diff --git a/src/cli/sandbox-cli.ts b/src/cli/sandbox-cli.ts
index 232a1ebd5..0f7317b8a 100644
--- a/src/cli/sandbox-cli.ts
+++ b/src/cli/sandbox-cli.ts
@@ -6,55 +6,123 @@ import {
 } from "../commands/sandbox.js";
 import { defaultRuntime } from "../runtime.js";
 
+// --- Types ---
+
+type CommandOptions = Record<string, unknown>;
+
+// --- Helpers ---
+
+const EXAMPLES = {
+  main: `
+Examples:
+  clawdbot sandbox list                     # List all sandbox containers
+  clawdbot sandbox list --browser           # List only browser containers
+  clawdbot sandbox recreate --all           # Recreate all containers
+  clawdbot sandbox recreate --session main  # Recreate specific session
+  clawdbot sandbox recreate --agent mybot   # Recreate agent containers`,
+
+  list: `
+Examples:
+  clawdbot sandbox list              # List all sandbox containers
+  clawdbot sandbox list --browser    # List only browser containers
+  clawdbot sandbox list --json       # JSON output
+
+Output includes:
+  • Container name and status (running/stopped)
+  • Docker image and whether it matches current config
+  • Age (time since creation)
+  • Idle time (time since last use)
+  • Associated session/agent ID`,
+
+  recreate: `
+Examples:
+  clawdbot sandbox recreate --all              # Recreate all containers
+  clawdbot sandbox recreate --session main     # Specific session
+  clawdbot sandbox recreate --agent mybot      # Specific agent (includes sub-agents)
+  clawdbot sandbox recreate --browser --all    # All browser containers only
+  clawdbot sandbox recreate --all --force      # Skip confirmation
+
+Why use this?
+  After updating Docker images or sandbox configuration, existing containers
+  continue running with old settings. This command removes them so they'll be
+  recreated automatically with current config when next needed.
+
+Filter options:
+  --all          Remove all sandbox containers
+  --session      Remove container for specific session key
+  --agent        Remove containers for agent (includes agent:id:* variants)
+  
+Modifiers:
+  --browser      Only affect browser containers (not regular sandbox)
+  --force        Skip confirmation prompt`,
+};
+
+function createRunner(
+  commandFn: (opts: CommandOptions, runtime: typeof defaultRuntime) => Promise<void>,
+) {
+  return async (opts: CommandOptions) => {
+    try {
+      await commandFn(opts, defaultRuntime);
+    } catch (err) {
+      defaultRuntime.error(String(err));
+      defaultRuntime.exit(1);
+    }
+  };
+}
+
+function normalizeOptions(opts: CommandOptions): CommandOptions {
+  const normalized: CommandOptions = {};
+  for (const [key, value] of Object.entries(opts)) {
+    normalized[key] = typeof value === "boolean" ? value : value;
+  }
+  return normalized;
+}
+
+// --- Registration ---
+
 export function registerSandboxCli(program: Command) {
   const sandbox = program
     .command("sandbox")
-    .description("Manage sandbox containers (Docker-based agent isolation)");
+    .description("Manage sandbox containers (Docker-based agent isolation)")
+    .addHelpText("after", EXAMPLES.main)
+    .action(() => {
+      sandbox.help({ error: true });
+    });
+
+  // --- List Command ---
 
   sandbox
     .command("list")
     .description("List sandbox containers and their status")
+    .option("--json", "Output result as JSON", false)
     .option("--browser", "List browser containers only", false)
-    .option("--json", "Output JSON", false)
-    .action(async (opts) => {
-      try {
-        await sandboxListCommand(
+    .addHelpText("after", EXAMPLES.list)
+    .action(
+      createRunner((opts) =>
+        sandboxListCommand(
           {
             browser: Boolean(opts.browser),
             json: Boolean(opts.json),
           },
           defaultRuntime,
-        );
-      } catch (err) {
-        defaultRuntime.error(String(err));
-        defaultRuntime.exit(1);
-      }
-    });
+        ),
+      ),
+    );
+
+  // --- Recreate Command ---
 
   sandbox
     .command("recreate")
-    .description("Recreate sandbox containers (e.g., after image updates)")
+    .description("Remove containers to force recreation with updated config")
     .option("--all", "Recreate all sandbox containers", false)
     .option("--session <key>", "Recreate container for specific session")
     .option("--agent <id>", "Recreate containers for specific agent")
     .option("--browser", "Only recreate browser containers", false)
     .option("--force", "Skip confirmation prompt", false)
-    .addHelpText(
-      "after",
-      `
-Examples:
-  clawd sandbox recreate --all          # Recreate all sandbox containers
-  clawd sandbox recreate --session main # Recreate container for main session
-  clawd sandbox recreate --agent mybot  # Recreate containers for 'mybot' agent
-  clawd sandbox recreate --browser      # Only recreate browser containers
-  clawd sandbox recreate --all --force  # Skip confirmation
-
-Use this command after updating sandbox images or changing sandbox configuration
-to ensure containers use the latest settings.`,
-    )
-    .action(async (opts) => {
-      try {
-        await sandboxRecreateCommand(
+    .addHelpText("after", EXAMPLES.recreate)
+    .action(
+      createRunner((opts) =>
+        sandboxRecreateCommand(
           {
             all: Boolean(opts.all),
             session: opts.session as string | undefined,
@@ -63,20 +131,7 @@ to ensure containers use the latest settings.`,
             force: Boolean(opts.force),
           },
           defaultRuntime,
-        );
-      } catch (err) {
-        defaultRuntime.error(String(err));
-        defaultRuntime.exit(1);
-      }
-    });
-
-  // Default action shows list
-  sandbox.action(async () => {
-    try {
-      await sandboxListCommand({ browser: false, json: false }, defaultRuntime);
-    } catch (err) {
-      defaultRuntime.error(String(err));
-      defaultRuntime.exit(1);
-    }
-  });
+        ),
+      ),
+    );
 }