diff --git a/command_parse.go b/command_parse.go
index 2b9a481df2..939ad90b85 100644
--- a/command_parse.go
+++ b/command_parse.go
@@ -199,6 +199,12 @@ func (cmd *Command) parseFlags(args Args) (Args, error) {
 				posArgs = append(posArgs, rargs...)
 				return &stringSliceArgs{posArgs}, nil
 			}
+			// When DefaultCommand is set, pass unknown flags through as positional args
+			// so the default command can handle them (fixes #2249)
+			if cmd.DefaultCommand != "" {
+				posArgs = append(posArgs, rargs...)
+				return &stringSliceArgs{posArgs}, nil
+			}
 			return &stringSliceArgs{posArgs}, fmt.Errorf("%s%s", providedButNotDefinedErrMsg, flagName)
 		}
 
@@ -206,6 +212,10 @@ func (cmd *Command) parseFlags(args Args) (Args, error) {
 		for index, c := range flagName {
 			tracef("processing flag (fName=%[1]q)", string(c))
 			if sf := cmd.lookupFlag(string(c)); sf == nil {
+				if index == 0 && cmd.DefaultCommand != "" {
+					posArgs = append(posArgs, rargs...)
+					return &stringSliceArgs{posArgs}, nil
+				}
 				return &stringSliceArgs{posArgs}, fmt.Errorf("%s%s", providedButNotDefinedErrMsg, flagName)
 			} else if fb, ok := sf.(boolFlag); ok && fb.IsBoolFlag() {
 				fv := flagVal
diff --git a/command_test.go b/command_test.go
index d3933c96a5..b018bd8801 100644
--- a/command_test.go
+++ b/command_test.go
@@ -5771,3 +5771,108 @@ func TestFlagEqualsEmptyValue(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.Equal(t, []string{"positional"}, args)
 	})
 }
+
+func TestDefaultCommandWithSubcommandFlags(t *testing.T) {
+	// Regression test for https://github.com/urfave/cli/issues/2249
+	// When DefaultCommand is set, flags defined on the default subcommand
+	// should work even when the subcommand name is omitted.
+	actionExecuted := false
+	cmd := &Command{
+		DefaultCommand: "run1",
+		Commands: []*Command{
+			{
+				Name:  "run1",
+				Usage: "run the main application",
+				Action: func(ctx context.Context, cmd *Command) error {
+					actionExecuted = true
+					return nil
+				},
+				Flags: []Flag{
+					&StringFlag{
+						Name:     "foo",
+						Required: true,
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			{
+				Name: "run2",
+				Action: func(ctx context.Context, cmd *Command) error {
+					return nil
+				},
+				Flags: []Flag{
+					&StringFlag{
+						Name:     "value",
+						Required: true,
+					},
+				},
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	// Using flag without subcommand name should route to default command
+	err := cmd.Run(buildTestContext(t), []string{"c", "--foo", "bar"})
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.True(t, actionExecuted, "expected run1 action to be executed")
+}
+
+func TestDefaultCommandWithShortFlag(t *testing.T) {
+	// Covers the short-flag splitting path in parseFlags when DefaultCommand is set
+	actionRun := false
+	cmd := &Command{
+		DefaultCommand: "run",
+		Commands: []*Command{
+			{
+				Name:  "run",
+				Usage: "run the app",
+				Action: func(ctx context.Context, cmd *Command) error {
+					actionRun = true
+					if cmd.String("foo") != "baz" {
+						return fmt.Errorf("expected foo=baz, got %s", cmd.String("foo"))
+					}
+					return nil
+				},
+				Flags: []Flag{
+					&StringFlag{
+						Name:    "foo",
+						Aliases: []string{"f"},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	err := cmd.Run(buildTestContext(t), []string{"c", "-f", "baz"})
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.True(t, actionRun, "expected run action to be executed")
+}
+
+func TestDefaultCommandWithShortFlagHandling(t *testing.T) {
+	// Covers the shortOptionHandling for-loop path when DefaultCommand is set
+	actionRun := false
+	cmd := &Command{
+		UseShortOptionHandling: true,
+		DefaultCommand:         "run",
+		Commands: []*Command{
+			{
+				Name:  "run",
+				Usage: "run the app",
+				Action: func(ctx context.Context, cmd *Command) error {
+					actionRun = true
+					if cmd.String("foo") != "baz" {
+						return fmt.Errorf("expected foo=baz, got %s", cmd.String("foo"))
+					}
+					return nil
+				},
+				Flags: []Flag{
+					&StringFlag{
+						Name:    "foo",
+						Aliases: []string{"f"},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+		},
+	}
+	err := cmd.Run(buildTestContext(t), []string{"c", "-f", "baz"})
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.True(t, actionRun, "expected run action to be executed")
+}