diff --git a/java/src/processing/mode/java/JavaEditor.java b/java/src/processing/mode/java/JavaEditor.java
index 0bf341fae3..d534f7cee1 100644
--- a/java/src/processing/mode/java/JavaEditor.java
+++ b/java/src/processing/mode/java/JavaEditor.java
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@
 import java.util.Map;
 
 import javax.swing.*;
-import javax.swing.border.*;
 import javax.swing.event.*;
 import javax.swing.text.BadLocationException;
 import javax.swing.text.Document;
@@ -316,96 +315,61 @@ public JMenu buildHelpMenu() {
     menu.addSeparator();
 
     final JMenu libRefSubmenu = new JMenu(Language.text("menu.help.libraries_reference"));
-    // Populate only when sub-menu is opened, to avoid having spurious menu
-    // options if a library is deleted, or a missing menu option if a library is added
-    libRefSubmenu.addMenuListener(new MenuListener() {
 
-      @Override
-      public void menuSelected(MenuEvent e) {
-        // Adding this in case references are included in a core library,
-        // or other core libraries are included in the future
-        boolean isCoreLibMenuItemAdded =
-          addLibReferencesToSubMenu(mode.coreLibraries, libRefSubmenu);
-
-        if (isCoreLibMenuItemAdded && !mode.contribLibraries.isEmpty()) {
-          libRefSubmenu.addSeparator();
-        }
-
-        boolean isContribLibMenuItemAdded =
-          addLibReferencesToSubMenu(mode.contribLibraries, libRefSubmenu);
+    // Adding this in case references are included in a core library,
+    // or other core libraries are included in the future
+    boolean isCoreLibMenuItemAdded =
+      addLibReferencesToSubMenu(mode.coreLibraries, libRefSubmenu);
 
-        if (!isContribLibMenuItemAdded && !isCoreLibMenuItemAdded) {
-          JMenuItem emptyMenuItem = new JMenuItem(Language.text("menu.help.empty"));
-          emptyMenuItem.setEnabled(false);
-          emptyMenuItem.setFocusable(false);
-          emptyMenuItem.setFocusPainted(false);
-          libRefSubmenu.add(emptyMenuItem);
+    if (isCoreLibMenuItemAdded && !mode.contribLibraries.isEmpty()) {
+      libRefSubmenu.addSeparator();
+    }
 
-        } else if (!isContribLibMenuItemAdded && !mode.coreLibraries.isEmpty()) {
-          //re-populate the menu to get rid of terminal separator
-          libRefSubmenu.removeAll();
-          addLibReferencesToSubMenu(mode.coreLibraries, libRefSubmenu);
-        }
-      }
+    boolean isContribLibMenuItemAdded =
+      addLibReferencesToSubMenu(mode.contribLibraries, libRefSubmenu);
 
-      @Override
-      public void menuDeselected(MenuEvent e) {
-        libRefSubmenu.removeAll();
-      }
+    if (!isContribLibMenuItemAdded && !isCoreLibMenuItemAdded) {
+      JMenuItem emptyMenuItem = new JMenuItem(Language.text("menu.help.empty"));
+      emptyMenuItem.setEnabled(false);
+      emptyMenuItem.setFocusable(false);
+      emptyMenuItem.setFocusPainted(false);
+      libRefSubmenu.add(emptyMenuItem);
 
-      @Override
-      public void menuCanceled(MenuEvent e) {
-        menuDeselected(e);
-      }
-    });
+    } else if (!isContribLibMenuItemAdded && !mode.coreLibraries.isEmpty()) {
+      //re-populate the menu to get rid of terminal separator
+      libRefSubmenu.removeAll();
+      addLibReferencesToSubMenu(mode.coreLibraries, libRefSubmenu);
+    }
     menu.add(libRefSubmenu);
 
     final JMenu toolRefSubmenu = new JMenu(Language.text("menu.help.tools_reference"));
-    // Populate only when sub-menu is opened, to avoid having spurious menu
-    // options if a tool is deleted, or a missing menu option if a library is added
-    toolRefSubmenu.addMenuListener(new MenuListener() {
+    boolean coreToolMenuItemAdded;
+    boolean contribToolMenuItemAdded;
 
-      @Override
-      public void menuSelected(MenuEvent e) {
-        boolean coreToolMenuItemAdded;
-        boolean contribToolMenuItemAdded;
-
-        List<ToolContribution> contribTools = base.getToolContribs();
-        // Adding this in in case a reference folder is added for MovieMaker, or in case
-        // other core tools are introduced later
-        coreToolMenuItemAdded = addToolReferencesToSubMenu(base.getCoreTools(), toolRefSubmenu);
-
-        if (coreToolMenuItemAdded && !contribTools.isEmpty())
-          toolRefSubmenu.addSeparator();
-
-        contribToolMenuItemAdded = addToolReferencesToSubMenu(contribTools, toolRefSubmenu);
-
-        if (!contribToolMenuItemAdded && !coreToolMenuItemAdded) {
-          toolRefSubmenu.removeAll(); // in case a separator was added
-          final JMenuItem emptyMenuItem = new JMenuItem(Language.text("menu.help.empty"));
-          emptyMenuItem.setEnabled(false);
-          emptyMenuItem.setBorderPainted(false);
-          emptyMenuItem.setFocusable(false);
-          emptyMenuItem.setFocusPainted(false);
-          toolRefSubmenu.add(emptyMenuItem);
-        }
-        else if (!contribToolMenuItemAdded && !contribTools.isEmpty()) {
-          // re-populate the menu to get rid of terminal separator
-          toolRefSubmenu.removeAll();
-          addToolReferencesToSubMenu(base.getCoreTools(), toolRefSubmenu);
-        }
-      }
+    List<ToolContribution> contribTools = base.getToolContribs();
+    // Adding this in in case a reference folder is added for MovieMaker, or in case
+    // other core tools are introduced later
+    coreToolMenuItemAdded = addToolReferencesToSubMenu(base.getCoreTools(), toolRefSubmenu);
 
-      @Override
-      public void menuDeselected(MenuEvent e) {
-        toolRefSubmenu.removeAll();
-      }
+    if (coreToolMenuItemAdded && !contribTools.isEmpty())
+      toolRefSubmenu.addSeparator();
 
-      @Override
-      public void menuCanceled(MenuEvent e) {
-        menuDeselected(e);
-      }
-    });
+    contribToolMenuItemAdded = addToolReferencesToSubMenu(contribTools, toolRefSubmenu);
+
+    if (!contribToolMenuItemAdded && !coreToolMenuItemAdded) {
+      toolRefSubmenu.removeAll(); // in case a separator was added
+      final JMenuItem emptyMenuItem = new JMenuItem(Language.text("menu.help.empty"));
+      emptyMenuItem.setEnabled(false);
+      emptyMenuItem.setBorderPainted(false);
+      emptyMenuItem.setFocusable(false);
+      emptyMenuItem.setFocusPainted(false);
+      toolRefSubmenu.add(emptyMenuItem);
+    }
+    else if (!contribToolMenuItemAdded && !contribTools.isEmpty()) {
+      // re-populate the menu to get rid of terminal separator
+      toolRefSubmenu.removeAll();
+      addToolReferencesToSubMenu(base.getCoreTools(), toolRefSubmenu);
+    }
     menu.add(toolRefSubmenu);
 
     menu.addSeparator();
diff --git a/todo.txt b/todo.txt
index 03ae1f8f94..b66974e391 100755
--- a/todo.txt
+++ b/todo.txt
@@ -33,6 +33,9 @@ X   disable behavior with sketch.name.replace_underscore = false
 X add clean-libs target to build.xml files that need it
 X check all Help menu entries and their destinations
 X   Help > Environment not going to the right place
+X Help > Libraries Reference > submenu items don't work
+X   same for Tools reference
+X   https://github.com/processing/processing/issues/5839
 
 naming
 X Friendly Names for new Sketches (includes UI for switching it back)
@@ -561,7 +564,6 @@ _     versions for aarch64 as well
 _     https://github.com/eugeneware/ffmpeg-static/releases
 _   but need to figure out a good way to highlight it/encourage installation
 _   ...as well as the other libraries? separate window?
-_ Help > Library/Tools reference links don't work
 _ Export to Application not working with the current video library
 _   https://github.com/processing/processing-video/issues/188
 _ loadShape(), show a warning when using style instead of presentation attributes