diff --git a/cmd/tools/vcheck-md.v b/cmd/tools/vcheck-md.v
index 222f90faea5575..177df2294e48fd 100644
--- a/cmd/tools/vcheck-md.v
+++ b/cmd/tools/vcheck-md.v
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@ fn (v1 CheckResult) + (v2 CheckResult) CheckResult {
 fn main() {
 	if non_option_args.len == 0 || '-help' in os.args {
 		help.print_and_exit('check-md')
-		exit(0)
 	}
 	if '-all' in os.args {
 		println('´-all´ flag is deprecated. Please use ´v check-md .´ instead.')
diff --git a/cmd/tools/vfmt.v b/cmd/tools/vfmt.v
index 0e9d993d92b530..b850f8c69058b2 100644
--- a/cmd/tools/vfmt.v
+++ b/cmd/tools/vfmt.v
@@ -89,7 +89,6 @@ fn main() {
 	}
 	if files.len == 0 || '-help' in args || '--help' in args {
 		help.print_and_exit('fmt')
-		exit(0)
 	}
 	mut cli_args_no_files := []string{}
 	for idx, a in os.args {
diff --git a/cmd/tools/vpm/vpm.v b/cmd/tools/vpm/vpm.v
index 26b1c08f7aeb05..f1731881f56517 100644
--- a/cmd/tools/vpm/vpm.v
+++ b/cmd/tools/vpm/vpm.v
@@ -62,8 +62,7 @@ fn main() {
 	options := cmdline.only_options(os.args[1..])
 	verbose_println('cli params: ${params}')
 	if params.len < 1 {
-		vpm_help()
-		exit(5)
+		help.print_and_exit('vpm', exit_code: 5)
 	}
 	vpm_command := params[0]
 	mut module_names := params[1..].clone()
@@ -71,7 +70,7 @@ fn main() {
 	// println('module names: ') println(module_names)
 	match vpm_command {
 		'help' {
-			vpm_help()
+			help.print_and_exit('vpm')
 		}
 		'search' {
 			vpm_search(module_names)
@@ -141,7 +140,6 @@ fn vpm_search(keywords []string) {
 	search_keys := keywords.map(it.replace('_', '-'))
 	if settings.is_help {
 		help.print_and_exit('search')
-		exit(0)
 	}
 	if search_keys.len == 0 {
 		eprintln('´v search´ requires *at least one* keyword.')
@@ -365,7 +363,6 @@ fn vpm_once_filter(module_names []string) []string {
 fn vpm_install(module_names []string, source Source) {
 	if settings.is_help {
 		help.print_and_exit('install')
-		exit(0)
 	}
 	if module_names.len == 0 {
 		eprintln('´v install´ requires *at least one* module name.')
@@ -427,7 +424,6 @@ fn vpm_update(m []string) {
 	mut module_names := m.clone()
 	if settings.is_help {
 		help.print_and_exit('update')
-		exit(0)
 	}
 	if module_names.len == 0 {
 		module_names = get_installed_modules()
@@ -574,7 +570,6 @@ fn vpm_list() {
 fn vpm_remove(module_names []string) {
 	if settings.is_help {
 		help.print_and_exit('remove')
-		exit(0)
 	}
 	if module_names.len == 0 {
 		eprintln('´v remove´ requires *at least one* module name.')
@@ -627,10 +622,6 @@ fn ensure_vmodules_dir_exist() {
 	}
 }
 
-fn vpm_help() {
-	help.print_and_exit('vpm')
-}
-
 fn vcs_used_in_dir(dir string) ?[]string {
 	mut vcs := []string{}
 	for repo_subfolder in supported_vcs_folders {
diff --git a/vlib/v/help/help.v b/vlib/v/help/help.v
index 6da2e6bb3b0b9b..551ee79f5529a4 100644
--- a/vlib/v/help/help.v
+++ b/vlib/v/help/help.v
@@ -6,24 +6,23 @@ const help_dir = os.join_path(@VEXEROOT, 'vlib', 'v', 'help')
 
 [params]
 pub struct ExitOptions {
-	success_code int // The exit code to use after the specified topic was printed successfully.
-	fail_code    int = 1 // The exit code to use after the specified topic could not be printed (e.g., if it is unknown).
+	exit_code int
 }
 
 // print_and_exit prints the help topic and exits.
-pub fn print_and_exit(topic string, exit_opts ExitOptions) {
+[noreturn]
+pub fn print_and_exit(topic string, opts ExitOptions) {
 	if topic == 'topics' {
 		print_known_topics()
-		exit(exit_opts.success_code)
+		exit(opts.exit_code)
 	}
-
+	fail_code := if opts.exit_code != 0 { opts.exit_code } else { 1 }
 	for c in topic {
 		if !c.is_letter() && !c.is_digit() && c != `-` {
 			print_topic_unkown(topic)
-			exit(exit_opts.fail_code)
+			exit(fail_code)
 		}
 	}
-
 	mut topic_path := ''
 	for path in os.walk_ext(help.help_dir, '.txt') {
 		if topic == os.file_name(path).all_before('.txt') {
@@ -34,14 +33,13 @@ pub fn print_and_exit(topic string, exit_opts ExitOptions) {
 	if topic_path == '' {
 		print_topic_unkown(topic)
 		print_known_topics()
-		exit(exit_opts.fail_code)
+		exit(fail_code)
 	}
-
 	println(os.read_file(topic_path) or {
 		eprintln('error: failed reading topic file: ${err}')
-		exit(exit_opts.fail_code)
+		exit(fail_code)
 	})
-	exit(exit_opts.success_code)
+	exit(opts.exit_code)
 }
 
 fn print_topic_unkown(topic string) {