diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index fa5a5b99c..dc91415c1 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@ Any uppercase BUG_* names are modernish shell bug IDs.
 - Functions that set variables in a virtual subshell will no longer affect
   variables of the same name outside of the virtual subshell's environment.
 
+- Terse usage messages written by builtin commands now point the user to
+  the --help and --man options for more information.
+
 2020-06-14:
 
 - 'read -S' is now able to correctly handle strings with double quotes
diff --git a/src/cmd/ksh93/sh.1 b/src/cmd/ksh93/sh.1
index 261ba8239..e43904495 100644
--- a/src/cmd/ksh93/sh.1
+++ b/src/cmd/ksh93/sh.1
@@ -5471,16 +5471,21 @@ all built-in commands accept
 to indicate end of options.
 They also interpret the option
 .B \-\-man
-as a request to display the man page onto
-standard error and
+as a request to display that command's own manual page,
+.B \-\-help
+as a request to display the
+.I OPTIONS
+section from their manual page, and
 .B \-?
-as a help request which prints a
-.I usage\^
-message
-on standard error.
-Commands that are preceded by one or two \(dg symbols
-are special built-in commands and
-are treated specially in the following ways:
+as a request to print a brief usage message.
+All these are printed on standard error.
+There are advanced output options as well; see
+.B getopts --man
+for more information.
+.PP
+Commands that are preceded by one or two \(dg symbols below are
+.I special\ built-in\ commands
+and are treated specially in the following ways:
 .PD 0
 .TP
 1.
diff --git a/src/lib/libast/misc/optget.c b/src/lib/libast/misc/optget.c
index af5559b15..6c5fcab37 100644
--- a/src/lib/libast/misc/optget.c
+++ b/src/lib/libast/misc/optget.c
@@ -1627,7 +1627,7 @@ args(register Sfio_t* sp, register char* p, register int n, int flags, int style
 	else
 	{
 		sep = ' ';
-		o = T(NiL, ID, "options");
+		o = T(NiL, ID, "options | --help | --man");
 		b = style == STYLE_nroff ? "\\ " : " ";
 		for (;;)
 		{