diff --git a/mercurial/commands.py b/mercurial/commands.py
--- a/mercurial/commands.py
+++ b/mercurial/commands.py
@@ -2047,7 +2047,7 @@ def heads(ui, repo, *branchrevs, **opts)
         displayer.show(ctx)
     displayer.close()
 
-def help_(ui, name=None, with_version=False, unknowncmd=False):
+def help_(ui, name=None, with_version=False, unknowncmd=False, full=True):
     """show help for a given topic or a help overview
 
     With no arguments, print a list of commands with short help messages.
@@ -2070,6 +2070,8 @@ def help_(ui, name=None, with_version=Fa
             if name == 'shortlist':
                 msg = _('use "hg help" for the full list of commands '
                         'or "hg -v" for details')
+            elif name and not full:
+                msg = _('use "hg help %s" to show the full help text' % name)
             elif aliases:
                 msg = _('use "hg -v help%s" to show builtin aliases and '
                         'global options') % (name and " " + name or "")
@@ -2108,7 +2110,7 @@ def help_(ui, name=None, with_version=Fa
             ui.write('hg %s\n' % aliases[0])
 
         # aliases
-        if not ui.quiet and len(aliases) > 1:
+        if full and not ui.quiet and len(aliases) > 1:
             ui.write(_("\naliases: %s\n") % ', '.join(aliases[1:]))
 
         # description
@@ -2120,7 +2122,7 @@ def help_(ui, name=None, with_version=Fa
                 doc = _('shell alias for::\n\n    %s') % entry[0].definition[1:]
             else:
                 doc = _('alias for: hg %s\n\n%s') % (entry[0].definition, doc)
-        if ui.quiet:
+        if ui.quiet or not full:
             doc = doc.splitlines()[0]
         keep = ui.verbose and ['verbose'] or []
         formatted, pruned = minirst.format(doc, textwidth, keep=keep)
diff --git a/mercurial/dispatch.py b/mercurial/dispatch.py
--- a/mercurial/dispatch.py
+++ b/mercurial/dispatch.py
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ def _runcatch(ui, args):
     except error.CommandError, inst:
         if inst.args[0]:
             ui.warn(_("hg %s: %s\n") % (inst.args[0], inst.args[1]))
-            commands.help_(ui, inst.args[0])
+            commands.help_(ui, inst.args[0], full=False)
         else:
             ui.warn(_("hg: %s\n") % inst.args[1])
             commands.help_(ui, 'shortlist')
diff --git a/tests/test-alias.t b/tests/test-alias.t
--- a/tests/test-alias.t
+++ b/tests/test-alias.t
@@ -304,13 +304,7 @@ invalid arguments
   
   alias for: hg root
   
-  print the root (top) of the current working directory
-  
-      Print the root directory of the current repository.
-  
-      Returns 0 on success.
-  
-  use "hg -v help rt" to show global options
+  use "hg help rt" to show the full help text
   [255]
 
 invalid global arguments for normal commands, aliases, and shell aliases
diff --git a/tests/test-dispatch.t b/tests/test-dispatch.t
--- a/tests/test-dispatch.t
+++ b/tests/test-dispatch.t
@@ -18,20 +18,6 @@ Missing arg:
   
   output the current or given revision of files
   
-      Print the specified files as they were at the given revision. If no
-      revision is given, the parent of the working directory is used, or tip if
-      no revision is checked out.
-  
-      Output may be to a file, in which case the name of the file is given using
-      a format string. The formatting rules are the same as for the export
-      command, with the following additions:
-  
-      "%s"  basename of file being printed
-      "%d"  dirname of file being printed, or '.' if in repository root
-      "%p"  root-relative path name of file being printed
-  
-      Returns 0 on success.
-  
   options:
   
    -o --output FORMAT        print output to file with formatted name
@@ -42,7 +28,7 @@ Missing arg:
   
   [+] marked option can be specified multiple times
   
-  use "hg -v help cat" to show global options
+  use "hg help cat" to show the full help text
   [255]
 
 [defaults]
diff --git a/tests/test-help.t b/tests/test-help.t
--- a/tests/test-help.t
+++ b/tests/test-help.t
@@ -387,17 +387,6 @@ Test help option with version option
   
   add the specified files on the next commit
   
-      Schedule files to be version controlled and added to the repository.
-  
-      The files will be added to the repository at the next commit. To undo an
-      add before that, see "hg forget".
-  
-      If no names are given, add all files to the repository.
-  
-      Returns 0 if all files are successfully added.
-  
-  use "hg -v help add" to show verbose help
-  
   options:
   
    -I --include PATTERN [+]  include names matching the given patterns
@@ -407,7 +396,7 @@ Test help option with version option
   
   [+] marked option can be specified multiple times
   
-  use "hg -v help add" to show global options
+  use "hg help add" to show the full help text
   [255]
 
 Test ambiguous command help
diff --git a/tests/test-qrecord.t b/tests/test-qrecord.t
--- a/tests/test-qrecord.t
+++ b/tests/test-qrecord.t
@@ -90,9 +90,7 @@ qrecord (mq not present)
   
   interactively record a new patch
   
-      See "hg help qnew" & "hg help record" for more information and usage.
-  
-  use "hg -v help qrecord" to show global options
+  use "hg help qrecord" to show the full help text
   [255]
 
 qrecord patch (mq not present)