diff --git a/cmd/bd/main.go b/cmd/bd/main.go
index 1a40303a..cfa53a0a 100644
--- a/cmd/bd/main.go
+++ b/cmd/bd/main.go
@@ -94,12 +94,24 @@ func init() {
 	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVar(&noAutoImport, "no-auto-import", false, "Disable automatic JSONL import when newer than DB")
 	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVar(&sandboxMode, "sandbox", false, "Sandbox mode: disables daemon and auto-sync")
 	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVar(&noDb, "no-db", false, "Use no-db mode: load from JSONL, no SQLite")
+
+	// Add --version flag to root command (same behavior as version subcommand)
+	rootCmd.Flags().BoolP("version", "v", false, "Print version information")
 }
 
 var rootCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Use:   "bd",
 	Short: "bd - Dependency-aware issue tracker",
 	Long:  `Issues chained together like beads. A lightweight issue tracker with first-class dependency support.`,
+	Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
+		// Handle --version flag on root command
+		if v, _ := cmd.Flags().GetBool("version"); v {
+			fmt.Printf("bd version %s (%s)\n", Version, Build)
+			return
+		}
+		// No subcommand - show help
+		_ = cmd.Help()
+	},
 	PersistentPreRun: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 		// Apply viper configuration if flags weren't explicitly set
 		// Priority: flags > viper (config file + env vars) > defaults
diff --git a/cmd/bd/version_test.go b/cmd/bd/version_test.go
index 3402793b..1a05eb69 100644
--- a/cmd/bd/version_test.go
+++ b/cmd/bd/version_test.go
@@ -76,3 +76,69 @@ func TestVersionCommand(t *testing.T) {
 	// Restore default
 	jsonOutput = false
 }
+
+func TestVersionFlag(t *testing.T) {
+	// Save original stdout
+	oldStdout := os.Stdout
+	defer func() { os.Stdout = oldStdout }()
+
+	t.Run("--version flag", func(t *testing.T) {
+		// Create a pipe to capture output
+		r, w, err := os.Pipe()
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("Failed to create pipe: %v", err)
+		}
+		os.Stdout = w
+
+		// Set version flag and run root command
+		rootCmd.SetArgs([]string{"--version"})
+		rootCmd.Execute()
+
+		// Close writer and read output
+		w.Close()
+		var buf bytes.Buffer
+		buf.ReadFrom(r)
+		output := buf.String()
+
+		// Verify output contains version info
+		if !strings.Contains(output, "bd version") {
+			t.Errorf("Expected output to contain 'bd version', got: %s", output)
+		}
+		if !strings.Contains(output, Version) {
+			t.Errorf("Expected output to contain version %s, got: %s", Version, output)
+		}
+
+		// Reset args
+		rootCmd.SetArgs(nil)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("-v shorthand", func(t *testing.T) {
+		// Create a pipe to capture output
+		r, w, err := os.Pipe()
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("Failed to create pipe: %v", err)
+		}
+		os.Stdout = w
+
+		// Set version flag and run root command
+		rootCmd.SetArgs([]string{"-v"})
+		rootCmd.Execute()
+
+		// Close writer and read output
+		w.Close()
+		var buf bytes.Buffer
+		buf.ReadFrom(r)
+		output := buf.String()
+
+		// Verify output contains version info
+		if !strings.Contains(output, "bd version") {
+			t.Errorf("Expected output to contain 'bd version', got: %s", output)
+		}
+		if !strings.Contains(output, Version) {
+			t.Errorf("Expected output to contain version %s, got: %s", Version, output)
+		}
+
+		// Reset args
+		rootCmd.SetArgs(nil)
+	})
+}