diff --git a/cmd/podman/root.go b/cmd/podman/root.go
index 991fb24cdd..56e3a6313f 100644
--- a/cmd/podman/root.go
+++ b/cmd/podman/root.go
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ func init() {
 }
 
 func Execute() {
-	if err := rootCmd.ExecuteContext(registry.Context()); err != nil {
+	if cmd, err := rootCmd.ExecuteContextC(registry.Context()); err != nil {
 		if registry.GetExitCode() == 0 {
 			registry.SetExitCode(define.ExecErrorCodeGeneric)
 		}
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ func Execute() {
 				fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "Cannot connect to Podman. Please verify your connection to the Linux system using `podman system connection list`, or try `podman machine init` and `podman machine start` to manage a new Linux VM")
 			}
 		}
-		fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, formatError(err))
+		fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, formatError(err, cmd))
 	}
 
 	_ = shutdown.Stop()
@@ -726,7 +726,7 @@ func rootFlags(cmd *cobra.Command, podmanConfig *entities.PodmanConfig) {
 	}
 }
 
-func formatError(err error) string {
+func formatError(err error, cmd *cobra.Command) string {
 	var message string
 	switch {
 	case errors.Is(err, define.ErrOCIRuntime):
@@ -737,7 +737,9 @@ func formatError(err error) string {
 			define.ErrOCIRuntime.Error(),
 			strings.TrimSuffix(err.Error(), ": "+define.ErrOCIRuntime.Error()),
 		)
-	case errors.Is(err, storage.ErrDuplicateName):
+	case errors.Is(err, storage.ErrDuplicateName) && cmd != nil && cmd.Flags().Lookup("replace") != nil:
+		// Only suggest --replace when the invoked command actually has
+		// the flag (e.g. "manifest create" does not).
 		message = fmt.Sprintf("Error: %s, or use --replace to instruct Podman to do so.", err.Error())
 	default:
 		if logrus.IsLevelEnabled(logrus.TraceLevel) {
diff --git a/cmd/podman/root_test.go b/cmd/podman/root_test.go
index 9964a342ae..9b68e30771 100644
--- a/cmd/podman/root_test.go
+++ b/cmd/podman/root_test.go
@@ -6,12 +6,14 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 	"go.podman.io/podman/v6/libpod/define"
+	"go.podman.io/storage"
 )
 
 func TestFormatError(t *testing.T) {
 	err := errors.New("unknown error")
-	output := formatError(err)
+	output := formatError(err, nil)
 	expected := fmt.Sprintf("Error: %v", err)
 
 	if output != expected {
@@ -19,6 +21,36 @@ func TestFormatError(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestFormatErrorDuplicateName(t *testing.T) {
+	withReplace := &cobra.Command{Use: "create"}
+	withReplace.Flags().Bool("replace", false, "")
+	withoutReplace := &cobra.Command{Use: "create"}
+
+	err := fmt.Errorf("that name is already in use: %w", storage.ErrDuplicateName)
+	hint := "or use --replace to instruct Podman to do so."
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		name     string
+		cmd      *cobra.Command
+		wantHint bool
+	}{
+		{name: "command with --replace flag", cmd: withReplace, wantHint: true},
+		{name: "command without --replace flag", cmd: withoutReplace, wantHint: false},
+		{name: "no command", cmd: nil, wantHint: false},
+	}
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			output := formatError(err, tt.cmd)
+			if got := strings.Contains(output, hint); got != tt.wantHint {
+				t.Errorf("formatError() = %q, want hint contained: %v", output, tt.wantHint)
+			}
+			if !strings.Contains(output, err.Error()) {
+				t.Errorf("formatError() = %q, want the original error message included", output)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 func TestIndentExamples(t *testing.T) {
 	tests := []struct {
 		name     string
@@ -65,7 +97,7 @@ func TestFormatOCIError(t *testing.T) {
 	expectedPrefix := "Error: "
 	expectedSuffix := "OCI runtime output"
 	err := fmt.Errorf("%s: %w", expectedSuffix, define.ErrOCIRuntime)
-	output := formatError(err)
+	output := formatError(err, nil)
 
 	if !strings.HasPrefix(output, expectedPrefix) {
 		t.Errorf("Expected \"%s\" to start with \"%s\"", output, expectedPrefix)