diff --git a/parallel_web_tools/cli/commands.py b/parallel_web_tools/cli/commands.py
index 1accedc..c48e4e9 100644
--- a/parallel_web_tools/cli/commands.py
+++ b/parallel_web_tools/cli/commands.py
@@ -1170,8 +1170,8 @@ def build_search_v1_kwargs(
 @click.option("--max-results", type=int, help="Maximum results (defaults to server-side default of 10)")
 @click.option("--include-domains", multiple=True, help="Only search these domains (comma-separated or repeated)")
 @click.option("--exclude-domains", multiple=True, help="Exclude these domains (comma-separated or repeated)")
-@click.option("--after-date", help="Only results after this date (YYYY-MM-DD)")
-@click.option("--excerpt-max-chars-per-result", type=int, help="Max characters per result for excerpts (min 1000)")
+@click.option("--after-date", help="Only results published on or after this date (YYYY-MM-DD)")
+@click.option("--excerpt-max-chars-per-result", type=int, help="Max characters per result for excerpts")
 @click.option(
     "--excerpt-max-chars-total", type=int, default=60000, help="Max total characters for excerpts", show_default=True
 )
@@ -1357,7 +1357,7 @@ def build_extract_v1_kwargs(
 @click.option("--full-content", is_flag=True, help="Include complete page content")
 @click.option("--full-content-max-chars", type=int, help="Max characters per result for full content")
 @click.option("--no-excerpts", is_flag=True, help="Strip excerpts from output (V1 always returns them server-side)")
-@click.option("--excerpt-max-chars-per-result", type=int, help="Max characters per result for excerpts (min 1000)")
+@click.option("--excerpt-max-chars-per-result", type=int, help="Max characters per result for excerpts")
 @click.option("--excerpt-max-chars-total", type=int, help="Max total characters for excerpts across all URLs")
 @click.option("--max-age-seconds", type=int, help="Max age in seconds before fetching live content (min 600)")
 @click.option("--timeout-seconds", type=float, help="Timeout in seconds for fetching live content")
diff --git a/tests/test_cli.py b/tests/test_cli.py
index 5c47572..ee6f6d9 100644
--- a/tests/test_cli.py
+++ b/tests/test_cli.py
@@ -365,6 +365,19 @@ def test_search_help_prioritizes_native_modes(self, runner):
         assert "--mode [turbo|fast|basic|advanced|one-shot|agentic]" in result.output
         assert "Deprecated aliases" in result.output
 
+    def test_search_help_describes_after_date_as_inclusive(self, runner):
+        """Should reflect the API's inclusive after_date behavior."""
+        result = runner.invoke(main, ["search", "--help"])
+        assert result.exit_code == 0
+        assert "published on or after" in result.output
+
+    def test_search_help_does_not_claim_excerpt_minimum(self, runner):
+        """Search accepts excerpt sizes below the removed 1000-character minimum."""
+        result = runner.invoke(main, ["search", "--help"])
+        assert result.exit_code == 0
+        assert "--excerpt-max-chars-per-result" in result.output
+        assert "min 1000" not in result.output
+
     def test_search_no_args(self, runner):
         """Should error without objective or query."""
         result = runner.invoke(main, ["search"])
@@ -382,6 +395,13 @@ def test_extract_help(self, runner):
         assert "Extract content" in result.output
         assert "--json" in result.output
 
+    def test_extract_help_does_not_claim_excerpt_minimum(self, runner):
+        """Extract accepts excerpt sizes below the removed 1000-character minimum."""
+        result = runner.invoke(main, ["extract", "--help"])
+        assert result.exit_code == 0
+        assert "--excerpt-max-chars-per-result" in result.output
+        assert "min 1000" not in result.output
+
 
 class TestFetchCommand:
     """Tests for the fetch command (alias for extract)."""