diff --git a/hledger-api/hledger-api.hs b/hledger-api/hledger-api.hs
index ae6b1a5bb..a570e4134 100644
--- a/hledger-api/hledger-api.hs
+++ b/hledger-api/hledger-api.hs
@@ -57,7 +57,8 @@ Options:
                   (default: .)
   -p --port PORT  use a different TCP port (default: 8001)
      --version    show version
-  -h --help       show this help
+  -h              show usage
+     --help       show detailed help
 |]
 
 swaggerSpec :: Swagger
@@ -70,7 +71,8 @@ swaggerSpec = toSwagger (Proxy :: Proxy HledgerApi)
 main :: IO ()
 main = do
   args <- getArgs >>= parseArgsOrExit doc
-  when (isPresent args (longOption "help")) $ exitWithUsage doc
+  when (isPresent args (shortOption 'h')) $ exitWithUsage doc
+  when (isPresent args (longOption "help")) $ putStr (lookupDocTxt "api") >> exitSuccess
   when (isPresent args (longOption "version")) $ putStrLn hledgerApiVersion >> exitSuccess
   when (isPresent args (longOption "swagger")) $ BL8.putStrLn (encode swaggerSpec) >> exitSuccess
   let defp = "8001"
diff --git a/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/Main.hs b/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/Main.hs
index ab832130a..d12fde3ab 100644
--- a/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/Main.hs
+++ b/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/Main.hs
@@ -42,7 +42,8 @@ main = do
   run opts
     where
       run opts
-        | "help" `inRawOpts` (rawopts_ $ cliopts_ opts)            = putStr (showModeHelp uimode) >> exitSuccess
+        | "shorthelp" `inRawOpts` (rawopts_ $ cliopts_ opts)       = putStr (showModeUsage uimode) >> exitSuccess
+        | "longhelp" `inRawOpts` (rawopts_ $ cliopts_ opts)        = putStr (showModeHelp  uimode) >> exitSuccess
         | "version" `inRawOpts` (rawopts_ $ cliopts_ opts)         = putStrLn prognameandversion >> exitSuccess
         | "binary-filename" `inRawOpts` (rawopts_ $ cliopts_ opts) = putStrLn (binaryfilename progname)
         | otherwise                                                = withJournalDoUICommand opts runBrickUi
diff --git a/hledger-web/Hledger/Web/Main.hs b/hledger-web/Hledger/Web/Main.hs
index e6f965cf6..33281eff1 100644
--- a/hledger-web/Hledger/Web/Main.hs
+++ b/hledger-web/Hledger/Web/Main.hs
@@ -43,7 +43,8 @@ hledgerWebMain = do
 
 runWith :: WebOpts -> IO ()
 runWith opts
-  | "help" `inRawOpts` (rawopts_ $ cliopts_ opts)            = putStr (showModeHelp webmode) >> exitSuccess
+  | "shorthelp" `inRawOpts` (rawopts_ $ cliopts_ opts)       = putStr (showModeUsage webmode) >> exitSuccess
+  | "longhelp" `inRawOpts` (rawopts_ $ cliopts_ opts)        = putStr (showModeHelp  webmode) >> exitSuccess
   | "version" `inRawOpts` (rawopts_ $ cliopts_ opts)         = putStrLn prognameandversion >> exitSuccess
   | "binary-filename" `inRawOpts` (rawopts_ $ cliopts_ opts) = putStrLn (binaryfilename progname)
   | otherwise = do
diff --git a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/CliOptions.hs b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/CliOptions.hs
index 08f05de90..261a4a6e4 100644
--- a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/CliOptions.hs
+++ b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/CliOptions.hs
@@ -230,10 +230,16 @@ showModeUsage :: Mode a -> String
 showModeUsage = (showText defaultWrap :: [Text] -> String) .
                (helpText [] HelpFormatDefault :: Mode a -> [Text])
 
--- | Get a mode's long help, ready for console output
--- (currently, the hledger man page formatted for 80 columns).
+-- | Get a mode's long help, ready for console output.  Currently that
+-- will be the hledger, hledger-ui, hledger-web or hledger-api man page,
+-- formatted for 80 columns.
 showModeHelp :: Mode a -> String
-showModeHelp _ = lookupDocTxt "cli"
+showModeHelp m
+  | n == "hledger-ui"  = lookupDocTxt "ui"
+  | n == "hledger-web" = lookupDocTxt "web"
+  --  | n == "hledger-api" = lookupDocTxt "api" -- hledger-api uses docopt
+  | otherwise          = lookupDocTxt "cli"
+  where n = headDef "" $ modeNames m
 
 -- | Add command aliases to the command's help string.
 withAliases :: String -> [String] -> String