diff --git a/src/lua/internal/sysbench.cmdline.lua b/src/lua/internal/sysbench.cmdline.lua
index c9babe8..6889b64 100644
--- a/src/lua/internal/sysbench.cmdline.lua
+++ b/src/lua/internal/sysbench.cmdline.lua
@@ -167,3 +167,14 @@ function sysbench.cmdline.call_command(name)
       return rc and true or false
    end
 end
+
+ffi.cdef[[
+void sb_print_test_options(void);
+]]
+
+-- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+-- Print descriptions of command line options, if defined by option_defs
+-- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+function sysbench.cmdline.print_test_options()
+   ffi.C.sb_print_test_options()
+end
diff --git a/src/sysbench.c b/src/sysbench.c
index 0e33f19..a4a49a4 100644
--- a/src/sysbench.c
+++ b/src/sysbench.c
@@ -1224,6 +1224,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     return test != NULL ? EXIT_SUCCESS : EXIT_FAILURE;
   }
 
+  current_test = test;
+
   /* Load and parse test-specific options */
   if (parse_test_arguments(test, argc, argv))
     return EXIT_FAILURE;
@@ -1234,19 +1236,22 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
   }
   else if (!strcmp(sb_globals.cmdname, "help"))
   {
-    if (test == NULL)
-      print_help();
-    else
+    if (test->builtin_cmds.help != NULL)
     {
-      if (test->args != NULL)
-      {
-        printf("%s options:\n", test->sname);
-        sb_print_options(test->args);
-      }
-      if (test->builtin_cmds.help != NULL)
-        test->builtin_cmds.help();
+      test->builtin_cmds.help();
+      return EXIT_SUCCESS;
     }
-    return EXIT_SUCCESS;
+    else if (test->args != NULL)
+    {
+      printf("%s options:\n", test->sname);
+      sb_print_test_options();
+      return EXIT_SUCCESS;
+    }
+
+    /* We don't know want to print as help text, let the user know */
+    fprintf(stderr, "'%s' test does not implement the 'help' command.\n",
+            test->sname);
+    return EXIT_FAILURE;
   }
   else if (!strcmp(sb_globals.cmdname, "prepare"))
   {
@@ -1254,7 +1259,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     {
       fprintf(stderr, "'%s' test does not implement the 'prepare' command.\n",
               test->sname);
-      exit(1);
+      return EXIT_FAILURE;
     }
 
     return test->builtin_cmds.prepare();
@@ -1272,7 +1277,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
   }
   else if (!strcmp(sb_globals.cmdname, "run"))
   {
-    current_test = test;
     if (run_test(test))
       return EXIT_FAILURE;
   }
@@ -1294,3 +1298,11 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
   exit(0);
 }
+
+/* Print a description of available command line options for the current test */
+
+void sb_print_test_options(void)
+{
+  if (current_test != NULL)
+    sb_print_options(current_test->args);
+}
diff --git a/src/sysbench.h b/src/sysbench.h
index 6eb538e..6eac6cb 100644
--- a/src/sysbench.h
+++ b/src/sysbench.h
@@ -203,4 +203,7 @@ sb_event_t sb_next_event(sb_test_t *test, int thread_id);
 void sb_event_start(int thread_id);
 void sb_event_stop(int thread_id);
 
+/* Print a description of available command line options for the current test */
+void sb_print_test_options(void);
+
 #endif
diff --git a/tests/t/cmdline.t b/tests/t/cmdline.t
index f45dfc7..c933570 100644
--- a/tests/t/cmdline.t
+++ b/tests/t/cmdline.t
@@ -110,7 +110,9 @@ Command line options tests
   > }
   > 
   > function help()
-  >   local o = sysbench.opt
+  >    print("Available options:")
+  >    sysbench.cmdline.print_test_options()
+  >    local o = sysbench.opt
   >    print(o.str_opt1)
   >    print(o.str_opt2)
   >    print(o.str_opt3)
@@ -133,7 +135,7 @@ Command line options tests
   $ sysbench cmdline.lua help
   sysbench * (glob)
   
-  cmdline.lua options:
+  Available options:
     --dash-opt=STRING      dash-opt desc [dash-opt val]
     --str_opt1=STRING      str_opt1 description
     --bool_opt3[=on|off]   bool_opt3 description
@@ -187,6 +189,16 @@ Command line options tests
   'cmdline.lua' test does not implement the 'cleanup' command.
   [1]
 
+  $ cat >cmdline.lua <<EOF
+  > 
+  > EOF
+
+  $ sysbench cmdline.lua help
+  sysbench * (glob)
+  
+  'cmdline.lua' test does not implement the 'help' command.
+  [1]
+
   $ cat >cmdline.lua <<EOF
   > sysbench.option_defs = {
   >   {},