diff --git a/internal/app/app.go b/internal/app/app.go
index e0bd1fb..324af93 100644
--- a/internal/app/app.go
+++ b/internal/app/app.go
@@ -1620,14 +1620,12 @@ func runBuildTopData(ctx context) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	opts, err := parseBuildTopDataArgs("build-topdata", ctx.args[1:])
+	parsed, err := parseBuildTopDataArgs("build-topdata", ctx.args[1:])
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	if opts.SkipLFS {
-		// ponytail: bridge --skip-lfs flag to env rather than threading a new param
-		// through packageBuiltTopData; CRUCIBLE_SKIP_LFS is already checked there.
+	if parsed.skipLFS {
 		os.Setenv("CRUCIBLE_SKIP_LFS", "1") //nolint:errcheck
 	}
 
@@ -1635,7 +1633,7 @@ func runBuildTopData(ctx context) error {
 	spin.configure(ctx.stderr, console.spinnerEnabled)
 	spin.start("Build Topdata: starting")
 	defer spin.stop()
-	result, err := topdata.BuildAndPackageWithOptions(p, opts, console.progress)
+	result, err := topdata.BuildAndPackageWithOptions(p, parsed.opts, console.progress)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -1650,18 +1648,16 @@ func runBuildTopPackage(ctx context) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	opts, err := parseBuildTopDataArgs("build-top-package", ctx.args[1:])
+	parsed, err := parseBuildTopDataArgs("build-top-package", ctx.args[1:])
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	if opts.BuildWiki {
+	if parsed.opts.BuildWiki {
 		return fmt.Errorf("--wiki is not supported with build-top-package; use build-topdata when wiki generation is required")
 	}
 
-	if opts.SkipLFS {
-		// ponytail: bridge --skip-lfs flag to env rather than threading a new param
-		// through packageBuiltTopData; CRUCIBLE_SKIP_LFS is already checked there.
+	if parsed.skipLFS {
 		os.Setenv("CRUCIBLE_SKIP_LFS", "1") //nolint:errcheck
 	}
 
@@ -1678,23 +1674,30 @@ func runBuildTopPackage(ctx context) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func parseBuildTopDataArgs(commandName string, args []string) (topdata.BuildAndPackageOptions, error) {
-	opts := topdata.BuildAndPackageOptions{}
+type buildTopDataArgs struct {
+	opts    topdata.BuildAndPackageOptions
+	skipLFS bool
+}
+
+func parseBuildTopDataArgs(commandName string, args []string) (buildTopDataArgs, error) {
+	var parsed buildTopDataArgs
 	for _, arg := range args {
 		switch arg {
 		case "--force":
-			opts.Force = true
+			parsed.opts.Force = true
 		case "--wiki":
-			opts.BuildWiki = true
+			parsed.opts.BuildWiki = true
 		case "--skip-lfs":
-			opts.SkipLFS = true
+			// ponytail: CRUCIBLE_SKIP_LFS env is the single skip mechanism; set it at
+			// the CLI entry point rather than carrying a dead field through BuildAndPackageOptions.
+			parsed.skipLFS = true
 		case "-h", "--help":
-			return opts, fmt.Errorf("usage: %s [--force] [--wiki] [--skip-lfs]", commandName)
+			return parsed, fmt.Errorf("usage: %s [--force] [--wiki] [--skip-lfs]", commandName)
 		default:
-			return opts, fmt.Errorf("unknown %s argument %q", commandName, arg)
+			return parsed, fmt.Errorf("unknown %s argument %q", commandName, arg)
 		}
 	}
-	return opts, nil
+	return parsed, nil
 }
 
 func runCompareTopData(ctx context) error {
diff --git a/internal/topdata/top_package.go b/internal/topdata/top_package.go
index cf90645..bd9e5b0 100644
--- a/internal/topdata/top_package.go
+++ b/internal/topdata/top_package.go
@@ -76,7 +76,8 @@ func BuildAndPackage(p *project.Project, progress func(string)) (PackageResult,
 type BuildAndPackageOptions struct {
 	Force     bool
 	BuildWiki bool
-	SkipLFS   bool
+	// ponytail: no SkipLFS field — CRUCIBLE_SKIP_LFS env is the single skip mechanism;
+	// the CLI flag sets it directly before calling into this package.
 }
 
 func BuildAndPackageWithOptions(p *project.Project, opts BuildAndPackageOptions, progress func(string)) (PackageResult, error) {