diff --git a/packages/app/src/cli/services/bulk-operations/execute-bulk-operation.test.ts b/packages/app/src/cli/services/bulk-operations/execute-bulk-operation.test.ts
index 11d221e0cf1..22f0eeccff6 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/cli/services/bulk-operations/execute-bulk-operation.test.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/cli/services/bulk-operations/execute-bulk-operation.test.ts
@@ -134,6 +134,7 @@ describe('executeBulkOperation', () => {
 
   test('runs mutation operation when GraphQL document starts with mutation', async () => {
     const mutation = 'mutation productUpdate($input: ProductInput!) { productUpdate(input: $input) { product { id } } }'
+    const variables = ['{"input":{"id":"gid://shopify/Product/123"}}']
     const mockResponse: BulkOperationRunMutationMutation['bulkOperationRunMutation'] = {
       bulkOperation: createdBulkOperation,
       userErrors: [],
@@ -145,12 +146,13 @@ describe('executeBulkOperation', () => {
       remoteApp: mockRemoteApp,
       store: mockStore,
       query: mutation,
+      variables,
     })
 
     expect(runBulkOperationMutation).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
       adminSession: mockAdminSession,
       query: mutation,
-      variablesJsonl: undefined,
+      variablesJsonl: '{"input":{"id":"gid://shopify/Product/123"}}',
       version: BULK_OPERATIONS_MIN_API_VERSION,
     })
     expect(runBulkOperationQuery).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
@@ -326,6 +328,22 @@ describe('executeBulkOperation', () => {
     })
   })
 
+  test('throws error when mutation is provided without variables', async () => {
+    const mutation = 'mutation productUpdate($input: ProductInput!) { productUpdate(input: $input) { product { id } } }'
+
+    await expect(
+      executeBulkOperation({
+        organization: mockOrganization,
+        remoteApp: mockRemoteApp,
+        store: mockStore,
+        query: mutation,
+      }),
+    ).rejects.toThrow('Bulk mutations require variables')
+
+    expect(runBulkOperationQuery).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    expect(runBulkOperationMutation).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
   test('uses watchBulkOperation (not quickWatchBulkOperation) when watch flag is true', async () => {
     const query = '{ products { edges { node { id } } } }'
     const initialResponse: BulkOperationRunQueryMutation['bulkOperationRunQuery'] = {
diff --git a/packages/app/src/cli/services/bulk-operations/execute-bulk-operation.ts b/packages/app/src/cli/services/bulk-operations/execute-bulk-operation.ts
index eecac70803d..81e1c07ffb6 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/cli/services/bulk-operations/execute-bulk-operation.ts
+++ b/packages/app/src/cli/services/bulk-operations/execute-bulk-operation.ts
@@ -207,10 +207,15 @@ function resultsContainUserErrors(results: string): boolean {
   })
 }
 
-/**
- * Validates bulk operation-specific constraints for variables.
- */
 function validateBulkOperationVariables(graphqlOperation: string, variablesJsonl?: string): void {
+  if (isMutation(graphqlOperation) && !variablesJsonl) {
+    throw new AbortError(
+      outputContent`Bulk mutations require variables. Provide a JSONL file with ${outputToken.yellow(
+        '--variable-file',
+      )} or individual JSON objects with ${outputToken.yellow('--variables')}.`,
+    )
+  }
+
   if (!isMutation(graphqlOperation) && variablesJsonl) {
     throw new AbortError(
       outputContent`The ${outputToken.yellow('--variables')} and ${outputToken.yellow(