diff --git a/capellambse/_diagram_cache.py b/capellambse/_diagram_cache.py
index 6ba34c52c..a2c56ab65 100644
--- a/capellambse/_diagram_cache.py
+++ b/capellambse/_diagram_cache.py
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ def export(
     index: bool,
     force: t.Literal["exe", "docker", None],
     background: bool,
+    refresh: bool = False,
 ) -> None:
     if not isinstance(
         getattr(model, "_diagram_cache", None), local.LocalFileHandler
@@ -90,6 +91,14 @@ def export(
     native_args = _find_executor(model, capella, force)
     with _native.native_capella(model, **native_args) as cli:
         assert cli.project
+
+        if refresh:
+            cli(
+                *_native.ARGS_CMDLINE,
+                "-appid",
+                "org.polarsys.capella.refreshRepresentations",
+            )
+
         cli(
             *_native.ARGS_CMDLINE,
             "-appid",
diff --git a/capellambse/diagram_cache.py b/capellambse/diagram_cache.py
index 53187e7c4..06231dedd 100644
--- a/capellambse/diagram_cache.py
+++ b/capellambse/diagram_cache.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 
 import pathlib
 import sys
+import typing as t
 
 import capellambse
 from capellambse import _diagram_cache, cli_helpers
@@ -27,8 +28,8 @@ def _main() -> None:
     @click.option(
         "-m",
         "--model",
-        "model_",
-        type=cli_helpers.ModelCLI(),
+        "modelinfo",
+        type=cli_helpers.ModelInfoCLI(),
         required=True,
         help="Capella model to export diagrams from",
     )
@@ -56,6 +57,16 @@ def _main() -> None:
         help="Generate index.json and index.html files",
         show_default=True,
     )
+    @click.option(
+        "--refresh / --no-refresh",
+        default=False,
+        help=(
+            "Refresh all diagrams before exporting them, to make sure their"
+            " contents are up to date with the model. Recommended, but"
+            " disabled by default because it may take a long time."
+            " NOTE: This may temporarily open a Capella window (see above)."
+        ),
+    )
     @click.option("--exe", help="Name or path of the Capella executable")
     @click.option("--docker", help="Name of a Docker image containing Capella")
     @click.option(
@@ -65,36 +76,67 @@ def _main() -> None:
         show_default=True,
     )
     def _main(
-        model_: capellambse.MelodyModel,
+        modelinfo: dict[str, t.Any],
         output: pathlib.Path,
         format: str,
         index: bool,
         exe: str | None,
         docker: str | None,
         background: bool,
-    ) -> None:
-        model_._diagram_cache = capellambse.get_filehandler(output)
-        model_._diagram_cache_subdir = pathlib.PurePosixPath(".")
+        refresh: bool,
+    ) -> None:  # noqa: D301
+        """Export diagrams from a Capella model.
+
+        This tool can be used to easily populate a diagram cache for use
+        with `capellambse.MelodyModel`.
+
+        \b
+        Refreshing representations
+        --------------------------
+
+        By default, Capella will only automatically refresh diagrams on
+        an as-needed basis whenever a diagram is opened in the GUI. This
+        can lead to out-of-date images being written by its
+        "exportRepresentations" facility, which this tool uses.
+
+        To avoid this problem, the '--refresh' switch can be used to
+        automatically refresh all diagrams and make sure they are up to
+        date with the model contents.
+
+        Unfortunately, due to the way this refresh operation is
+        implemented in Capella, this may cause a Capella window to be
+        opened temporarily. It will automatically close once the
+        operation is done.
+
+        PLEASE DO NOT CLOSE THE WINDOW that Capella opens during this
+        step, or the entire process will be aborted.
+
+        Also be aware that using this option may lead to new objects
+        being added in odd places, which may cause severe readability
+        issues on the exported diagrams.
+
+        Due to these issues, the automatic refresh is disabled by
+        default.
+        """
+        modelinfo["diagram_cache"] = {"path": output}
+        model_ = capellambse.MelodyModel(**modelinfo)
 
         if docker:
-            _diagram_cache.export(
-                docker,
-                model_,
-                format=format,
-                index=index,
-                force="docker",
-                background=background,
-            )
+            capella = docker
+            force = "docker"
         else:
-            exe = exe or "capella{VERSION}"
-            _diagram_cache.export(
-                exe,
-                model_,
-                format=format,
-                index=index,
-                force="exe",
-                background=background,
-            )
+            capella = exe or "capella{VERSION}"
+            force = "exe"
+
+        _diagram_cache.export(
+            capella,
+            model_,
+            format=format,
+            index=index,
+            force=force,  # type: ignore
+            background=background,
+            refresh=refresh,
+        )
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":