diff --git a/src/ocrmypdf/_options.py b/src/ocrmypdf/_options.py
index d771facf..38590090 100644
--- a/src/ocrmypdf/_options.py
+++ b/src/ocrmypdf/_options.py
@@ -161,6 +161,8 @@ class OCROptions(BaseModel):
     tesseract_non_ocr_timeout: float | None = None
     tesseract_downsample_above: int = 32767
     tesseract_downsample_large_images: bool | None = None
+    user_words: str | None = None
+    user_patterns: str | None = None
 
     # Legacy ghostscript options (for backward compatibility)
     pdfa_image_compression: str | None = None
diff --git a/src/ocrmypdf/_plugin_registry.py b/src/ocrmypdf/_plugin_registry.py
index 3f295624..d7fd9eaf 100644
--- a/src/ocrmypdf/_plugin_registry.py
+++ b/src/ocrmypdf/_plugin_registry.py
@@ -76,3 +76,81 @@ class PluginOptionRegistry:
     def clear_cache(self) -> None:
         """Clear the extended model cache."""
         self._extended_model_cache = None
+    
+    def map_legacy_options(self, options: dict) -> dict:
+        """Map legacy flat options to nested plugin options.
+        
+        This method helps with backward compatibility by mapping flat option
+        names (like 'tesseract_timeout') to nested plugin option structures.
+        
+        Args:
+            options: Dictionary of flat options
+            
+        Returns:
+            Dictionary with both legacy flat options and nested plugin options
+        """
+        result = options.copy()
+        
+        # Map tesseract options
+        if 'tesseract' in self._option_models:
+            tesseract_options = {}
+            tesseract_fields = self._option_models['tesseract'].model_fields.keys()
+            
+            for field in tesseract_fields:
+                legacy_key = f'tesseract_{field}'
+                if legacy_key in options:
+                    tesseract_options[field] = options[legacy_key]
+            
+            if tesseract_options:
+                result['tesseract'] = tesseract_options
+        
+        # Map optimize options  
+        if 'optimize' in self._option_models:
+            optimize_options = {}
+            optimize_fields = self._option_models['optimize'].model_fields.keys()
+            
+            for field in optimize_fields:
+                if field in options:
+                    optimize_options[field] = options[field]
+                # Handle special case for optimize level
+                elif field == 'level' and 'optimize' in options:
+                    optimize_options[field] = options['optimize']
+            
+            if optimize_options:
+                result['optimize'] = optimize_options
+        
+        # Map ghostscript options
+        if 'ghostscript' in self._option_models:
+            ghostscript_options = {}
+            ghostscript_fields = self._option_models['ghostscript'].model_fields.keys()
+            
+            for field in ghostscript_fields:
+                if field in options:
+                    ghostscript_options[field] = options[field]
+            
+            if ghostscript_options:
+                result['ghostscript'] = ghostscript_options
+        
+        return result
+    
+    def validate_plugin_options(self, options: dict) -> dict:
+        """Validate plugin options using their registered models.
+        
+        Args:
+            options: Dictionary containing plugin options
+            
+        Returns:
+            Dictionary with validated plugin options
+            
+        Raises:
+            ValidationError: If any plugin options are invalid
+        """
+        validated = {}
+        
+        for namespace, model_class in self._option_models.items():
+            if namespace in options:
+                # Validate using the plugin's model
+                plugin_options = model_class(**options[namespace])
+                validated[namespace] = plugin_options.model_dump()
+        
+        return validated
diff --git a/src/ocrmypdf/builtin_plugins/tesseract_ocr.py b/src/ocrmypdf/builtin_plugins/tesseract_ocr.py
index 9b53f2a4..e9ca80d9 100644
--- a/src/ocrmypdf/builtin_plugins/tesseract_ocr.py
+++ b/src/ocrmypdf/builtin_plugins/tesseract_ocr.py
@@ -58,6 +58,12 @@ class TesseractOptions(BaseModel):
             description="Downsample images larger than this pixel size",
         ),
     ] = 32767
+    user_words: Annotated[
+        str | None, Field(description="Path to Tesseract user words file")
+    ] = None
+    user_patterns: Annotated[
+        str | None, Field(description="Path to Tesseract user patterns file")
+    ] = None
 
     @classmethod
     def add_arguments_to_parser(cls, parser, namespace: str = 'tesseract'):
@@ -182,6 +188,22 @@ class TesseractOptions(BaseModel):
             ),
         )
 
+        tess.add_argument(
+            '--user-words',
+            metavar='FILE',
+            dest='user_words',
+            help="Specify the location of the Tesseract user words file. This is a "
+            "list of words Tesseract should consider while performing OCR in "
+            "addition to its standard language dictionaries. This can improve "
+            "OCR quality especially for specialized and technical documents.",
+        )
+        tess.add_argument(
+            '--user-patterns',
+            metavar='FILE',
+            dest='user_patterns',
+            help="Specify the location of the Tesseract user patterns file.",
+        )
+
 
 @hookimpl
 def register_options():
@@ -191,25 +213,9 @@ def register_options():
 
 @hookimpl
 def add_options(parser):
-    # Use the model's CLI generation method
+    # Use the model's CLI generation method - it now handles all Tesseract options
     TesseractOptions.add_arguments_to_parser(parser)
 
-    # Add user words and patterns (these are not part of TesseractOptions model yet)
-    tess = parser.add_argument_group("Tesseract", "Advanced control of Tesseract OCR")
-    tess.add_argument(
-        '--user-words',
-        metavar='FILE',
-        help="Specify the location of the Tesseract user words file. This is a "
-        "list of words Tesseract should consider while performing OCR in "
-        "addition to its standard language dictionaries. This can improve "
-        "OCR quality especially for specialized and technical documents.",
-    )
-    tess.add_argument(
-        '--user-patterns',
-        metavar='FILE',
-        help="Specify the location of the Tesseract user patterns file.",
-    )
-
 
 @hookimpl
 def check_options(options):