a/weed/shell/command_volume_balance.go
+++ b/weed/shell/command_volume_balance.go
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ func (c *commandVolumeBalance) Do(args []string, commandEnv *CommandEnv, writer
 	if err = balanceCommand.Parse(args); err != nil {
 		return nil
 	}
-	handleDeprecatedForceFlag(writer, args, applyBalancingAlias, applyBalancing)
+	handleDeprecatedForceFlag(writer, balanceCommand, applyBalancingAlias, applyBalancing)
 	c.writable = *writable
 	c.applyBalancing = *applyBalancing
 
diff --git a/weed/shell/command_volume_check_disk.go b/weed/shell/command_volume_check_disk.go
index a8cc8502a..2abfc288c 100644
--- a/weed/shell/command_volume_check_disk.go
+++ b/weed/shell/command_volume_check_disk.go
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ func (c *commandVolumeCheckDisk) Do(args []string, commandEnv *CommandEnv, write
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	handleDeprecatedForceFlag(writer, args, applyChangesAlias, applyChanges)
+	handleDeprecatedForceFlag(writer, fsckCommand, applyChangesAlias, applyChanges)
 	infoAboutSimulationMode(writer, *applyChanges, "-apply")
 
 	if err = commandEnv.confirmIsLocked(args); err != nil {
diff --git a/weed/shell/command_volume_delete_empty.go b/weed/shell/command_volume_delete_empty.go
index 45df626cf..9cf5f99ac 100644
--- a/weed/shell/command_volume_delete_empty.go
+++ b/weed/shell/command_volume_delete_empty.go
@@ -43,12 +43,12 @@ func (c *commandVolumeDeleteEmpty) Do(args []string, commandEnv *CommandEnv, wri
 	quietPeriod := volDeleteCommand.Duration("quietFor", 24*time.Hour, "select empty volumes with no recent writes, avoid newly created ones")
 	applyBalancing := volDeleteCommand.Bool("apply", false, "apply to delete empty volumes")
 	// TODO: remove this alias
-	applyBalancingAlias := volDeleteCommand.Bool("force", false, "apply the balancing plan (alias for -apply)")
+	applyBalancingAlias := volDeleteCommand.Bool("force", false, "apply to delete empty volumes (alias for -apply)")
 	if err = volDeleteCommand.Parse(args); err != nil {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	handleDeprecatedForceFlag(writer, args, applyBalancingAlias, applyBalancing)
+	handleDeprecatedForceFlag(writer, volDeleteCommand, applyBalancingAlias, applyBalancing)
 	infoAboutSimulationMode(writer, *applyBalancing, "-apply")
 
 	if err = commandEnv.confirmIsLocked(args); err != nil {
diff --git a/weed/shell/command_volume_fix_replication.go b/weed/shell/command_volume_fix_replication.go
index 3e3429908..29bfe3f76 100644
--- a/weed/shell/command_volume_fix_replication.go
+++ b/weed/shell/command_volume_fix_replication.go
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ func (c *commandVolumeFixReplication) Do(args []string, commandEnv *CommandEnv,
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	handleDeprecatedForceFlag(writer, args, applyChangesAlias, applyChanges)
+	handleDeprecatedForceFlag(writer, volFixReplicationCommand, applyChangesAlias, applyChanges)
 	infoAboutSimulationMode(writer, *applyChanges, "-apply")
 	commandEnv.noLock = !*applyChanges
 
diff --git a/weed/shell/command_volume_server_evacuate.go b/weed/shell/command_volume_server_evacuate.go
index 095ad6d5c..5c1805c89 100644
--- a/weed/shell/command_volume_server_evacuate.go
+++ b/weed/shell/command_volume_server_evacuate.go
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ func (c *commandVolumeServerEvacuate) Do(args []string, commandEnv *CommandEnv,
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	handleDeprecatedForceFlag(writer, args, applyChangeAlias, applyChange)
+	handleDeprecatedForceFlag(writer, vsEvacuateCommand, applyChangeAlias, applyChange)
 	infoAboutSimulationMode(writer, *applyChange, "-apply")
 
 	if err = commandEnv.confirmIsLocked(args); err != nil && *applyChange {
diff --git a/weed/shell/command_volume_tier_move.go b/weed/shell/command_volume_tier_move.go
index 9a676f134..3f8d2fc2e 100644
--- a/weed/shell/command_volume_tier_move.go
+++ b/weed/shell/command_volume_tier_move.go
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ func (c *commandVolumeTierMove) Do(args []string, commandEnv *CommandEnv, writer
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	handleDeprecatedForceFlag(writer, args, applyChangeAlias, applyChange)
+	handleDeprecatedForceFlag(writer, tierCommand, applyChangeAlias, applyChange)
 	infoAboutSimulationMode(writer, *applyChange, "-apply")
 
 	if err = commandEnv.confirmIsLocked(args); err != nil {