diff --git a/client.go b/client.go
index 7b65044..edebd57 100644
--- a/client.go
+++ b/client.go
@@ -344,7 +344,7 @@ func (c *client) simpleCommand(action string) {
 	case "SEARCH":
 		c.search("", "", "?")
 	case "HELP", "?":
-		go c.Visit(helplocation)
+		c.Visit(helplocation)
 	case "VERSION":
 		c.SetMessage("Bombadillo version: " + version, false)
 		c.DrawMessage()
@@ -359,6 +359,14 @@ func (c *client) doCommand(action string, values []string) {
 	case "C", "CHECK":
 		c.displayConfigValue(values[0])
 		c.DrawMessage()
+	case "HELP", "?":
+		if val, ok := ERRS[values[0]]; ok {
+			c.SetMessage("Usage: " + val, false)
+		} else {
+			msg := fmt.Sprintf("%q is not a valid command; help syntax: %s", values[0], ERRS[action])
+			c.SetMessage(msg, false)
+		}
+		c.DrawMessage()
 	case "PURGE", "P":
 		err := c.Certs.Purge(values[0])
 		if err != nil {
diff --git a/cmdparse/parser.go b/cmdparse/parser.go
index dc5870a..39e08ee 100644
--- a/cmdparse/parser.go
+++ b/cmdparse/parser.go
@@ -94,10 +94,10 @@ func (p *Parser) parseAction() (*Command, error) {
 	case Value:
 		cm.Target = t.val
 		cm.Type = DOLINK
-	case Word:
+	case Word, Action:
 		cm.Value = append(cm.Value, t.val)
 		cm.Type = DO
-	case Action, Whitespace:
+	case Whitespace:
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Found %q (%d), expected value", t.val, t.kind)
 	}
 	t = p.scan()
diff --git a/help.go b/help.go
index c927cf7..c41d4c5 100644
--- a/help.go
+++ b/help.go
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ var ERRS = map[string]string{
 	"DELETE":    "`delete [bookmark-id]`",
 	"B":         "`b [[bookmark-id]]`",
 	"BOOKMARKS": "`bookmarks [[bookmark-id]]`",
-	"C":         "`c [link_id]` or `check [setting]`",
+	"C":         "`c [link_id]` or `c [setting]`",
 	"CHECK":     "`check [link_id]` or `check [setting]`",
 	"H":         "`h`",
 	"HOME":      "`home`",
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ var ERRS = map[string]string{
 	"SET":       "`set [setting] [value]`",
 	"W":         "`w [target]`",
 	"WRITE":     "`write [target]`",
-	"?":         "`?`",
-	"HELP":      "`help`",
 	"VERSION":   "`version`",
+	"?":         "`? [[command]]`",
+	"HELP":      "`help [[command]]`",
 }
diff --git a/http/http_render.go b/http/http_render.go
index f68ee2d..58a8813 100644
--- a/http/http_render.go
+++ b/http/http_render.go
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ func Visit(webmode, url string, width int) (Page, error) {
 		return Page{}, fmt.Errorf("Invalid webmode setting")
 	}
 	c, err := exec.Command(webmode, "-dump", w, fmt.Sprintf("%d", width), url).Output()
-	if err != nil {
+	if err != nil && c == nil {
 		return Page{}, err
 	}
 	return parseLinks(string(c)), nil