diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index eaec257..169ab73 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -606,7 +606,7 @@ Add custom color schemes using Windows Terminal JSON format in the `schemes` arr
 | Flag | Description |
 |---|---|
 | `--help`, `-h`, `help` | Show usage information |
-| `--version`, `-v`, `version` | Print the version and exit |
+| `--version`, `-v`, `version` | Print the version and exit. Add `--json` for script output |
 | `update` | Update dispatch to the latest release |
 | `--demo` | Load a demo database with synthetic sessions |
 | `--reindex` | Full chronicle reindex via Copilot CLI (falls back to FTS5 rebuild) |
diff --git a/cmd/dispatch/cli.go b/cmd/dispatch/cli.go
index 813dfa9..efbbf69 100644
--- a/cmd/dispatch/cli.go
+++ b/cmd/dispatch/cli.go
@@ -46,6 +46,39 @@ var (
 	doctorSessionCountFn   = defaultSessionCount
 )
 
+type versionOutput struct {
+	Version string `json:"version"`
+}
+
+func runVersion(w io.Writer, args []string) error {
+	if w == nil {
+		w = io.Discard
+	}
+
+	jsonOut := false
+	rest := args
+	if len(rest) > 0 {
+		rest = rest[1:]
+	}
+	for _, arg := range rest {
+		switch arg {
+		case "--json":
+			jsonOut = true
+		default:
+			if strings.HasPrefix(arg, "-") {
+				return fmt.Errorf("unknown flag: %s", arg)
+			}
+			return fmt.Errorf("version does not take positional arguments, got %q", arg)
+		}
+	}
+
+	if jsonOut {
+		return json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(versionOutput{Version: version.Version})
+	}
+	_, err := fmt.Fprintln(w, version.Version)
+	return err
+}
+
 func handleArgs(args []string, origStderr io.Writer, updateCh <-chan *update.UpdateInfo) (done bool, cleanup func(), startup startupOptions, err error) {
 	var flags startupFlags
 	for i := 0; i < len(args); i++ {
@@ -57,7 +90,10 @@ func handleArgs(args []string, origStderr io.Writer, updateCh <-chan *update.Upd
 			return true, cleanup, startupOptions{}, nil
 
 		case "--version", "-v", "version":
-			fmt.Println(version.Version)
+			if vErr := runVersion(os.Stdout, args[i:]); vErr != nil {
+				fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "version: %v\n", vErr)
+				return true, cleanup, startupOptions{}, vErr
+			}
 			showUpdateNotification(origStderr, updateCh)
 			return true, cleanup, startupOptions{}, nil
 
diff --git a/cmd/dispatch/cli_test.go b/cmd/dispatch/cli_test.go
index 50735af..fb1c391 100644
--- a/cmd/dispatch/cli_test.go
+++ b/cmd/dispatch/cli_test.go
@@ -85,6 +85,47 @@ func TestHandleArgs_VersionCommand(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestRunVersionJSON(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, args := range [][]string{
+		{"version", "--json"},
+		{"--version", "--json"},
+	} {
+		var buf bytes.Buffer
+		if err := runVersion(&buf, args); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("runVersion(%v): %v", args, err)
+		}
+		var out versionOutput
+		if err := json.Unmarshal(buf.Bytes(), &out); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("output is not valid JSON: %v\n%s", err, buf.String())
+		}
+		if out.Version == "" {
+			t.Errorf("version should be set for args %v", args)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestRunVersionPlainText(t *testing.T) {
+	var buf bytes.Buffer
+	if err := runVersion(&buf, []string{"version"}); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("runVersion: %v", err)
+	}
+	if got := strings.TrimSpace(buf.String()); got == "" || strings.HasPrefix(got, "{") {
+		t.Errorf("plain version output = %q", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestRunVersionRejectsExtraArgs(t *testing.T) {
+	cases := [][]string{
+		{"version", "--yaml"},
+		{"version", "extra"},
+	}
+	for _, args := range cases {
+		if err := runVersion(io.Discard, args); err == nil {
+			t.Errorf("runVersion(%v) returned nil error, want error", args)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func TestRunCompletion_SupportedShells(t *testing.T) {
 	for _, tc := range []struct {
 		shell string
diff --git a/cmd/dispatch/main.go b/cmd/dispatch/main.go
index e6833e7..5e4f2e8 100644
--- a/cmd/dispatch/main.go
+++ b/cmd/dispatch/main.go
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ Usage:
 
 Commands:
   help                    Show this help message
-  version                 Print the version
+  version [--json]        Print the version
   open <id> [--mode M]    Resume a session by ID (M: inplace, tab, window, pane)
                           --print writes the resume command instead of launching
   open --last [--mode M]  Resume the most recently active session
diff --git a/cmd/dispatch/main_test.go b/cmd/dispatch/main_test.go
index 08e19a2..c76a10e 100644
--- a/cmd/dispatch/main_test.go
+++ b/cmd/dispatch/main_test.go
@@ -457,13 +457,18 @@ func TestPrintUsage_Output(t *testing.T) {
 	origStdout := os.Stdout
 	os.Stdout = w
 
+	var buf bytes.Buffer
+	readDone := make(chan struct{})
+	go func() {
+		_, _ = io.Copy(&buf, r)
+		close(readDone)
+	}()
+
 	printUsage()
 
 	w.Close()
 	os.Stdout = origStdout
-
-	var buf bytes.Buffer
-	_, _ = io.Copy(&buf, r)
+	<-readDone
 
 	output := buf.String()
 	for _, want := range []string{"dispatch", "help", "version", "update", "--demo"} {