diff --git a/src/commands/user-tweets.ts b/src/commands/user-tweets.ts
index d3c5164..72906f8 100644
--- a/src/commands/user-tweets.ts
+++ b/src/commands/user-tweets.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ export function registerUserTweetsCommand(program: Command, ctx: CliContext): vo
     .description("Get tweets from a user's profile timeline")
     .argument('<handle>', 'Username to fetch tweets from (e.g., @steipete or steipete)')
     .option('-n, --count <number>', 'Number of tweets to fetch', '20')
-    .option('--pages <number>', 'Number of pages to fetch (max: 10)', '1')
+    .option('--max-pages <number>', 'Stop after N pages (max: 10)')
     .option('--delay <ms>', 'Delay in ms between page fetches', '1000')
     .option('--cursor <string>', 'Resume pagination from a cursor')
     .option('--json', 'Output as JSON')
@@ -23,7 +23,8 @@ export function registerUserTweetsCommand(program: Command, ctx: CliContext): vo
         `\n${ctx.colors.section('Command Examples')}\n${[
           formatExample('bird user-tweets @steipete', 'Get recent tweets from a user'),
           formatExample('bird user-tweets steipete -n 10', 'Get 10 tweets (@ is optional)'),
-          formatExample('bird user-tweets @steipete --pages 3', 'Fetch 3 pages of tweets'),
+          formatExample('bird user-tweets @steipete -n 50', 'Fetch 50 tweets (paged)'),
+          formatExample('bird user-tweets @steipete --max-pages 3 -n 200', 'Safety cap (max 3 pages)'),
           formatExample('bird user-tweets @steipete --json', 'Output as JSON'),
           formatExample('bird user-tweets @steipete --cursor "DAABCg..."', 'Resume from cursor'),
         ].join('\n')}`,
@@ -33,7 +34,7 @@ export function registerUserTweetsCommand(program: Command, ctx: CliContext): vo
         handle: string,
         cmdOpts: {
           count?: string;
-          pages?: string;
+          maxPages?: string;
           delay?: string;
           cursor?: string;
           json?: boolean;
@@ -44,7 +45,7 @@ export function registerUserTweetsCommand(program: Command, ctx: CliContext): vo
         const timeoutMs = ctx.resolveTimeoutFromOptions(opts);
         const quoteDepth = ctx.resolveQuoteDepthFromOptions(opts);
         const count = Number.parseInt(cmdOpts.count || '20', 10);
-        const maxPages = Math.min(Number.parseInt(cmdOpts.pages || '1', 10), 10); // Hard cap at 10 pages
+        const maxPages = cmdOpts.maxPages ? Number.parseInt(cmdOpts.maxPages, 10) : undefined;
         const pageDelayMs = Number.parseInt(cmdOpts.delay || '1000', 10);
 
         // Validate inputs
@@ -52,8 +53,17 @@ export function registerUserTweetsCommand(program: Command, ctx: CliContext): vo
           console.error(`${ctx.p('err')}Invalid --count. Expected a positive integer.`);
           process.exit(2);
         }
-        if (!Number.isFinite(maxPages) || maxPages <= 0) {
-          console.error(`${ctx.p('err')}Invalid --pages. Expected a positive integer (max: 10).`);
+        const pageSize = 20;
+        const hardMaxPages = 10;
+        const hardMaxTweets = pageSize * hardMaxPages;
+        if (count > hardMaxTweets) {
+          console.error(
+            `${ctx.p('err')}Invalid --count. Max ${hardMaxTweets} tweets per run (safety cap: ${hardMaxPages} pages). Use --cursor to continue.`,
+          );
+          process.exit(2);
+        }
+        if (maxPages !== undefined && (!Number.isFinite(maxPages) || maxPages <= 0 || maxPages > hardMaxPages)) {
+          console.error(`${ctx.p('err')}Invalid --max-pages. Expected a positive integer (max: ${hardMaxPages}).`);
           process.exit(2);
         }
         if (!Number.isFinite(pageDelayMs) || pageDelayMs < 0) {
@@ -95,33 +105,21 @@ export function registerUserTweetsCommand(program: Command, ctx: CliContext): vo
         console.error(`${ctx.p('info')}Fetching tweets from ${displayName}...`);
 
         const includeRaw = cmdOpts.jsonFull ?? false;
-        const usePagination = maxPages > 1 || cmdOpts.cursor;
-
-        let result: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof client.getUserTweetsPaged>>;
-        if (usePagination) {
-          result = await client.getUserTweetsPaged(userLookup.userId, {
-            includeRaw,
-            maxPages,
-            cursor: cmdOpts.cursor,
-            pageDelayMs,
-          });
-        } else {
-          result = await client.getUserTweets(userLookup.userId, count, { includeRaw });
-        }
+        const wantsPaginationOutput = Boolean(cmdOpts.cursor) || maxPages !== undefined || count > pageSize;
+        const result = await client.getUserTweetsPaged(userLookup.userId, count, {
+          includeRaw,
+          maxPages,
+          cursor: cmdOpts.cursor,
+          pageDelayMs,
+        });
 
         if (result.success && result.tweets) {
-          // Trim to count if single page
-          let tweets = result.tweets;
-          if (!usePagination && tweets.length > count) {
-            tweets = tweets.slice(0, count);
-          }
-
           const isJson = cmdOpts.json || cmdOpts.jsonFull;
-          if (isJson && usePagination) {
+          if (isJson && wantsPaginationOutput) {
             // Include nextCursor for pagination consumers
-            console.log(JSON.stringify({ tweets, nextCursor: result.nextCursor ?? null }, null, 2));
+            console.log(JSON.stringify({ tweets: result.tweets, nextCursor: result.nextCursor ?? null }, null, 2));
           } else {
-            ctx.printTweets(tweets, {
+            ctx.printTweets(result.tweets, {
               json: isJson,
               emptyMessage: `No tweets found for @${username}.`,
             });
diff --git a/src/lib/twitter-client-user-tweets.ts b/src/lib/twitter-client-user-tweets.ts
index cb0d553..453d5b4 100644
--- a/src/lib/twitter-client-user-tweets.ts
+++ b/src/lib/twitter-client-user-tweets.ts
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ export interface UserLookupResult {
 export interface TwitterClientUserTweetsMethods {
   getUserIdByUsername(username: string): Promise<UserLookupResult>;
   getUserTweets(userId: string, count?: number, options?: UserTweetsFetchOptions): Promise<SearchResult>;
-  getUserTweetsPaged(userId: string, options?: UserTweetsPaginationOptions): Promise<SearchResult>;
+  getUserTweetsPaged(userId: string, limit: number, options?: UserTweetsPaginationOptions): Promise<SearchResult>;
 }
 
 export function withUserTweets<TBase extends AbstractConstructor<TwitterClientBase>>(
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ export function withUserTweets<TBase extends AbstractConstructor<TwitterClientBa
 
     /**
      * Look up a user's ID by their username/handle.
-     * Uses Twitter's REST API endpoint.
+     * Uses GraphQL UserByScreenName first, then falls back to REST on transient failures.
      */
     async getUserIdByUsername(username: string): Promise<UserLookupResult> {
       // Normalize and validate handle
@@ -245,24 +245,22 @@ export function withUserTweets<TBase extends AbstractConstructor<TwitterClientBa
      * Get tweets from a user's profile timeline (single page).
      */
     async getUserTweets(userId: string, count = 20, options: UserTweetsFetchOptions = {}): Promise<SearchResult> {
-      const result = await this.getUserTweetsPaged(userId, {
-        ...options,
-        maxPages: 1,
-      });
-
-      // Trim to requested count
-      if (result.success && result.tweets && result.tweets.length > count) {
-        result.tweets = result.tweets.slice(0, count);
-      }
-
-      return result;
+      return this.getUserTweetsPaged(userId, count, options);
     }
 
     /**
      * Get tweets from a user's profile timeline with pagination support.
      */
-    async getUserTweetsPaged(userId: string, options: UserTweetsPaginationOptions = {}): Promise<SearchResult> {
-      const { includeRaw = false, maxPages = 1, pageDelayMs = 1000 } = options;
+    async getUserTweetsPaged(
+      userId: string,
+      limit: number,
+      options: UserTweetsPaginationOptions = {},
+    ): Promise<SearchResult> {
+      if (!Number.isFinite(limit) || limit <= 0) {
+        return { success: false, error: `Invalid limit: ${limit}` };
+      }
+
+      const { includeRaw = false, maxPages, pageDelayMs = 1000 } = options;
       const features = buildUserTweetsFeatures();
       const pageSize = 20;
       const seen = new Set<string>();
@@ -270,15 +268,18 @@ export function withUserTweets<TBase extends AbstractConstructor<TwitterClientBa
       let cursor: string | undefined = options.cursor;
       let nextCursor: string | undefined;
       let pagesFetched = 0;
+      const hardMaxPages = 10;
+      const computedMaxPages = Math.max(1, Math.ceil(limit / pageSize));
+      const effectiveMaxPages = Math.min(hardMaxPages, maxPages ?? computedMaxPages);
 
-      const fetchPage = async (pageCursor?: string) => {
+      const fetchPage = async (pageCount: number, pageCursor?: string) => {
         let lastError: string | undefined;
         let had404 = false;
         const queryIds = await this.getUserTweetsQueryIds();
 
         const variables = {
           userId,
-          count: pageSize,
+          count: pageCount,
           includePromotedContent: false, // Filter out ads
           withQuickPromoteEligibilityTweetFields: true,
           withVoice: true,
@@ -396,14 +397,14 @@ export function withUserTweets<TBase extends AbstractConstructor<TwitterClientBa
         return { success: false as const, error: lastError ?? 'Unknown error fetching user tweets', had404 };
       };
 
-      const fetchWithRefresh = async (pageCursor?: string) => {
-        const firstAttempt = await fetchPage(pageCursor);
+      const fetchWithRefresh = async (pageCount: number, pageCursor?: string) => {
+        const firstAttempt = await fetchPage(pageCount, pageCursor);
         if (firstAttempt.success) {
           return firstAttempt;
         }
         if (firstAttempt.had404) {
           await this.refreshQueryIds();
-          const secondAttempt = await fetchPage(pageCursor);
+          const secondAttempt = await fetchPage(pageCount, pageCursor);
           if (secondAttempt.success) {
             return secondAttempt;
           }
@@ -412,36 +413,44 @@ export function withUserTweets<TBase extends AbstractConstructor<TwitterClientBa
         return { success: false as const, error: firstAttempt.error };
       };
 
-      while (pagesFetched < maxPages) {
+      while (tweets.length < limit) {
         // Add delay between pages (but not before the first page)
         if (pagesFetched > 0 && pageDelayMs > 0) {
           await this.sleep(pageDelayMs);
         }
 
-        const page = await fetchWithRefresh(cursor);
+        const remaining = limit - tweets.length;
+        const pageCount = Math.min(pageSize, remaining);
+        const page = await fetchWithRefresh(pageCount, cursor);
         if (!page.success) {
-          // If we have some tweets already, return them with the error
-          if (tweets.length > 0) {
-            return { success: true, tweets, nextCursor: cursor, error: page.error };
-          }
           return { success: false, error: page.error };
         }
         pagesFetched += 1;
 
+        let added = 0;
         for (const tweet of page.tweets) {
           if (seen.has(tweet.id)) {
             continue;
           }
           seen.add(tweet.id);
           tweets.push(tweet);
+          added += 1;
+          if (tweets.length >= limit) {
+            break;
+          }
         }
 
         const pageCursor = page.cursor;
-        if (!pageCursor || pageCursor === cursor || page.tweets.length === 0) {
+        if (!pageCursor || pageCursor === cursor || page.tweets.length === 0 || added === 0) {
           nextCursor = undefined;
           break;
         }
 
+        if (pagesFetched >= effectiveMaxPages) {
+          nextCursor = pageCursor;
+          break;
+        }
+
         cursor = pageCursor;
         nextCursor = pageCursor;
       }
diff --git a/src/lib/twitter-client.ts b/src/lib/twitter-client.ts
index 813cc30..f4c5838 100644
--- a/src/lib/twitter-client.ts
+++ b/src/lib/twitter-client.ts
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ type TwitterClientInstance = TwitterClientBase &
 const MixedTwitterClient = withUserTweets(
   withUsers(
     withLists(
-      withHome(withTimelines(withSearch(withTweetDetails(withPosting(withBookmarks(withMedia(TwitterClientBase)))))))),
+      withHome(withTimelines(withSearch(withTweetDetails(withPosting(withBookmarks(withMedia(TwitterClientBase))))))),
     ),
   ),
 ) as AbstractConstructor<TwitterClientInstance>;
diff --git a/tests/twitter-client.user-tweets.test.ts b/tests/twitter-client.user-tweets.test.ts
index 7da8bca..6935e7d 100644
--- a/tests/twitter-client.user-tweets.test.ts
+++ b/tests/twitter-client.user-tweets.test.ts
@@ -299,7 +299,7 @@ describe('TwitterClient getUserTweets', () => {
     });
 
     const client = new TwitterClient({ cookies: validCookies });
-    const result = await client.getUserTweetsPaged('12345', { maxPages: 1 });
+    const result = await client.getUserTweetsPaged('12345', 20, { maxPages: 1 });
 
     expect(result.success).toBe(true);
     expect(result.nextCursor).toBe('next-cursor-abc');
@@ -408,7 +408,7 @@ describe('TwitterClient getUserTweetsPaged', () => {
       });
 
     const client = new TwitterClient({ cookies: validCookies });
-    const result = await client.getUserTweetsPaged('12345', {
+    const result = await client.getUserTweetsPaged('12345', 40, {
       maxPages: 2,
       pageDelayMs: 0, // No delay for tests
     });
@@ -435,7 +435,7 @@ describe('TwitterClient getUserTweetsPaged', () => {
       });
 
     const client = new TwitterClient({ cookies: validCookies });
-    const result = await client.getUserTweetsPaged('12345', {
+    const result = await client.getUserTweetsPaged('12345', 40, {
       maxPages: 2,
       pageDelayMs: 0,
     });
@@ -459,7 +459,7 @@ describe('TwitterClient getUserTweetsPaged', () => {
       });
 
     const client = new TwitterClient({ cookies: validCookies });
-    const result = await client.getUserTweetsPaged('12345', {
+    const result = await client.getUserTweetsPaged('12345', 100, {
       maxPages: 5,
       pageDelayMs: 0,
     });
@@ -488,7 +488,7 @@ describe('TwitterClient getUserTweetsPaged', () => {
       });
 
     const client = new TwitterClient({ cookies: validCookies });
-    const result = await client.getUserTweetsPaged('12345', {
+    const result = await client.getUserTweetsPaged('12345', 40, {
       maxPages: 2,
       pageDelayMs: 0,
     });
@@ -506,7 +506,7 @@ describe('TwitterClient getUserTweetsPaged', () => {
     });
 
     const client = new TwitterClient({ cookies: validCookies });
-    const result = await client.getUserTweetsPaged('12345', {
+    const result = await client.getUserTweetsPaged('12345', 20, {
       maxPages: 1,
       cursor: 'resume-cursor-xyz',
       pageDelayMs: 0,