diff --git a/scripts/west_commands/run_common.py b/scripts/west_commands/run_common.py
index 8f6eec159c7..d1ae9c47951 100644
--- a/scripts/west_commands/run_common.py
+++ b/scripts/west_commands/run_common.py
@@ -210,8 +210,8 @@ def do_run_common(command, user_args, user_runner_args):
     #
     # Use that RunnerConfig to create the ZephyrBinaryRunner instance
     # and call its run().
-    runner = runner_cls.create(runner_cfg_from_args(args, build_dir), args)
     try:
+        runner = runner_cls.create(runner_cfg_from_args(args, build_dir), args)
         runner.run(command_name)
     except ValueError as ve:
         log.err(str(ve), fatal=True)
diff --git a/scripts/west_commands/runners/blackmagicprobe.py b/scripts/west_commands/runners/blackmagicprobe.py
index 1544d9737b7..74e5859a765 100644
--- a/scripts/west_commands/runners/blackmagicprobe.py
+++ b/scripts/west_commands/runners/blackmagicprobe.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ class BlackMagicProbeRunner(ZephyrBinaryRunner):
         return RunnerCaps(commands={'flash', 'debug', 'attach'})
 
     @classmethod
-    def create(cls, cfg, args):
+    def do_create(cls, cfg, args):
         return BlackMagicProbeRunner(cfg, args.gdb_serial)
 
     @classmethod
diff --git a/scripts/west_commands/runners/bossac.py b/scripts/west_commands/runners/bossac.py
index 6f0062b1afa..e5b8d57febe 100644
--- a/scripts/west_commands/runners/bossac.py
+++ b/scripts/west_commands/runners/bossac.py
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ class BossacBinaryRunner(ZephyrBinaryRunner):
                             help='serial port to use, default is /dev/ttyACM0')
 
     @classmethod
-    def create(cls, cfg, args):
+    def do_create(cls, cfg, args):
         return BossacBinaryRunner(cfg, bossac=args.bossac,
                                   port=args.bossac_port, offset=args.offset)
 
diff --git a/scripts/west_commands/runners/canopen_program.py b/scripts/west_commands/runners/canopen_program.py
index 3dc02e0a67f..13431e0466a 100644
--- a/scripts/west_commands/runners/canopen_program.py
+++ b/scripts/west_commands/runners/canopen_program.py
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ class CANopenBinaryRunner(ZephyrBinaryRunner):
         parser.set_defaults(confirm=True)
 
     @classmethod
-    def create(cls, cfg, args):
+    def do_create(cls, cfg, args):
         return CANopenBinaryRunner(cfg, int(args.node_id),
                                    can_context=args.can_context,
                                    program_number=int(args.program_number),
diff --git a/scripts/west_commands/runners/core.py b/scripts/west_commands/runners/core.py
index 2fd9a7a6a99..891b493341c 100644
--- a/scripts/west_commands/runners/core.py
+++ b/scripts/west_commands/runners/core.py
@@ -199,6 +199,16 @@ class RunnerCaps:
             self.commands, self.flash_addr)
 
 
+def _missing_cap(cls, option):
+    # Helper function that's called when an option was given on the
+    # command line that corresponds to a missing capability.
+    #
+    # 'cls' is a ZephyrBinaryRunner subclass; 'option' is an option
+    # that can't be supported due to missing capability.
+
+    raise ValueError(f"{cls.name()} doesn't support {option} option")
+
+
 class RunnerConfig:
     '''Runner execution-time configuration.
 
@@ -260,7 +270,9 @@ class _DTFlashAction(argparse.Action):
 class ZephyrBinaryRunner(abc.ABC):
     '''Abstract superclass for binary runners (flashers, debuggers).
 
-    **Note**: these APIs are still evolving, and will change!
+    **Note**: this class's API has changed relatively rarely since it
+    as added, but it is not considered a stable Zephyr API, and may change
+    without notice.
 
     With some exceptions, boards supported by Zephyr must provide
     generic means to be flashed (have a Zephyr firmware binary
@@ -389,13 +401,20 @@ class ZephyrBinaryRunner(abc.ABC):
 
         Runner-specific options are added through the do_add_parser()
         hook.'''
-        # Common options that depend on runner capabilities.
-        if cls.capabilities().flash_addr:
+        # Common options that depend on runner capabilities. If a
+        # capability is not supported, the option string or strings
+        # are added anyway, to prevent an individual runner class from
+        # using them to mean something else.
+        caps = cls.capabilities()
+
+        if caps.flash_addr:
             parser.add_argument('--dt-flash', default='n', choices=_YN_CHOICES,
                                 action=_DTFlashAction,
                                 help='''If 'yes', use configuration generated
                                 by device tree (DT) to compute flash
                                 addresses.''')
+        else:
+            parser.add_argument('--dt-flash', help=argparse.SUPPRESS)
 
         # Runner-specific options.
         cls.do_add_parser(parser)
@@ -406,13 +425,22 @@ class ZephyrBinaryRunner(abc.ABC):
         '''Hook for adding runner-specific options.'''
 
     @classmethod
-    @abc.abstractmethod
     def create(cls, cfg, args):
         '''Create an instance from command-line arguments.
 
         - ``cfg``: RunnerConfig instance (pass to superclass __init__)
         - ``args``: runner-specific argument namespace parsed from
           execution environment, as specified by ``add_parser()``.'''
+        caps = cls.capabilities()
+        if args.dt_flash and not caps.flash_addr:
+            _missing_cap(cls, '--dt-flash')
+
+        return cls.do_create(cfg, args)
+
+    @classmethod
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def do_create(cls, cfg, args):
+        '''Hook for instance creation from command line arguments.'''
 
     @classmethod
     def get_flash_address(cls, args, build_conf, default=0x0):
diff --git a/scripts/west_commands/runners/dediprog.py b/scripts/west_commands/runners/dediprog.py
index ed438c46d9a..4c514efca27 100644
--- a/scripts/west_commands/runners/dediprog.py
+++ b/scripts/west_commands/runners/dediprog.py
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ class DediProgBinaryRunner(ZephyrBinaryRunner):
                             help='Number of retries (default 5)')
 
     @classmethod
-    def create(cls, cfg, args):
+    def do_create(cls, cfg, args):
         return DediProgBinaryRunner(cfg,
                                     spi_image=args.spi_image,
                                     vcc=args.vcc,
diff --git a/scripts/west_commands/runners/dfu.py b/scripts/west_commands/runners/dfu.py
index 6a43e33f259..fbd2816be96 100644
--- a/scripts/west_commands/runners/dfu.py
+++ b/scripts/west_commands/runners/dfu.py
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ class DfuUtilBinaryRunner(ZephyrBinaryRunner):
                             help='dfu-util executable; defaults to "dfu-util"')
 
     @classmethod
-    def create(cls, cfg, args):
+    def do_create(cls, cfg, args):
         if args.img is None:
             args.img = cfg.bin_file
 
diff --git a/scripts/west_commands/runners/esp32.py b/scripts/west_commands/runners/esp32.py
index 6b1d062f8dd..9d17970c91f 100644
--- a/scripts/west_commands/runners/esp32.py
+++ b/scripts/west_commands/runners/esp32.py
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ class Esp32BinaryRunner(ZephyrBinaryRunner):
                             help='Partition table to flash')
 
     @classmethod
-    def create(cls, cfg, args):
+    def do_create(cls, cfg, args):
         if args.esp_tool:
             espidf = args.esp_tool
         else:
diff --git a/scripts/west_commands/runners/hifive1.py b/scripts/west_commands/runners/hifive1.py
index 5457cd8918e..1a72d3018e1 100644
--- a/scripts/west_commands/runners/hifive1.py
+++ b/scripts/west_commands/runners/hifive1.py
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ class HiFive1BinaryRunner(ZephyrBinaryRunner):
         pass
 
     @classmethod
-    def create(cls, cfg, args):
+    def do_create(cls, cfg, args):
         if cfg.gdb is None:
             raise ValueError('--gdb not provided at command line')
 
diff --git a/scripts/west_commands/runners/intel_s1000.py b/scripts/west_commands/runners/intel_s1000.py
index 14b716b00ff..3c17c50abdc 100644
--- a/scripts/west_commands/runners/intel_s1000.py
+++ b/scripts/west_commands/runners/intel_s1000.py
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ class IntelS1000BinaryRunner(ZephyrBinaryRunner):
             help='xt-gdb port, defaults to 20000')
 
     @classmethod
-    def create(cls, cfg, args):
+    def do_create(cls, cfg, args):
         return IntelS1000BinaryRunner(
             cfg, args.xt_ocd_dir,
             args.ocd_topology, args.ocd_jtag_instr, args.gdb_flash_file,
diff --git a/scripts/west_commands/runners/jlink.py b/scripts/west_commands/runners/jlink.py
index 8a5fd36522b..5c21cf1d5e2 100644
--- a/scripts/west_commands/runners/jlink.py
+++ b/scripts/west_commands/runners/jlink.py
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ class JLinkBinaryRunner(ZephyrBinaryRunner):
         parser.set_defaults(reset_after_load=False)
 
     @classmethod
-    def create(cls, cfg, args):
+    def do_create(cls, cfg, args):
         build_conf = BuildConfiguration(cfg.build_dir)
         flash_addr = cls.get_flash_address(args, build_conf)
         return JLinkBinaryRunner(cfg, args.device,
diff --git a/scripts/west_commands/runners/mdb.py b/scripts/west_commands/runners/mdb.py
index be53a24ff37..669ef63fbff 100644
--- a/scripts/west_commands/runners/mdb.py
+++ b/scripts/west_commands/runners/mdb.py
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ class MdbBinaryRunner(ZephyrBinaryRunner):
                              targets are connected''')
 
     @classmethod
-    def create(cls, cfg, args):
+    def do_create(cls, cfg, args):
         return MdbBinaryRunner(
             cfg,
             cores=args.cores,
diff --git a/scripts/west_commands/runners/misc.py b/scripts/west_commands/runners/misc.py
index e429b39cb4b..814bb0a961e 100644
--- a/scripts/west_commands/runners/misc.py
+++ b/scripts/west_commands/runners/misc.py
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ class MiscFlasher(ZephyrBinaryRunner):
                             directory''')
 
     @classmethod
-    def create(cls, cfg, args):
+    def do_create(cls, cfg, args):
         return MiscFlasher(cfg, args.cmd, args.args)
 
     def do_run(self, *args, **kwargs):
diff --git a/scripts/west_commands/runners/nios2.py b/scripts/west_commands/runners/nios2.py
index 8aa3bc1c07f..5a6616e795c 100644
--- a/scripts/west_commands/runners/nios2.py
+++ b/scripts/west_commands/runners/nios2.py
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ class Nios2BinaryRunner(ZephyrBinaryRunner):
                             help='if given, GDB uses -tui')
 
     @classmethod
-    def create(cls, cfg, args):
+    def do_create(cls, cfg, args):
         return Nios2BinaryRunner(cfg,
                                  quartus_py=args.quartus_flash,
                                  cpu_sof=args.cpu_sof,
diff --git a/scripts/west_commands/runners/nrfjprog.py b/scripts/west_commands/runners/nrfjprog.py
index 5eca671911d..9394f79e7fe 100644
--- a/scripts/west_commands/runners/nrfjprog.py
+++ b/scripts/west_commands/runners/nrfjprog.py
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ class NrfJprogBinaryRunner(ZephyrBinaryRunner):
                             e.g. "--recover"''')
 
     @classmethod
-    def create(cls, cfg, args):
+    def do_create(cls, cfg, args):
         return NrfJprogBinaryRunner(cfg, args.nrf_family, args.softreset,
                                     args.snr, erase=args.erase,
                                     tool_opt=args.tool_opt)
diff --git a/scripts/west_commands/runners/nsim.py b/scripts/west_commands/runners/nsim.py
index 7d242e387b7..002e2dac0c1 100644
--- a/scripts/west_commands/runners/nsim.py
+++ b/scripts/west_commands/runners/nsim.py
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ class NsimBinaryRunner(ZephyrBinaryRunner):
                             help='nsim props file, defaults to nsim.props')
 
     @classmethod
-    def create(cls, cfg, args):
+    def do_create(cls, cfg, args):
         if cfg.gdb is None:
             raise ValueError('--gdb not provided at command line')
 
diff --git a/scripts/west_commands/runners/openocd.py b/scripts/west_commands/runners/openocd.py
index 35a15079b28..a3049be24b5 100644
--- a/scripts/west_commands/runners/openocd.py
+++ b/scripts/west_commands/runners/openocd.py
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ class OpenOcdBinaryRunner(ZephyrBinaryRunner):
                             help='openocd gdb port, defaults to 3333')
 
     @classmethod
-    def create(cls, cfg, args):
+    def do_create(cls, cfg, args):
         return OpenOcdBinaryRunner(
             cfg,
             pre_init=args.cmd_pre_init,
diff --git a/scripts/west_commands/runners/pyocd.py b/scripts/west_commands/runners/pyocd.py
index 429698aab63..34138def16b 100644
--- a/scripts/west_commands/runners/pyocd.py
+++ b/scripts/west_commands/runners/pyocd.py
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ class PyOcdBinaryRunner(ZephyrBinaryRunner):
                             e.g. \'--script=user.py\' ''')
 
     @classmethod
-    def create(cls, cfg, args):
+    def do_create(cls, cfg, args):
         build_conf = BuildConfiguration(cfg.build_dir)
         flash_addr = cls.get_flash_address(args, build_conf)
 
diff --git a/scripts/west_commands/runners/qemu.py b/scripts/west_commands/runners/qemu.py
index de417dcbe89..7609cbb48bc 100644
--- a/scripts/west_commands/runners/qemu.py
+++ b/scripts/west_commands/runners/qemu.py
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ class QemuBinaryRunner(ZephyrBinaryRunner):
         pass                    # Nothing to do.
 
     @classmethod
-    def create(cls, cfg, args):
+    def do_create(cls, cfg, args):
         return QemuBinaryRunner(cfg)
 
     def do_run(self, command, **kwargs):
diff --git a/scripts/west_commands/runners/stm32flash.py b/scripts/west_commands/runners/stm32flash.py
index b281ffb2f38..e8eb4407178 100644
--- a/scripts/west_commands/runners/stm32flash.py
+++ b/scripts/west_commands/runners/stm32flash.py
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ class Stm32flashBinaryRunner(ZephyrBinaryRunner):
                             help='verify writes, default False')
 
     @classmethod
-    def create(cls, cfg, args):
+    def do_create(cls, cfg, args):
         return Stm32flashBinaryRunner(cfg, device=args.device, action=args.action,
             baud=args.baud_rate, force_binary=args.force_binary,
             start_addr=args.start_addr, exec_addr=args.execution_addr,
diff --git a/scripts/west_commands/runners/xtensa.py b/scripts/west_commands/runners/xtensa.py
index d77b18e0f66..3fcf17d6ac1 100644
--- a/scripts/west_commands/runners/xtensa.py
+++ b/scripts/west_commands/runners/xtensa.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ class XtensaBinaryRunner(ZephyrBinaryRunner):
                             help='path to XTensa tools')
 
     @classmethod
-    def create(cls, cfg, args):
+    def do_create(cls, cfg, args):
         # Override any GDB with the one provided by the XTensa tools.
         cfg.gdb = path.join(args.xcc_tools, 'bin', 'xt-gdb')
         return XtensaBinaryRunner(cfg)