diff --git a/cmd/cobra.go b/cmd/cobra.go
index 437fda97a..d2a546caf 100644
--- a/cmd/cobra.go
+++ b/cmd/cobra.go
@@ -91,6 +91,10 @@ https://caddyserver.com/docs/running
   $ caddy run --config caddy.json
   $ caddy reload --config caddy.json
   $ caddy stop`,
+
+	// kind of annoying to have all the help text printed out if
+	// caddy has an error provisioning its modules, for instance...
+	SilenceUsage: true,
 }
 
 const fullDocsFooter = `Full documentation is available at:
diff --git a/cmd/main.go b/cmd/main.go
index 44e339afe..b91559ce8 100644
--- a/cmd/main.go
+++ b/cmd/main.go
@@ -51,12 +51,9 @@ func init() {
 // Main implements the main function of the caddy command.
 // Call this if Caddy is to be the main() of your program.
 func Main() {
-	switch len(os.Args) {
-	case 0:
+	if len(os.Args) == 0 {
 		fmt.Printf("[FATAL] no arguments provided by OS; args[0] must be command\n")
 		os.Exit(caddy.ExitCodeFailedStartup)
-	case 1:
-		os.Args = append(os.Args, "help")
 	}
 
 	if err := rootCmd.Execute(); err != nil {