diff --git a/cli/src/connections.c b/cli/src/connections.c
index 972c9c3cf5..5ed43cb90f 100644
--- a/cli/src/connections.c
+++ b/cli/src/connections.c
@@ -7290,7 +7290,11 @@ parse_cmd (NmCli *nmc, int argc, char **argv)
 			goto opt_error;
 		nmc->return_value = do_connections_show (nmc, argc, argv);
 	} else {
-		if (matches (*argv, "show") == 0) {
+		if (nmc_arg_is_help (*argv)) {
+			usage ();
+			nmc->should_wait = FALSE;
+		}
+		else if (matches (*argv, "show") == 0) {
 			arg_ret = next_arg (&argc, &argv);
 			if (arg_ret != 0 || matches (*argv, "configured") == 0) {
 				next_arg (&argc, &argv);
@@ -7334,10 +7338,6 @@ parse_cmd (NmCli *nmc, int argc, char **argv)
 		else if (matches (*argv, "modify") == 0) {
 			nmc->return_value = do_connection_modify (nmc, argc-1, argv+1);
 		}
-		else if (nmc_arg_is_help (*argv)) {
-			usage ();
-			nmc->should_wait = FALSE;
-		}
 		else {
 			usage ();
 			g_string_printf (nmc->return_text, _("Error: '%s' is not valid 'connection' command."), *argv);
diff --git a/cli/src/devices.c b/cli/src/devices.c
index b0e9f510e6..a21660d79a 100644
--- a/cli/src/devices.c
+++ b/cli/src/devices.c
@@ -2427,7 +2427,10 @@ do_devices (NmCli *nmc, int argc, char **argv)
 	}
 
 	if (argc > 0) {
-		if (matches (*argv, "status") == 0) {
+		if (nmc_arg_is_help (*argv)) {
+			usage ();
+		}
+		else if (matches (*argv, "status") == 0) {
 			if (!nmc_terse_option_check (nmc->print_output, nmc->required_fields, &error))
 				goto opt_error;
 			nmc->return_value = do_devices_status (nmc, argc-1, argv+1);
@@ -2455,9 +2458,6 @@ do_devices (NmCli *nmc, int argc, char **argv)
 			nmc->return_value = do_device_wimax (nmc, argc-1, argv+1);
 		}
 #endif
-		else if (nmc_arg_is_help (*argv)) {
-			usage ();
-		}
 		else {
 			usage ();
 			g_string_printf (nmc->return_text, _("Error: 'dev' command '%s' is not valid."), *argv);
diff --git a/cli/src/network-manager.c b/cli/src/network-manager.c
index 0275738c2e..272543f745 100644
--- a/cli/src/network-manager.c
+++ b/cli/src/network-manager.c
@@ -463,7 +463,10 @@ do_general (NmCli *nmc, int argc, char **argv)
 	}
 
 	if (argc > 0) {
-		if (matches (*argv, "status") == 0) {
+		if (nmc_arg_is_help (*argv)) {
+			usage_general ();
+		}
+		else if (matches (*argv, "status") == 0) {
 			if (!nmc_terse_option_check (nmc->print_output, nmc->required_fields, &error)) {
 				g_string_printf (nmc->return_text, _("Error: %s."), error->message);
 				nmc->return_value = NMC_RESULT_ERROR_USER_INPUT;
@@ -514,9 +517,6 @@ do_general (NmCli *nmc, int argc, char **argv)
 				}
 			}
 		}
-		else if (nmc_arg_is_help (*argv)) {
-			usage_general ();
-		}
 		else {
 			usage_general ();
 			g_string_printf (nmc->return_text, _("Error: 'general' command '%s' is not valid."), *argv);
@@ -645,7 +645,10 @@ do_radio (NmCli *nmc, int argc, char **argv)
 	}
 
 	if (argc > 0) {
-		if (matches (*argv, "all") == 0) {
+		if (nmc_arg_is_help (*argv)) {
+			usage_radio ();
+		}
+		else if (matches (*argv, "all") == 0) {
 			if (next_arg (&argc, &argv) != 0) {
 				/* no argument, show all radio switches */
 				if (!nmc_terse_option_check (nmc->print_output, nmc->required_fields, &error)) {
@@ -703,9 +706,6 @@ do_radio (NmCli *nmc, int argc, char **argv)
 			}
 		}
 #endif
-		else if (nmc_arg_is_help (*argv)) {
-			usage_radio ();
-		}
 		else {
 			usage_radio ();
 			g_string_printf (nmc->return_text, _("Error: 'radio' command '%s' is not valid."), *argv);