diff --git a/src/sbin/bcfg2-admin b/src/sbin/bcfg2-admin
index 09117a3f41..386c8dd473 100755
--- a/src/sbin/bcfg2-admin
+++ b/src/sbin/bcfg2-admin
@@ -44,6 +44,9 @@ def main():
         'verbose': Bcfg2.Options.VERBOSE,
         }
     setup = Bcfg2.Options.OptionParser(optinfo)
+    # override default help message to include description of all modes
+    setup.hm = "Usage:\n     %s\n%s" % (setup.buildHelpMessage(),
+                                        create_description())
     setup.parse(sys.argv[1:])
 
     log_args = dict(to_syslog=False, to_console=logging.WARNING)
@@ -58,8 +61,7 @@ def main():
             setup['args'] = [setup['args'][1], setup['args'][0]]
         else:
             # Print short help for all modes
-            print("Usage:\n     %s" % setup.buildHelpMessage())
-            print(create_description())
+            print(setup.hm)
             raise SystemExit(0)
 
     if setup['args'][0] in get_modes():
diff --git a/src/sbin/bcfg2-info b/src/sbin/bcfg2-info
index 4412c712a8..983677f720 100755
--- a/src/sbin/bcfg2-info
+++ b/src/sbin/bcfg2-info
@@ -518,9 +518,12 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
                     'logging': Bcfg2.Options.LOGGING_FILE_PATH
                     })
     setup = Bcfg2.Options.OptionParser(optinfo)
+    setup.hm = "Usage:\n     %s\n%s" % (setup.buildHelpMessage(),
+                                        USAGE)
+
     setup.parse(sys.argv[1:])
     if setup['args'] and setup['args'][0] == 'help':
-        print(USAGE)
+        print(setup.hm)
         sys.exit(0)
     elif setup['profile'] and have_profile:
         prof = profile.Profile()