diff --git a/.changeset/kind-sloths-climb.md b/.changeset/kind-sloths-climb.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5269c7130
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/kind-sloths-climb.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+type: Fixed
+pr: 3093
+---
+**`docs/json-errors.md` now documents the ExitError plain-text carve-out** — the page previously claimed every CLI error emits a structured JSON envelope on stderr, but usage errors (ExitError) intentionally emit plain text with their own exit code. The structured-envelope guidance is now scoped to non-usage failures, with the carve-out stated explicitly and a characterization test pinning both paths. (#2979)
diff --git a/docs/json-errors.md b/docs/json-errors.md
index c12c058c6..2da5a9869 100644
--- a/docs/json-errors.md
+++ b/docs/json-errors.md
@@ -2,11 +2,12 @@
 
 ## Overview
 
-`gsd-tools` supports a **JSON error mode** that emits all errors as structured
+`gsd-tools` supports a **JSON error mode** that emits most errors as structured
 JSON objects on stderr instead of free-form text.  This is the recommended
 surface for tests and tooling that need to assert on error types without
 grepping raw text (see `CONTRIBUTING.md` — "Prohibited: Raw Text Matching on
-Test Outputs").
+Test Outputs"). Usage errors are an intentional exception — see the
+`ExitError` carve-out below.
 
 ## Activating
 
@@ -37,6 +38,20 @@ Fields:
 | `reason`  | string  | Typed reason code from the taxonomy below. |
 | `message` | string  | Human-readable description (may change; do not assert on it). |
 
+### `ExitError` carve-out (plain text, not JSON)
+
+Usage errors and explicit exit-code signals take a **different path**: they
+throw `ExitError` (`src/cli-exit.cts`), which `runMain` catches *before* the
+JSON-envelope branch. An `ExitError` writes its `message` as **plain text**
+to stderr (not a JSON object) and exits with the error's own `code` (which
+may differ from 1). This is intentional — usage messages are operator-facing
+prose, not structured failures.
+
+If you are testing a usage/flag error, do **not** parse stderr as JSON;
+assert on the exit code and (if needed) the plain-text message. The
+"parse stderr as JSON" guidance below applies only to the structured-envelope
+branch (non-`ExitError` failures).
+
 ## Error code taxonomy
 
 Codes are frozen constants in `gsd-core/bin/lib/core.cjs` under
@@ -99,8 +114,9 @@ text (unstable).
 
 ## Writing tests
 
-Always parse stderr with `JSON.parse` and assert on typed fields.  Never use
-`.includes()`, `.match()`, or regex on the raw error string.
+For **non-usage** errors (the structured-envelope branch), parse stderr with
+`JSON.parse` and assert on typed fields.  Never use `.includes()`, `.match()`,
+or regex on the raw error string.
 
 ```js
 // CORRECT: parse then assert on typed field
diff --git a/tests/cli-exit.test.cjs b/tests/cli-exit.test.cjs
index 03a1de939..21823bd14 100644
--- a/tests/cli-exit.test.cjs
+++ b/tests/cli-exit.test.cjs
@@ -183,11 +183,18 @@ describe('runMain', () => {
 describe('regressions', () => {
   /** Spawn a one-shot script that sets json-error mode and calls runMain with a throwing handler. */
   function spawnJsonErrorRun({ jsonMode, errorType = 'TypeError', message = 'unexpected boom' } = {}) {
+    // ExitError lives in the same module as runMain; import it when the test
+    // wants to exercise the ExitError carve-out path. ExitError takes (code, message).
+    const isExitError = errorType === 'ExitError';
+    const destructure = isExitError ? '{ runMain, ExitError }' : '{ runMain }';
+    const throwExpr = isExitError
+      ? `new ExitError(1, ${JSON.stringify(message)})`
+      : `new ${errorType}(${JSON.stringify(message)})`;
     const script = `
       const io = require(${JSON.stringify(IO_PATH)});
-      const { runMain } = require(${JSON.stringify(BUILT_CLI_EXIT_PATH)});
+      const ${destructure} = require(${JSON.stringify(BUILT_CLI_EXIT_PATH)});
       io.setJsonErrorMode(${jsonMode ? 'true' : 'false'});
-      runMain(() => { throw new ${errorType}(${JSON.stringify(message)}); });
+      runMain(() => { throw ${throwExpr}; });
       setImmediate(() => {});
     `;
     return spawnSync(process.execPath, ['-e', script], { encoding: 'utf-8' });
@@ -245,5 +252,35 @@ describe('regressions', () => {
         `expected "unexpected boom" in stderr, got: ${stderrTrimmed.slice(0, 200)}`
       );
     });
+
+    // #2979: characterization test pinning the two error paths under json-errors
+    // mode. The structured envelope covers non-ExitError failures; ExitError
+    // (usage errors) intentionally emits plain text with its own exit code.
+    // Both halves asserted together so the code cannot drift toward the doc's
+    // prior overstated claim that EVERY error emits JSON.
+    test('#2979: ExitError emits plain text (not JSON) even under --json-errors; non-ExitError emits the envelope', () => {
+      // ExitError path: plain text, own exit code, NOT a JSON object.
+      const exitResult = spawnJsonErrorRun({
+        jsonMode: true,
+        errorType: 'ExitError',
+        message: 'Usage: gsd-tools <command> [args]',
+      });
+      assert.strictEqual(exitResult.status, 1, 'ExitError exits with its code');
+      const exitStderr = exitResult.stderr.trim();
+      let exitParsed = null;
+      try { exitParsed = JSON.parse(exitStderr); } catch { /* expected — plain text */ }
+      assert.strictEqual(exitParsed, null,
+        `ExitError must emit plain text, not JSON; got: ${exitStderr.slice(0, 200)}`);
+      assert.ok(exitStderr.includes('Usage'),
+        `ExitError plain-text message must reach stderr; got: ${exitStderr.slice(0, 200)}`);
+
+      // Non-ExitError path: structured JSON envelope.
+      const envResult = spawnJsonErrorRun({ jsonMode: true });
+      assert.strictEqual(envResult.status, 1);
+      const envParsed = JSON.parse(envResult.stderr.trim());
+      assert.strictEqual(envParsed.ok, false);
+      assert.strictEqual(envParsed.reason, 'sdk_fail_fast');
+      assert.ok(envParsed.message, 'envelope must carry a message');
+    });
   });
 });