diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 607cf69f..583d4371 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -55,6 +55,10 @@ Commands:
 
 ### `generate`
 
+You must provide either `--target` (one or more generators to run) or
+`--config-file` (which supplies the targets). Running `generate` without either
+exits with an error pointing you to the help output.
+
 ```
 Usage: @node-core/doc-kit generate [options]
 
diff --git a/bin/commands/generate.mjs b/bin/commands/generate.mjs
index d4586663..30d9a378 100644
--- a/bin/commands/generate.mjs
+++ b/bin/commands/generate.mjs
@@ -2,7 +2,10 @@ import { Command, Option } from 'commander';
 
 import { publicGenerators } from '../../src/generators/index.mjs';
 import createGenerator from '../../src/generators.mjs';
-import { setConfig } from '../../src/utils/configuration/index.mjs';
+import {
+  assertRunnableOptions,
+  setConfig,
+} from '../../src/utils/configuration/index.mjs';
 import { errorWrap } from '../utils.mjs';
 
 const { runGenerators } = createGenerator();
@@ -62,6 +65,8 @@ export default new Command('generate')
   .action(
     errorWrap(async opts => {
       const config = await setConfig(opts);
+      assertRunnableOptions(config);
+
       await runGenerators(config);
     })
   );
diff --git a/src/utils/configuration/__tests__/index.test.mjs b/src/utils/configuration/__tests__/index.test.mjs
index a45de3d9..607e5c65 100644
--- a/src/utils/configuration/__tests__/index.test.mjs
+++ b/src/utils/configuration/__tests__/index.test.mjs
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ mock.module('../../loaders.mjs', {
 });
 
 const {
+  assertRunnableOptions,
   loadConfigFile,
   createConfigFromCLIOptions,
   createRunConfiguration,
@@ -125,6 +126,25 @@ describe('config.mjs', () => {
     });
   });
 
+  describe('assertRunnableOptions', () => {
+    it('should throw when neither target nor config file is provided', () => {
+      assert.throws(
+        () => assertRunnableOptions({}),
+        /Either `--target` or `--config-file` must be provided/
+      );
+    });
+
+    it('should not throw when a target is provided', () => {
+      assert.doesNotThrow(() => assertRunnableOptions({ target: ['json'] }));
+    });
+
+    it('should not throw when a config file is provided', () => {
+      assert.doesNotThrow(() =>
+        assertRunnableOptions({ configFile: 'config.mjs' })
+      );
+    });
+  });
+
   describe('createRunConfiguration', () => {
     it('should merge config sources in correct order', async () => {
       mockImportFromURL.mock.mockImplementationOnce(async () =>
diff --git a/src/utils/configuration/index.mjs b/src/utils/configuration/index.mjs
index b20a634a..a143f6de 100644
--- a/src/utils/configuration/index.mjs
+++ b/src/utils/configuration/index.mjs
@@ -104,6 +104,21 @@ export const createConfigFromCLIOptions = options => ({
   chunkSize: options.chunkSize,
 });
 
+/**
+ * Asserts that the CLI was given somewhere to read generator targets from:
+ * either explicit `--target` flags or a `--config-file` that supplies them.
+ *
+ * @param {import('../../../bin/commands/generate.mjs').CLIOptions} options - User-provided options
+ */
+export const assertRunnableOptions = options => {
+  if (!options.target && !options.configFile) {
+    throw new Error(
+      'Either `--target` or `--config-file` must be provided. ' +
+        'Run `doc-kit generate --help` for usage.'
+    );
+  }
+};
+
 /**
  * Creates a complete run configuration by merging config file, user options, and defaults.
  * Processes and validates configuration values including version coercion, changelog parsing,