diff --git a/hledger/doc/commands.m4.md b/hledger/doc/commands.m4.md
index fd1299296..1ca946e89 100644
--- a/hledger/doc/commands.m4.md
+++ b/hledger/doc/commands.m4.md
@@ -503,7 +503,7 @@ hledger will detect these and include them in the command list and let
 you invoke them with `hledger ADDONCMD`. However there are some limitations:
 
 - Options appearing before ADDONCMD will be visible only to hledger and will not be passed to the add-on.
-  Eg: `hledger --help web` shows hledger's help, `hledger web --help` shows hledger-web's help.
+  Eg: `hledger -h web` shows hledger's usage, `hledger web -h` shows hledger-web's usage.
 - Options understood only by the add-on must go after a `--` argument to hide them from hledger, which would otherwise reject them.
   Eg: `hledger web -- --server`.
 
diff --git a/hledger/doc/hledger.1 b/hledger/doc/hledger.1
index a57313cd5..6f18aec5c 100644
--- a/hledger/doc/hledger.1
+++ b/hledger/doc/hledger.1
@@ -142,11 +142,10 @@ $\ hledger\ activity\ \-W\ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ #\ show\ tran
 .fi
 .SH OPTIONS
 .PP
-To see general help and the command list: \f[C]hledger\ \-\-help\f[] or
+To see general usage and the command list: \f[C]hledger\ \-h\f[] or just
 \f[C]hledger\f[]
 .PP
-To see all options available with a command:
-\f[C]hledger\ COMMAND\ \-\-help\f[]
+To see usage for a specific command: \f[C]hledger\ COMMAND\ \-h\f[]
 .PP
 Except for the General options below, options must be written after
 COMMAND, not before it.
@@ -170,8 +169,13 @@ There are three kinds of options.
 General options are always available and can appear anywhere in the
 command line:
 .TP
-.B \f[C]\-h\ \-\-help\f[]
-show general help or (after command) command help
+.B \f[C]\-h\f[]
+show general usage or (after command) command usage
+.RS
+.RE
+.TP
+.B \f[C]\-\-help\f[]
+show detailed help
 .RS
 .RE
 .TP
@@ -1625,8 +1629,8 @@ However there are some limitations:
 .IP \[bu] 2
 Options appearing before ADDONCMD will be visible only to hledger and
 will not be passed to the add\-on.
-Eg: \f[C]hledger\ \-\-help\ web\f[] shows hledger\[aq]s help,
-\f[C]hledger\ web\ \-\-help\f[] shows hledger\-web\[aq]s help.
+Eg: \f[C]hledger\ \-h\ web\f[] shows hledger\[aq]s usage,
+\f[C]hledger\ web\ \-h\f[] shows hledger\-web\[aq]s usage.
 .IP \[bu] 2
 Options understood only by the add\-on must go after a \f[C]\-\-\f[]
 argument to hide them from hledger, which would otherwise reject them.
diff --git a/hledger/doc/hledger.1.txt b/hledger/doc/hledger.1.txt
index 25107cbb0..58a9cff29 100644
--- a/hledger/doc/hledger.1.txt
+++ b/hledger/doc/hledger.1.txt
@@ -102,9 +102,9 @@ EEXXAAMMPPLLEESS
               $ hledger activity -W                     # show transaction counts per week as a bar chart
 
 OOPPTTIIOONNSS
-       To see general help and the command list: hledger --help or hledger
+       To see general usage and the command list: hledger -h or just hledger
 
-       To see all options available with a command: hledger COMMAND --help
+       To see usage for a specific command: hledger COMMAND -h
 
        Except  for  the  General  options below, options must be written after
        COMMAND, not before it.
@@ -122,8 +122,9 @@ OOPPTTIIOONNSS
        There are three kinds of options.  General options are always available
        and can appear anywhere in the command line:
 
-       --hh ----hheellpp
-              show general help or (after command) command help
+       --hh     show general usage or (after command) command usage
+
+       ----hheellpp show detailed help
 
        ----vveerrssiioonn
               show version information
@@ -1181,8 +1182,8 @@ AADDDD--OONN CCOOMMMMAANNDDSS
        tions:
 
        +o Options appearing before ADDONCMD will be visible only to hledger and
-         will not be passed  to  the  add-on.   Eg:  hledger --help web  shows
-         hledger's help, hledger web --help shows hledger-web's help.
+         will not be passed to the add-on.  Eg: hledger -h web shows hledger's
+         usage, hledger web -h shows hledger-web's usage.
 
        +o Options  understood only by the add-on must go after a -- argument to
          hide them from hledger,  which  would  otherwise  reject  them.   Eg:
diff --git a/hledger/doc/options.m4.md b/hledger/doc/options.m4.md
index 87bcbdce4..21c2b7184 100644
--- a/hledger/doc/options.m4.md
+++ b/hledger/doc/options.m4.md
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 # OPTIONS
 
-To see general help and the command list: `hledger --help` or `hledger`
+To see general usage and the command list: `hledger -h` or just `hledger`
 
-To see all options available with a command: `hledger COMMAND --help`
+To see usage for a specific command: `hledger COMMAND -h`
 
 Except for the General options below, options must be written after
 COMMAND, not before it.
@@ -21,8 +21,11 @@ interpreted as a search query which filters the data, see QUERIES.
 There are three kinds of options.
 General options are always available and can appear anywhere in the command line:
 
-`-h --help`
-: show general help or (after command) command help
+`-h`
+: show general usage or (after command) command usage
+
+`--help`
+: show detailed help
 
 `--version`
 : show version information