diff --git a/lib/std/special/build_runner.zig b/lib/std/special/build_runner.zig
index f861d3159b..95ad8ec646 100644
--- a/lib/std/special/build_runner.zig
+++ b/lib/std/special/build_runner.zig
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ pub fn main() !void {
         } else if (mem.startsWith(u8, arg, "-")) {
             if (mem.eql(u8, arg, "--verbose")) {
                 builder.verbose = true;
-            } else if (mem.eql(u8, arg, "--help")) {
+            } else if (mem.eql(u8, arg, "-h") or mem.eql(u8, arg, "--help")) {
                 return usage(builder, false, stdout_stream);
             } else if (mem.eql(u8, arg, "--prefix")) {
                 builder.install_prefix = nextArg(args, &arg_idx) orelse {
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ fn usage(builder: *Builder, already_ran_build: bool, out_stream: anytype) !void
     try out_stream.writeAll(
         \\
         \\General Options:
-        \\  --help                      Print this help and exit
+        \\  -h, --help                  Print this help and exit
         \\  --verbose                   Print commands before executing them
         \\  --prefix [path]             Override default install prefix
         \\  --search-prefix [path]      Add a path to look for binaries, libraries, headers
diff --git a/src/main.zig b/src/main.zig
index 53f8b5c633..359632bdde 100644
--- a/src/main.zig
+++ b/src/main.zig
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ const usage =
     \\  c++              Use Zig as a drop-in C++ compiler
     \\  env              Print lib path, std path, cache directory, and version
     \\  fmt              Reformat Zig source into canonical form
+    \\  help             Print this help and exit
     \\  init-exe         Initialize a `zig build` application in the cwd
     \\  init-lib         Initialize a `zig build` library in the cwd
     \\  libc             Display native libc paths file or validate one
@@ -195,7 +196,7 @@ pub fn mainArgs(gpa: *Allocator, arena: *Allocator, args: []const []const u8) !v
         try @import("print_env.zig").cmdEnv(arena, cmd_args, io.getStdOut().outStream());
     } else if (mem.eql(u8, cmd, "zen")) {
         try io.getStdOut().writeAll(info_zen);
-    } else if (mem.eql(u8, cmd, "help")) {
+    } else if (mem.eql(u8, cmd, "help") or mem.eql(u8, cmd, "-h") or mem.eql(u8, cmd, "--help")) {
         try io.getStdOut().writeAll(usage);
     } else {
         std.log.info("{}", .{usage});