diff --git a/internal/commands/build_configs.go b/internal/commands/build_configs.go
index 21a3b01..44a0a7f 100644
--- a/internal/commands/build_configs.go
+++ b/internal/commands/build_configs.go
@@ -13,7 +13,9 @@ func newBuildConfigsCmd() *cobra.Command {
 	cmd := &cobra.Command{
 		Use:   "build-configs",
 		Short: "Manage build configurations",
-		Long: `The build environment for a project — which language versions, OS image, and runtime tooling are available to build commands. Pair with "dhq language-versions" to discover what's pinnable.`,
+		Long: `The build environment for a project — which language versions, OS image, and runtime tooling are available to build commands. Pair with "dhq language-versions" to discover what's pinnable.
+
+Each project has one default build config (read-only) and may have overrides that customize the environment for specific servers. Only overrides can be updated or deleted. To customize the default, create an override with "dhq build-configs create".`,
 	}
 	cmd.AddCommand(
 		&cobra.Command{
@@ -37,13 +39,13 @@ func newBuildConfigsCmd() *cobra.Command {
 				}
 				rows := make([][]string, len(configs))
 				for i, c := range configs {
-					def := ""
+					kind := "(override)"
 					if c.Default {
-						def = "(default)"
+						kind = "(default)"
 					}
-					rows[i] = []string{c.Identifier, def}
+					rows[i] = []string{c.Identifier, kind}
 				}
-				env.WriteTable([]string{"Identifier", "Default"}, rows)
+				env.WriteTable([]string{"Identifier", "Type"}, rows)
 				return nil
 			},
 		},
diff --git a/internal/commands/ssh_commands.go b/internal/commands/ssh_commands.go
index a337190..aec9e9e 100644
--- a/internal/commands/ssh_commands.go
+++ b/internal/commands/ssh_commands.go
@@ -86,11 +86,32 @@ Build commands run on the build server; SSH commands run on the deploy target.`,
 	return cmd
 }
 
+// validSSHTimings mirrors Command::TIMING in the DeployHQ Rails model.
+var validSSHTimings = []string{"all", "first", "after_first"}
+
+func validateSSHTiming(timing string) error {
+	if timing == "" {
+		return nil
+	}
+	for _, t := range validSSHTimings {
+		if timing == t {
+			return nil
+		}
+	}
+	return &output.UserError{
+		Message: fmt.Sprintf("Invalid --timing %q", timing),
+		Hint:    "Valid values: all, first, after_first",
+	}
+}
+
 func newSSHCommandsUpdateCmd() *cobra.Command {
 	var command, description, timing string
 	cmd := &cobra.Command{
 		Use: "update <id>", Short: "Update an SSH command", Args: cobra.ExactArgs(1),
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+			if err := validateSSHTiming(timing); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
 			projectID, err := cliCtx.RequireProject()
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
@@ -111,7 +132,7 @@ func newSSHCommandsUpdateCmd() *cobra.Command {
 	}
 	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&command, "command", "", "SSH command")
 	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&description, "description", "", "Description")
-	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&timing, "timing", "", "Timing: before or after")
+	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&timing, "timing", "", "Timing: all, first, or after_first")
 	return cmd
 }
 
@@ -123,6 +144,9 @@ func newSSHCommandsCreateCmd() *cobra.Command {
 			if command == "" {
 				return &output.UserError{Message: "--command is required"}
 			}
+			if err := validateSSHTiming(timing); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
 			projectID, err := cliCtx.RequireProject()
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
@@ -143,6 +167,6 @@ func newSSHCommandsCreateCmd() *cobra.Command {
 	}
 	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&command, "command", "", "SSH command (required)")
 	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&description, "description", "", "Description")
-	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&timing, "timing", "after", "Timing: before or after")
+	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&timing, "timing", "all", "Timing: all, first, or after_first")
 	return cmd
 }
diff --git a/pkg/sdk/ssh_commands.go b/pkg/sdk/ssh_commands.go
index a7cda47..4a355ee 100644
--- a/pkg/sdk/ssh_commands.go
+++ b/pkg/sdk/ssh_commands.go
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ type SSHCommand struct {
 // SSHCommandCreateRequest is the payload for creating/updating an SSH command.
 type SSHCommandCreateRequest struct {
 	Description string `json:"description,omitempty"`
-	Command     string `json:"command"`
+	Command     string `json:"command,omitempty"`
 	HaltOnError *bool  `json:"halt_on_error,omitempty"`
 	Timing      string `json:"timing,omitempty"`
 	Timeout     *int   `json:"timeout,omitempty"`