diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index c8c8db2d5b..47bbc21c19 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ This guide applies to this repository; `CLAUDE.md` points here. For changes to t
 - Keep public test imports on `vite-plus/test*`, which wraps upstream `vitest` and `@vitest/browser*`. Do not recreate `packages/test` or `@voidzero-dev/vite-plus-test`.
 - Vite Task crates are git dependencies in `Cargo.toml`; there is no local `crates/vt`. Do not run `cargo test -p vt` here.
 - Use `vp_shared::VpDirs` for Vite+ directory roots. See `crates/vp_shared/src/dirs.rs` and `crates/vp_shared/src/dirs/resolution.rs`. Call sites must not construct category paths or read `VP_HOME` or `XDG_*` directly.
-- Follow [`.clippy.toml`](.clippy.toml) for Rust restrictions and replacements. Use `crates/vp_shared/src/output.rs` for user-facing output and `crates/vp_shared/src/env_config.rs` for test-scoped environment configuration. See `crates/vp_command/src/lib.rs` for `vt_path` usage.
+- Follow [`.clippy.toml`](.clippy.toml) for Rust restrictions and replacements. Use `crates/vp_shared/src/output.rs` for user-facing output; command output that can be piped must use `print_and_flush` or another broken-pipe-safe helper instead of `print!` or `println!`. Enable `clippy::print_stdout` in migrated modules so CI prevents direct stdout macros from returning. Use `crates/vp_shared/src/env_config.rs` for test-scoped environment configuration. See `crates/vp_command/src/lib.rs` for `vt_path` usage.
 - For TypeScript CLI output, use `packages/cli/src/utils/terminal.ts` and match the surrounding command style.
 - Keep changes scoped to the task and leave unrelated tracked and untracked files alone. Prefer source references over duplicated instructions in this guide.
 
diff --git a/crates/vp_cli_snapshots/src/bin/vpt/head_lines.rs b/crates/vp_cli_snapshots/src/bin/vpt/head_lines.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4e4e6bf89a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/vp_cli_snapshots/src/bin/vpt/head_lines.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+use std::{
+    io::{Read, Write},
+    process::{Command, Stdio},
+};
+
+/// head-lines `<count>` -- `<command>` \[`<args>`...\]
+///
+/// Reads and prints the first `<count>` lines from the child's stdout, closes
+/// the pipe, then exits with the child's exit code.
+pub fn run(args: &[String]) -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
+    let sep = args
+        .iter()
+        .position(|arg| arg == "--")
+        .ok_or("Usage: vpt head-lines <count> -- <command> [args...]")?;
+    if sep != 1 || args.len() <= sep + 1 {
+        return Err("Usage: vpt head-lines <count> -- <command> [args...]".into());
+    }
+
+    let count = args[0].parse::<usize>()?;
+    if count == 0 {
+        return Err("head-lines count must be greater than zero".into());
+    }
+
+    let cmd_args = &args[sep + 1..];
+    let mut child =
+        Command::new(&cmd_args[0]).args(&cmd_args[1..]).stdout(Stdio::piped()).spawn()?;
+    let mut child_stdout = child.stdout.take().unwrap();
+    let mut captured = Vec::new();
+    let mut lines = 0;
+
+    while lines < count {
+        let mut byte = [0];
+        if child_stdout.read(&mut byte)? == 0 {
+            break;
+        }
+        captured.push(byte[0]);
+        if byte[0] == b'\n' {
+            lines += 1;
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Closing the read end reproduces a consumer such as `head` exiting early.
+    drop(child_stdout);
+    let status = child.wait()?;
+
+    let mut stdout = std::io::stdout().lock();
+    stdout.write_all(&captured)?;
+    stdout.flush()?;
+
+    std::process::exit(crate::exit_code::exit_code_from_status(status));
+}
diff --git a/crates/vp_cli_snapshots/src/bin/vpt/main.rs b/crates/vp_cli_snapshots/src/bin/vpt/main.rs
index 84a0660285..9502b97b44 100644
--- a/crates/vp_cli_snapshots/src/bin/vpt/main.rs
+++ b/crates/vp_cli_snapshots/src/bin/vpt/main.rs
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ mod exit;
 mod exit_code;
 mod exit_on_ctrlc;
 mod grep_file;
+mod head_lines;
 mod json_edit;
 mod list_dir;
 mod mkdir;
@@ -64,7 +65,7 @@ fn main() {
     if args.len() < 2 {
         eprintln!("Usage: vpt <subcommand> [args...]");
         eprintln!(
-            "Subcommands: backpressure-run (Unix), barrier, check-tty, chmod, cp, exit, exit-on-ctrlc, grep-file, json-edit, list-dir, mkdir, pipe-stdin, print, print-color, print-cwd, print-env, print-file, print-native-path, probe, read-stdin, replace-file-content, rm, stat-file, touch-file, write-file"
+            "Subcommands: backpressure-run (Unix), barrier, check-tty, chmod, cp, exit, exit-on-ctrlc, grep-file, head-lines, json-edit, list-dir, mkdir, pipe-stdin, print, print-color, print-cwd, print-env, print-file, print-native-path, probe, read-stdin, replace-file-content, rm, stat-file, touch-file, write-file"
         );
         std::process::exit(1);
     }
@@ -85,6 +86,7 @@ fn main() {
         "exit" => exit::run(&args[2..]),
         "exit-on-ctrlc" => exit_on_ctrlc::run(),
         "grep-file" => grep_file::run(&args[2..]),
+        "head-lines" => head_lines::run(&args[2..]),
         "json-edit" => json_edit::run(&args[2..]),
         "list-dir" => list_dir::run(&args[2..]),
         "mkdir" => mkdir::run(&args[2..]),
diff --git a/crates/vp_cli_snapshots/tests/cli_snapshots/README.md b/crates/vp_cli_snapshots/tests/cli_snapshots/README.md
index b3fc7abf0a..a9d0506e69 100644
--- a/crates/vp_cli_snapshots/tests/cli_snapshots/README.md
+++ b/crates/vp_cli_snapshots/tests/cli_snapshots/README.md
@@ -214,7 +214,9 @@ is identical on every platform:
 `test -f x && cmd` guards keep their short-circuit), `vpt write-file`,
 `vpt touch-file`, `vpt replace-file-content`, `vpt list-dir`, `vpt mkdir`,
 `vpt rm`, `vpt cp`, `vpt chmod`, `vpt grep-file`, `vpt json-edit`,
-`vpt pipe-stdin <data> -- <argv>`, plus task payloads for `vp run` tests:
+`vpt pipe-stdin <data> -- <argv>`,
+`vpt head-lines <count> -- <argv>` (closes the child's stdout after the selected
+lines), plus task payloads for `vp run` tests:
 `vpt print`, `vpt print-color`, `vpt print-env`, `vpt print-cwd`,
 `vpt print-native-path` (prints OS-native separators, for redaction
 self-tests), `vpt check-tty`, `vpt read-stdin`, `vpt exit <code>`,
diff --git a/crates/vp_cli_snapshots/tests/cli_snapshots/fixtures/command_env_list_remote/snapshots.toml b/crates/vp_cli_snapshots/tests/cli_snapshots/fixtures/command_env_list_remote/snapshots.toml
index ecbef22d4e..9277c0d854 100644
--- a/crates/vp_cli_snapshots/tests/cli_snapshots/fixtures/command_env_list_remote/snapshots.toml
+++ b/crates/vp_cli_snapshots/tests/cli_snapshots/fixtures/command_env_list_remote/snapshots.toml
@@ -28,3 +28,12 @@ steps = [
   { argv = ["vp", "env", "list", "node"], comment = "Installed Node.js versions retain their interactive formatting", formatted-snapshot = true },
   { argv = ["vp", "env", "list", "pnpm"], comment = "Installed package-manager versions use the same interactive formatting", formatted-snapshot = true },
 ]
+
+[[case]]
+name = "command_env_list_remote_closed_pipe"
+vp = "global"
+skip-platforms = ["windows"]
+seed-runtime = false
+steps = [
+  { argv = ["vpt", "head-lines", "1", "--", "vp", "env", "list-remote", "--lts"], tty = false, comment = "Closing stdout after the heading does not make remote version listing fail" },
+]
diff --git a/crates/vp_cli_snapshots/tests/cli_snapshots/fixtures/command_env_list_remote/snapshots/command_env_list_remote_closed_pipe.md b/crates/vp_cli_snapshots/tests/cli_snapshots/fixtures/command_env_list_remote/snapshots/command_env_list_remote_closed_pipe.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1cced8a2c6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/vp_cli_snapshots/tests/cli_snapshots/fixtures/command_env_list_remote/snapshots/command_env_list_remote_closed_pipe.md
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# command_env_list_remote_closed_pipe
+
+## `vpt head-lines 1 -- vp env list-remote --lts`
+
+Closing stdout after the heading does not make remote version listing fail
+
+```
+Node.js
+note: Run `vp env clean` to free disk space from unused managed runtimes and package manager caches.
+```
diff --git a/crates/vp_cli_snapshots/tests/cli_snapshots/fixtures/command_version/snapshots.toml b/crates/vp_cli_snapshots/tests/cli_snapshots/fixtures/command_version/snapshots.toml
index f2f179124d..d2fc96416f 100644
--- a/crates/vp_cli_snapshots/tests/cli_snapshots/fixtures/command_version/snapshots.toml
+++ b/crates/vp_cli_snapshots/tests/cli_snapshots/fixtures/command_version/snapshots.toml
@@ -5,3 +5,11 @@ skip-platforms = ["windows"]
 steps = [
   { argv = ["vp", "--version"], continue-on-failure = true },
 ]
+
+[[case]]
+name = "command_version_closed_pipe"
+vp = "global"
+skip-platforms = ["windows"]
+steps = [
+  { argv = ["vpt", "head-lines", "1", "--", "vp", "--version"], tty = false, comment = "Closing stdout after the first line does not make the version command fail" },
+]
diff --git a/crates/vp_cli_snapshots/tests/cli_snapshots/fixtures/command_version/snapshots/command_version_closed_pipe.md b/crates/vp_cli_snapshots/tests/cli_snapshots/fixtures/command_version/snapshots/command_version_closed_pipe.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b66f448193
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/vp_cli_snapshots/tests/cli_snapshots/fixtures/command_version/snapshots/command_version_closed_pipe.md
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+# command_version_closed_pipe
+
+## `vpt head-lines 1 -- vp --version`
+
+Closing stdout after the first line does not make the version command fail
+
+```
+vp <version>
+```
diff --git a/crates/vp_global_cli/src/commands/env/list_remote.rs b/crates/vp_global_cli/src/commands/env/list_remote.rs
index a3ef2b0caf..bf86eae4b9 100644
--- a/crates/vp_global_cli/src/commands/env/list_remote.rs
+++ b/crates/vp_global_cli/src/commands/env/list_remote.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
-use std::{collections::BTreeMap, process::ExitStatus};
+#![deny(clippy::print_stdout)]
+
+use std::{collections::BTreeMap, io, process::ExitStatus};
 
 use console::style;
 use futures::future::try_join_all;
@@ -17,6 +19,10 @@ use crate::{cli::SortingMethod, error::Error};
 
 const DEFAULT_MAJOR_VERSIONS: usize = 10;
 
+fn print_stdout(message: &str) {
+    vp_shared::output::print_and_flush(&mut io::stdout().lock(), message);
+}
+
 #[derive(Serialize)]
 struct RemoteEnvironmentJson {
     #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
@@ -152,24 +158,25 @@ pub async fn execute(
     });
 
     if json {
-        println!(
-            "{}",
-            serde_json::to_string_pretty(&RemoteEnvironmentJson { node, package_managers })?
-        );
+        let output =
+            serde_json::to_string_pretty(&RemoteEnvironmentJson { node, package_managers })?;
+        print_stdout(&format!("{output}\n"));
         return Ok(ExitStatus::default());
     }
     if let Some(node) = node {
-        println!("Node.js");
+        print_stdout("Node.js\n");
         print_node_versions(&node);
     }
     if let Some(mut package_managers) = package_managers {
         for kind in package_manager::selected(scope) {
             let name = kind.to_string();
             let versions = package_managers.remove(&name).unwrap_or_default();
-            println!();
-            println!("{}", package_manager::title(kind));
+            print_stdout(&format!("\n{}\n", package_manager::title(kind)));
             for entry in versions {
-                println!("  {}", format_package_manager_version(&entry, use_color()));
+                print_stdout(&format!(
+                    "  {}\n",
+                    format_package_manager_version(&entry, use_color())
+                ));
             }
         }
     }
@@ -184,7 +191,7 @@ fn print_node_versions(versions: &[NodeVersionJson]) {
 
     let colorize = use_color();
     for entry in versions {
-        println!("  {}", format_node_version(entry, colorize));
+        print_stdout(&format!("  {}\n", format_node_version(entry, colorize)));
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/crates/vp_global_cli/src/commands/env/mod.rs b/crates/vp_global_cli/src/commands/env/mod.rs
index 3f568cc799..f270482900 100644
--- a/crates/vp_global_cli/src/commands/env/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/vp_global_cli/src/commands/env/mod.rs
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ mod unpin;
 mod r#use;
 mod which;
 
-use std::process::ExitStatus;
+use std::{io, process::ExitStatus};
 
 #[cfg(windows)]
 pub(crate) use setup::{cleanup_legacy_windows_shim, get_trampoline_path, remove_or_rename_to_old};
@@ -40,8 +40,9 @@ fn print_env_header() {
     vp_shared::header::print_header();
 }
 
+#[deny(clippy::print_stdout)]
 fn print_env_clean_tip() {
-    vp_shared::output::raw("");
+    vp_shared::output::print_and_flush(&mut io::stdout().lock(), "\n");
     vp_shared::output::note(
         "Run `vp env clean` to free disk space from unused managed runtimes and package manager caches.",
     );
diff --git a/crates/vp_global_cli/src/commands/version.rs b/crates/vp_global_cli/src/commands/version.rs
index 26cff89b7e..c35976392e 100644
--- a/crates/vp_global_cli/src/commands/version.rs
+++ b/crates/vp_global_cli/src/commands/version.rs
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 //! Version command.
 
+#![deny(clippy::print_stdout)]
+
 use std::{
     collections::BTreeMap,
-    fs,
+    fs, io,
     path::{Path, PathBuf},
     process::ExitStatus,
 };
@@ -121,12 +123,16 @@ fn resolve_tool_version(
     }
 }
 
+fn print_stdout(message: &str) {
+    vp_shared::output::print_and_flush(&mut io::stdout().lock(), message);
+}
+
 fn print_rows(title: &str, rows: &[(&str, String)]) {
-    println!("{}", help::render_heading(title));
+    print_stdout(&format!("{}\n", help::render_heading(title)));
     let label_width = rows.iter().map(|(label, _)| label.chars().count()).max().unwrap_or(0);
     for (label, value) in rows {
         let padding = " ".repeat(label_width.saturating_sub(label.chars().count()));
-        println!("  {}{}  {value}", help::accent(label), padding);
+        print_stdout(&format!("  {}{}  {value}\n", help::accent(label), padding));
     }
 }
 
@@ -169,8 +175,7 @@ fn detect_system_node_version() -> Option<String> {
 pub async fn execute(cwd: AbsolutePathBuf) -> Result<ExitStatus, Error> {
     vp_shared::header::print_header();
 
-    println!("vp v{}", env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION"));
-    println!();
+    print_stdout(concat!("vp v", env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION"), "\n\n"));
 
     // Local vite-plus and tools
     let local = find_local_vite_plus(cwd.as_path());
@@ -178,7 +183,7 @@ pub async fn execute(cwd: AbsolutePathBuf) -> Result<ExitStatus, Error> {
         "Local vite-plus",
         &[("vite-plus", format_version(local.as_ref().map(|pkg| pkg.version.clone())))],
     );
-    println!();
+    print_stdout("\n");
 
     let manifest = local.as_ref().and_then(read_toolchain_manifest);
     let tool_rows = TOOL_SPECS
@@ -189,7 +194,7 @@ pub async fn execute(cwd: AbsolutePathBuf) -> Result<ExitStatus, Error> {
         })
         .collect::<Vec<_>>();
     print_rows("Tools", &tool_rows);
-    println!();
+    print_stdout("\n");
 
     // Environment info
     let package_manager_info = find_workspace_root(&cwd)
diff --git a/crates/vp_shared/src/output.rs b/crates/vp_shared/src/output.rs
index 30cf4c6a0d..3154f52d5b 100644
--- a/crates/vp_shared/src/output.rs
+++ b/crates/vp_shared/src/output.rs
@@ -4,10 +4,44 @@
 //! consistent output across the entire CLI. Styling uses console's color detection
 //! for the stream receiving each message.
 
-use std::sync::atomic::{AtomicBool, Ordering};
+use std::{
+    io::{self, Write},
+    sync::atomic::{AtomicBool, Ordering},
+};
 
 use console::style;
 
+/// Write a message and flush it without panicking for expected output-stream errors.
+///
+/// Use this for command output that can be piped to a reader which exits early.
+pub fn print_and_flush(writer: &mut dyn Write, message: &str) {
+    let mut remaining = message.as_bytes();
+    while !remaining.is_empty() {
+        match writer.write(remaining) {
+            Ok(0) => fail_for_writer_error(io::ErrorKind::WriteZero.into()),
+            Ok(written) => remaining = &remaining[written..],
+            Err(error) if error.kind() == io::ErrorKind::BrokenPipe => return,
+            Err(error) if error.kind() == io::ErrorKind::Interrupted => {}
+            Err(error) if error.kind() == io::ErrorKind::WouldBlock => std::thread::yield_now(),
+            Err(error) => fail_for_writer_error(error),
+        }
+    }
+
+    loop {
+        match writer.flush() {
+            Ok(()) => return,
+            Err(error) if error.kind() == io::ErrorKind::BrokenPipe => return,
+            Err(error) if error.kind() == io::ErrorKind::Interrupted => {}
+            Err(error) if error.kind() == io::ErrorKind::WouldBlock => std::thread::yield_now(),
+            Err(error) => fail_for_writer_error(error),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+fn fail_for_writer_error(error: io::Error) -> ! {
+    panic!("failed writing command output: {error}");
+}
+
 /// When set, user-facing stdout output (info/pass/note/success/raw) is routed
 /// to stderr instead. Shim dispatch enables this once at entry: a shim's
 /// stdout belongs to the wrapped tool and must stay parseable.
@@ -113,3 +147,58 @@ pub fn raw_inline(msg: &str) {
 pub fn raw_stderr(msg: &str) {
     eprintln!("{msg}");
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[derive(Default)]
+    struct RetryWriter {
+        output: Vec<u8>,
+        write_calls: usize,
+        flush_calls: usize,
+    }
+
+    impl Write for RetryWriter {
+        fn write(&mut self, buf: &[u8]) -> io::Result<usize> {
+            self.write_calls += 1;
+            match self.write_calls {
+                1 => {
+                    let written = buf.len().min(2);
+                    self.output.extend_from_slice(&buf[..written]);
+                    Ok(written)
+                }
+                2 => Err(io::ErrorKind::WouldBlock.into()),
+                _ => {
+                    self.output.extend_from_slice(buf);
+                    Ok(buf.len())
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        fn flush(&mut self) -> io::Result<()> {
+            self.flush_calls += 1;
+            match self.flush_calls {
+                1 => Err(io::ErrorKind::Interrupted.into()),
+                2 => Err(io::ErrorKind::WouldBlock.into()),
+                _ => Ok(()),
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn print_and_flush_retries_temporary_errors_without_losing_output() {
+        let mut writer = RetryWriter::default();
+        print_and_flush(&mut writer, "output\n");
+        assert_eq!(writer.output, b"output\n");
+        assert_eq!(writer.flush_calls, 3);
+    }
+
+    #[cfg(unix)]
+    #[test]
+    fn print_and_flush_tolerates_a_closed_pipe() {
+        let (reader, writer) = nix::unistd::pipe().unwrap();
+        drop(reader);
+        print_and_flush(&mut std::fs::File::from(writer), "output\n");
+    }
+}