diff --git a/cli/src/commands/new.rs b/cli/src/commands/new.rs
index 49d187a87..e428fa965 100644
--- a/cli/src/commands/new.rs
+++ b/cli/src/commands/new.rs
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ pub(crate) struct NewArgs {
     #[arg(default_value = "@")]
     pub(crate) revisions: Vec<RevisionArg>,
     /// Ignored (but lets you pass `-r` for consistency with other commands)
-    #[arg(short = 'r', hide = true)]
+    #[arg(short = 'r', hide = true, overrides_with = "unused_revision")]
     unused_revision: bool,
     /// The change description to use
     #[arg(long = "message", short, value_name = "MESSAGE")]
@@ -51,10 +51,24 @@ pub(crate) struct NewArgs {
     #[arg(long, short = 'L', hide = true)]
     allow_large_revsets: bool,
     /// Insert the new change between the target commit(s) and their children
-    #[arg(long, short = 'A', visible_alias = "after")]
+    //
+    // Repeating this flag is allowed, but has no effect.
+    #[arg(
+        long,
+        short = 'A',
+        visible_alias = "after",
+        overrides_with = "insert_after"
+    )]
     insert_after: bool,
     /// Insert the new change between the target commit(s) and their parents
-    #[arg(long, short = 'B', visible_alias = "before")]
+    //
+    // Repeating this flag is allowed, but has no effect.
+    #[arg(
+        long,
+        short = 'B',
+        visible_alias = "before",
+        overrides_with = "insert_before"
+    )]
     insert_before: bool,
 }
 
diff --git a/cli/tests/test_new_command.rs b/cli/tests/test_new_command.rs
index db1d965f8..682688a0f 100644
--- a/cli/tests/test_new_command.rs
+++ b/cli/tests/test_new_command.rs
@@ -125,8 +125,21 @@ fn test_new_insert_after() {
     ◉  root
     "###);
 
-    let (stdout, stderr) =
-        test_env.jj_cmd_ok(&repo_path, &["new", "--insert-after", "-m", "G", "B", "D"]);
+    // --insert-after can be repeated (this does not affect the outcome); --after is
+    // an alias
+    let (stdout, stderr) = test_env.jj_cmd_ok(
+        &repo_path,
+        &[
+            "new",
+            "--insert-after",
+            "-m",
+            "G",
+            "--after",
+            "B",
+            "--after",
+            "D",
+        ],
+    );
     insta::assert_snapshot!(stdout, @"");
     insta::assert_snapshot!(stderr, @r###"
     Rebased 2 descendant commits
@@ -172,6 +185,16 @@ fn test_new_insert_after() {
     ├─╯
     ◉  root
     "###);
+
+    // --after cannot be used with --before
+    let stderr = test_env.jj_cmd_cli_error(&repo_path, &["new", "--after", "B", "--before", "D"]);
+    insta::assert_snapshot!(stderr, @r###"
+    error: the argument '--insert-after' cannot be used with '--insert-before'
+
+    Usage: jj new --insert-after <REVISIONS>...
+
+    For more information, try '--help'.
+    "###);
 }
 
 #[test]
@@ -415,7 +438,8 @@ fn setup_before_insertion(test_env: &TestEnvironment, repo_path: &Path) {
     test_env.jj_cmd_ok(repo_path, &["branch", "create", "D"]);
     test_env.jj_cmd_ok(repo_path, &["new", "-m", "E", "root()"]);
     test_env.jj_cmd_ok(repo_path, &["branch", "create", "E"]);
-    test_env.jj_cmd_ok(repo_path, &["new", "-m", "F", "D", "E"]);
+    // Any number of -r's is ignored
+    test_env.jj_cmd_ok(repo_path, &["new", "-m", "F", "-r", "D", "-r", "E"]);
     test_env.jj_cmd_ok(repo_path, &["branch", "create", "F"]);
 }