diff --git a/builtin/diff-files.c b/builtin/diff-files.c
index 15c61fd8d1..6be1df684a 100644
--- a/builtin/diff-files.c
+++ b/builtin/diff-files.c
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ int cmd_diff_files(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	int result;
 	unsigned options = 0;
 
+	if (argc == 2 && !strcmp(argv[1], "-h"))
+		usage(diff_files_usage);
+
 	init_revisions(&rev, prefix);
 	gitmodules_config();
 	git_config(git_diff_basic_config, NULL); /* no "diff" UI options */
diff --git a/builtin/diff-index.c b/builtin/diff-index.c
index 1af373d002..02dd35ba45 100644
--- a/builtin/diff-index.c
+++ b/builtin/diff-index.c
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@ int cmd_diff_index(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	int i;
 	int result;
 
+	if (argc == 2 && !strcmp(argv[1], "-h"))
+		usage(diff_cache_usage);
+
 	init_revisions(&rev, prefix);
 	gitmodules_config();
 	git_config(git_diff_basic_config, NULL); /* no "diff" UI options */
diff --git a/builtin/diff-tree.c b/builtin/diff-tree.c
index 326f88b657..773cc254b5 100644
--- a/builtin/diff-tree.c
+++ b/builtin/diff-tree.c
@@ -105,6 +105,9 @@ int cmd_diff_tree(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	struct setup_revision_opt s_r_opt;
 	int read_stdin = 0;
 
+	if (argc == 2 && !strcmp(argv[1], "-h"))
+		usage(diff_tree_usage);
+
 	init_revisions(opt, prefix);
 	gitmodules_config();
 	git_config(git_diff_basic_config, NULL); /* no "diff" UI options */
diff --git a/builtin/rev-list.c b/builtin/rev-list.c
index bcf77f0b8a..2951e0efd7 100644
--- a/builtin/rev-list.c
+++ b/builtin/rev-list.c
@@ -277,6 +277,9 @@ int cmd_rev_list(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	int use_bitmap_index = 0;
 	const char *show_progress = NULL;
 
+	if (argc == 2 && !strcmp(argv[1], "-h"))
+		usage(rev_list_usage);
+
 	git_config(git_default_config, NULL);
 	init_revisions(&revs, prefix);
 	revs.abbrev = DEFAULT_ABBREV;