diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 1f1fb062df..e243aac39b 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,6 +4,16 @@
 
 ## DFX
 
+### feat: Backwards compatibility for flags
+
+The location of some flags has moved. For example:
+
+```
+Old: dfx canister --network local id mydapp
+New: dfx canister id --network local mydapp
+```
+
+To reduce disruption, this PR rewrites some common command line patterns from the old format to the new, and issuses a warning.
 ### refactor: Move replica URL functions into a module for reuse
 
 The running replica port and url are generally useful information. Previously the code to get the URL was embedded in the network proxy code. This moves it out into a library for reuse.
diff --git a/src/dfx/src/main.rs b/src/dfx/src/main.rs
index 112f77cc5c..e512edb8ad 100644
--- a/src/dfx/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/dfx/src/main.rs
@@ -188,6 +188,8 @@ fn init_env(env_opts: EnvOpts) -> DfxResult<impl Environment> {
 }
 
 fn main() {
+    handle_legacy_flags();
+
     let cli_opts = CliOpts::parse();
     let command = cli_opts.command;
     let mut error_diagnosis: Diagnosis = NULL_DIAGNOSIS;
@@ -209,3 +211,91 @@ fn main() {
         std::process::exit(255);
     }
 }
+
+/// Some flags have moved.  In a few common cases we detect this, warn the user and reorder the flags.
+fn handle_legacy_flags() {
+    let arg_strings: Vec<String> = std::env::args().collect();
+    let args: Vec<&str> = arg_strings.iter().map(|s| s.as_str()).collect();
+
+    /// Macro for rewriting arguments.
+    ///
+    /// nargs == the number of arguments to consider for rewriting.
+    /// old == a pattern for the start of the provided arguments
+    /// new == the replacement arguments
+    /// condition == any additional condition, above pattern matching, to apply.
+    ///
+    /// Example:
+    /// ```
+    /// rewrite!(4, ["wallet", "--network", network, "balance"], ["wallet", "balance", "--network", network])
+    /// ```
+    macro_rules! rewrite {
+        ($nargs:expr, $old:pat, $new:expr) => {
+            rewrite!($nargs, $old, $new, true);
+        };
+        ($nargs:expr, $old:pat, $new:expr, $condition:expr) => {
+            let arg_slice_start = 1;
+            let arg_slice_end = arg_slice_start + $nargs;
+            if args.len() >= arg_slice_end {
+                if let $old = &args[arg_slice_start..arg_slice_end] {
+                    if $condition {
+                        let mut exe = std::process::Command::new(std::env::current_exe().unwrap());
+                        exe.args($new).args(&args[arg_slice_end..]);
+                        eprintln!("dfx flags have moved.  Please see dfx --help for details.  Rewritten {:?} to: {:?}", args, exe.get_args());
+                        std::process::exit(exe.status().unwrap().code().unwrap_or_default());
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        };
+    }
+
+    // The top level no longer supports --identity or --network so push these down to the subcommand.
+    // Example:
+    // Old: dfx --identity default canister id foo
+    // New: dfx canister --identity default id foo
+    rewrite!(
+        3,
+        [flag, value, command],
+        [command, flag, value],
+        !command.starts_with("--") && ["--identity", "--network"].contains(flag)
+    );
+    rewrite!(
+        5,
+        [flag1, value1, flag2, value2, command],
+        [command, flag1, value1, flag2, value2],
+        !command.starts_with("--")
+            && ["--identity", "--network"].contains(flag1)
+            && ["--identity", "--network"].contains(flag2)
+    );
+
+    // Push some flags down one further:
+    // Example:
+    // Old: dfx canister --network local id mydapp
+    // New: dfx canister id --network local mydapp
+    let commands = ["wallet", "canister", "identity"];
+    let flags = ["--identity", "--network", "--canister", "--wallet"];
+    rewrite!(
+        4,
+        [command, flag1, value1, subcommand],
+        [command, subcommand, flag1, value1],
+        commands.contains(command) && !subcommand.starts_with("--") && flags.contains(flag1)
+    );
+    rewrite!(
+        6,
+        [command, flag1, value1, flag2, value2, subcommand],
+        [command, subcommand, flag1, value1, flag2, value2],
+        commands.contains(command)
+            && !subcommand.starts_with("--")
+            && flags.contains(flag1)
+            && flags.contains(flag2)
+    );
+    rewrite!(
+        8,
+        [command, flag1, value1, flag2, value2, flag3, value3, subcommand],
+        [command, subcommand, flag1, value1, flag2, value2, flag3, value3],
+        commands.contains(command)
+            && !subcommand.starts_with("--")
+            && flags.contains(flag1)
+            && flags.contains(flag2)
+            && flags.contains(flag3)
+    );
+}