diff --git a/app_test.go b/app_test.go
index f6f9158b05..3e25718442 100644
--- a/app_test.go
+++ b/app_test.go
@@ -283,7 +283,8 @@ func ExampleApp_Run_bashComplete_withLongFlag() {
 			Aliases: []string{"x"},
 		},
 		&StringFlag{
-			Name: "some-flag,s",
+			Name:    "some-flag",
+			Aliases: []string{"s"},
 		},
 		&StringFlag{
 			Name: "similar-flag",
@@ -295,6 +296,29 @@ func ExampleApp_Run_bashComplete_withLongFlag() {
 	// --some-flag
 	// --similar-flag
 }
+
+func TestApp_Run_ErrorsOnLegacyV1FlagAliasSyntax(t *testing.T) {
+	app := &App{
+		Name: "greet",
+		Flags: []Flag{
+			&StringFlag{
+				Name: "config, cfg",
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	err := app.Run([]string{"greet"})
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected an error for legacy alias syntax, got nil")
+	}
+
+	if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "invalid flag name") {
+		t.Fatalf("expected invalid flag name error, got %q", err)
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "Aliases") {
+		t.Fatalf("expected alias migration hint in error, got %q", err)
+	}
+}
 func ExampleApp_Run_bashComplete_withMultipleLongFlag() {
 	os.Setenv("SHELL", "bash")
 	os.Args = []string{"greet", "--st", "--generate-bash-completion"}
diff --git a/flag.go b/flag.go
index 4d04de3da8..6368bccf06 100644
--- a/flag.go
+++ b/flag.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"os"
+	"reflect"
 	"regexp"
 	"runtime"
 	"strings"
@@ -26,6 +27,13 @@ var (
 	commaWhitespace = regexp.MustCompile("[, ]+.*")
 )
 
+func validateFlagName(name string) error {
+	if name != "" && (strings.Contains(name, ",") || strings.Contains(name, " ")) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("invalid flag name %q: move alternate names to Aliases", name)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 // BashCompletionFlag enables bash-completion for all commands and subcommands
 var BashCompletionFlag Flag = &BoolFlag{
 	Name:   "generate-bash-completion",
@@ -167,10 +175,46 @@ type Countable interface {
 	Count() int
 }
 
+func rawFlagName(f any) (string, bool) {
+	if f == nil {
+		return "", false
+	}
+
+	rv := reflect.ValueOf(f)
+	for rv.Kind() == reflect.Pointer {
+		if rv.IsNil() {
+			return "", false
+		}
+		rv = rv.Elem()
+	}
+
+	if rv.Kind() != reflect.Struct {
+		return "", false
+	}
+
+	if target := rv.FieldByName("Target"); target.IsValid() {
+		if name, ok := rawFlagName(target.Interface()); ok {
+			return name, true
+		}
+	}
+
+	nameField := rv.FieldByName("Name")
+	if !nameField.IsValid() || nameField.Kind() != reflect.String {
+		return "", false
+	}
+
+	return nameField.String(), true
+}
+
 func flagSet(name string, flags []Flag, spec separatorSpec) (*flag.FlagSet, error) {
 	set := flag.NewFlagSet(name, flag.ContinueOnError)
 
 	for _, f := range flags {
+		if name, ok := rawFlagName(f); ok {
+			if err := validateFlagName(name); err != nil {
+				return nil, err
+			}
+		}
 		if c, ok := f.(customizedSeparator); ok {
 			c.WithSeparatorSpec(spec)
 		}