diff --git a/pkg/cli/api.go b/pkg/cli/api.go
index d96a79064d3..0908727e2d2 100644
--- a/pkg/cli/api.go
+++ b/pkg/cli/api.go
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 limitations under the License.
 */
 
-//nolint:dupl
 package cli
 
 import (
@@ -37,6 +36,19 @@ func (c CLI) newCreateAPICmd() *cobra.Command {
 		),
 	}
 
+	// Show hint message on how to list flags instead of showing file completion
+	cmd.ValidArgsFunction = func(
+		_ *cobra.Command,
+		args []string,
+		toComplete string,
+	) ([]cobra.Completion, cobra.ShellCompDirective) {
+		completions := []cobra.Completion{}
+		if len(args) == 0 && toComplete == "" {
+			completions = cobra.AppendActiveHelp(completions, "Type '--' and press TAB to list more flags")
+		}
+		return completions, cobra.ShellCompDirectiveNoFileComp
+	}
+
 	// In case no plugin was resolved, instead of failing the construction of the CLI, fail the execution of
 	// this subcommand. This allows the use of subcommands that do not require resolved plugins like help.
 	if len(c.resolvedPlugins) == 0 {
diff --git a/pkg/cli/cmd_helpers.go b/pkg/cli/cmd_helpers.go
index b6af5ef4dc9..34aec048a58 100644
--- a/pkg/cli/cmd_helpers.go
+++ b/pkg/cli/cmd_helpers.go
@@ -268,6 +268,12 @@ func initializationHooks(
 	var options *resourceOptions
 	if requiresResource {
 		options = bindResourceFlags(cmd.Flags())
+		if err := cmd.MarkFlagRequired("version"); err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to mark 'version' flag as required: %w", err)
+		}
+		if err := cmd.MarkFlagRequired("kind"); err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to mark 'kind' flag as required: %w", err)
+		}
 	}
 
 	// Bind flags hook: each plugin binds to a temporary FlagSet, then we merge into the command so