diff --git a/lib/command.js b/lib/command.js
index 590a271dd..4fca7f998 100644
--- a/lib/command.js
+++ b/lib/command.js
@@ -1101,7 +1101,9 @@ Expecting one of '${allowedValues.join("', '")}'`);
     }
 
     // Fallback to parsing the help flag to invoke the help.
-    return this._dispatchSubcommand(subcommandName, [], [this._helpLongFlag]);
+    return this._dispatchSubcommand(subcommandName, [], [
+      this._helpLongFlag || this._helpShortFlag
+    ]);
   }
 
   /**
@@ -2034,7 +2036,9 @@ Expecting one of '${allowedValues.join("', '")}'`);
     }
     context.write(helpInformation);
 
-    this.emit(this._helpLongFlag); // deprecated
+    if (this._helpLongFlag) {
+      this.emit(this._helpLongFlag); // deprecated
+    }
     this.emit('afterHelp', context);
     getCommandAndParents(this).forEach(command => command.emit('afterAllHelp', context));
   }
diff --git a/tests/command.addHelpText.test.js b/tests/command.addHelpText.test.js
index e0bac2895..7103b0861 100644
--- a/tests/command.addHelpText.test.js
+++ b/tests/command.addHelpText.test.js
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ describe('context checks with full parse', () => {
   });
 
   test('when help requested then context.error is false', () => {
-    let context = {};
+    let context;
     const program = new commander.Command();
     program
       .exitOverride()
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ describe('context checks with full parse', () => {
   });
 
   test('when help for error then context.error is true', () => {
-    let context = {};
+    let context;
     const program = new commander.Command();
     program
       .exitOverride()
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ describe('context checks with full parse', () => {
   });
 
   test('when help on program then context.command is program', () => {
-    let context = {};
+    let context;
     const program = new commander.Command();
     program
       .exitOverride()
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ describe('context checks with full parse', () => {
   });
 
   test('when help on subcommand and "before" subcommand then context.command is subcommand', () => {
-    let context = {};
+    let context;
     const program = new commander.Command();
     program
       .exitOverride();
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ describe('context checks with full parse', () => {
   });
 
   test('when help on subcommand and "beforeAll" on program then context.command is subcommand', () => {
-    let context = {};
+    let context;
     const program = new commander.Command();
     program
       .exitOverride()