diff --git a/mercurial/commands.py b/mercurial/commands.py
--- a/mercurial/commands.py
+++ b/mercurial/commands.py
@@ -1214,7 +1214,11 @@ def help_(ui, name=None, with_version=Fa
             ui.write('\n')
         aliases, i = cmdutil.findcmd(ui, name, table)
         # synopsis
-        ui.write("%s\n\n" % i[2])
+        ui.write("%s\n" % i[2])
+
+        # aliases
+        if not ui.quiet and len(aliases) > 1:
+            ui.write(_("\naliases: %s\n") % ', '.join(aliases[1:]))
 
         # description
         doc = i[0].__doc__
@@ -1222,13 +1226,9 @@ def help_(ui, name=None, with_version=Fa
             doc = _("(No help text available)")
         if ui.quiet:
             doc = doc.splitlines(0)[0]
-        ui.write("%s\n" % doc.rstrip())
+        ui.write("\n%s\n" % doc.rstrip())
 
         if not ui.quiet:
-            # aliases
-            if len(aliases) > 1:
-                ui.write(_("\naliases: %s\n") % ', '.join(aliases[1:]))
-
             # options
             if i[1]:
                 option_lists.append((_("options:\n"), i[1]))
diff --git a/tests/test-help.out b/tests/test-help.out
--- a/tests/test-help.out
+++ b/tests/test-help.out
@@ -211,6 +211,8 @@ options:
 use "hg -v help diff" to show global options
 hg status [OPTION]... [FILE]...
 
+aliases: st
+
 show changed files in the working directory
 
     Show status of files in the repository.  If names are given, only
@@ -235,8 +237,6 @@ show changed files in the working direct
     I = ignored (not shown by default)
       = the previous added file was copied from here
 
-aliases: st
-
 options:
 
  -A --all        show status of all files