diff --git a/pkg/cmd/flagoptions.go b/pkg/cmd/flagoptions.go
index b314e9a..3b018fe 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/flagoptions.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/flagoptions.go
@@ -42,6 +42,9 @@ const (
 
 func embedFiles(obj any, embedStyle FileEmbedStyle) (any, error) {
 	v := reflect.ValueOf(obj)
+	if !v.IsValid() {
+		return nil, nil
+	}
 	result, err := embedFilesValue(v, embedStyle)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -51,6 +54,10 @@ func embedFiles(obj any, embedStyle FileEmbedStyle) (any, error) {
 
 // Replace "@file.txt" with the file's contents inside a value
 func embedFilesValue(v reflect.Value, embedStyle FileEmbedStyle) (reflect.Value, error) {
+	if !v.IsValid() {
+		return v, nil
+	}
+
 	// Unwrap interface values to get the concrete type
 	if v.Kind() == reflect.Interface {
 		if v.IsNil() {
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/flagoptions_test.go b/pkg/cmd/flagoptions_test.go
index e5dad4b..0567019 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/flagoptions_test.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/flagoptions_test.go
@@ -6,8 +6,10 @@ import (
 	"path/filepath"
 	"testing"
 
+	"github.com/beeper/desktop-api-cli/internal/apiquery"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+	"github.com/urfave/cli/v3"
 )
 
 func TestIsUTF8TextFile(t *testing.T) {
@@ -212,6 +214,12 @@ func TestEmbedFiles(t *testing.T) {
 			want:    []any{1, 2, 3, 4, 5},
 			wantErr: false,
 		},
+		{
+			name:    "nil input unchanged",
+			input:   nil,
+			want:    nil,
+			wantErr: false,
+		},
 	}
 
 	for _, tt := range tests {
@@ -236,6 +244,30 @@ func TestEmbedFiles(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestFlagOptionsWithEmptyPipedStdinAndNoFlags(t *testing.T) {
+	oldStdin := os.Stdin
+	r, w, err := os.Pipe()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, w.Close())
+	os.Stdin = r
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		os.Stdin = oldStdin
+		_ = r.Close()
+	})
+
+	cmd := &cli.Command{Name: "test"}
+
+	opts, err := flagOptions(
+		cmd,
+		apiquery.NestedQueryFormatBrackets,
+		apiquery.ArrayQueryFormatRepeat,
+		EmptyBody,
+		false,
+	)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Empty(t, opts)
+}
+
 func writeTestFile(t *testing.T, dir, filename, content string) {
 	t.Helper()
 	path := filepath.Join(dir, filename)