diff --git a/tools/bufr_compare.cc b/tools/bufr_compare.cc
index 94da7ba2a..268d7ac8e 100644
--- a/tools/bufr_compare.cc
+++ b/tools/bufr_compare.cc
@@ -34,7 +34,8 @@ grib_option grib_options[] = {
     { "I", 0, 0, 1, 0, 0 },
     { "V", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
     { "7", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
-    { "v", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 }
+    { "v", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
+    { "h", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
 };
 
 int grib_options_count = sizeof(grib_options) / sizeof(grib_option);
diff --git a/tools/bufr_copy.cc b/tools/bufr_copy.cc
index af1bc712c..c4c8cbf8d 100644
--- a/tools/bufr_copy.cc
+++ b/tools/bufr_copy.cc
@@ -44,7 +44,8 @@ grib_option grib_options[] = {
     { "g", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
     { "7", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
     { "X:", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
-    { "v", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 }
+    { "v", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
+    { "h", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
 };
 
 int grib_options_count = sizeof(grib_options) / sizeof(grib_option);
diff --git a/tools/bufr_dump.cc b/tools/bufr_dump.cc
index 60265b085..ed5fe88b8 100644
--- a/tools/bufr_dump.cc
+++ b/tools/bufr_dump.cc
@@ -53,7 +53,8 @@ grib_option grib_options[] = {
     { "V", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
     { "q", 0, 0, 1, 0, 0 },
     { "S:", "subset_number", "\n\t\tDump the given subset\n", 0, 1, 0 },
-    { "X:", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 }
+    { "X:", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
+    { "h", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
     /* {"x",0,0,0,1,0} */
 };
 
diff --git a/tools/bufr_filter.cc b/tools/bufr_filter.cc
index bee0fe2da..fbabc7a76 100644
--- a/tools/bufr_filter.cc
+++ b/tools/bufr_filter.cc
@@ -23,7 +23,8 @@ grib_option grib_options[] = {
     /*      {"G",0,0,0,1,0}, */
     { "T:", 0, 0, 1, 0, "B" },
     { "7", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
-    { "v", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 }
+    { "v", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
+    { "h", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
 };
 const char* tool_description =
     "Apply the rules defined in rules_file to each BUFR "
diff --git a/tools/bufr_get.cc b/tools/bufr_get.cc
index 57664a7ce..ba76afca7 100644
--- a/tools/bufr_get.cc
+++ b/tools/bufr_get.cc
@@ -27,7 +27,8 @@ grib_option grib_options[] = {
     /*      {"G",0,0,0,1,0}, */
     { "T:", 0, 0, 1, 0, "B" },
     { "7", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
-    { "v", 0, 0, 1, 0, 0 }
+    { "v", 0, 0, 1, 0, 0 },
+    { "h", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
 };
 
 const char* tool_description =
diff --git a/tools/bufr_index_build.cc b/tools/bufr_index_build.cc
index 12dcf7bf5..ac29bd6b7 100644
--- a/tools/bufr_index_build.cc
+++ b/tools/bufr_index_build.cc
@@ -34,7 +34,8 @@ grib_option grib_options[] = {
     { "N", 0,
       "Do not compress index."
       "\n\t\tBy default the index is compressed to remove keys with only one value.\n",
-      0, 1, 0 }
+      0, 1, 0 },
+    { "h", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
 };
 
 static int compress_index;
diff --git a/tools/bufr_ls.cc b/tools/bufr_ls.cc
index f86319e22..4537cc666 100644
--- a/tools/bufr_ls.cc
+++ b/tools/bufr_ls.cc
@@ -30,7 +30,8 @@ grib_option grib_options[] = {
     { "P", 0, 0, 1, 0, 0 },
     { "T:", 0, 0, 1, 0, "B" },
     { "7", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
-    { "v", 0, 0, 1, 0, 0 }
+    { "v", 0, 0, 1, 0, 0 },
+    { "h", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
 };
 
 const char* tool_description =
diff --git a/tools/bufr_set.cc b/tools/bufr_set.cc
index 38c41dd1b..40c51547b 100644
--- a/tools/bufr_set.cc
+++ b/tools/bufr_set.cc
@@ -35,7 +35,8 @@ grib_option grib_options[] = {
     /*      {"G",0,0,0,1,0}, */
     { "T:", 0, 0, 1, 0, "B" },
     { "f", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
-    { "v", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 }
+    { "v", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
+    { "h", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
 };
 
 const char* tool_description =
diff --git a/tools/grib_compare.cc b/tools/grib_compare.cc
index 800c3eca6..a538f2a8c 100644
--- a/tools/grib_compare.cc
+++ b/tools/grib_compare.cc
@@ -34,7 +34,8 @@ grib_option grib_options[] = {
     { "I", 0, 0, 1, 0, 0 },
     { "V", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
     { "7", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
-    { "v", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 }
+    { "v", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
+    { "h", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
 };
 int grib_options_count = sizeof(grib_options) / sizeof(grib_option);
 
diff --git a/tools/grib_copy.cc b/tools/grib_copy.cc
index ccc4c690a..349a32259 100644
--- a/tools/grib_copy.cc
+++ b/tools/grib_copy.cc
@@ -48,7 +48,8 @@ grib_option grib_options[] = {
     { "G", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
     { "7", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
     { "X:", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
-    { "v", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 }
+    { "v", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
+    { "h", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
 };
 
 int grib_options_count = sizeof(grib_options) / sizeof(grib_option);
diff --git a/tools/grib_dump.cc b/tools/grib_dump.cc
index f61c6597e..c7e0c02d9 100644
--- a/tools/grib_dump.cc
+++ b/tools/grib_dump.cc
@@ -31,7 +31,8 @@ grib_option grib_options[] = {
     { "p:", "key1,key2,...",
       "\n\t\tDeclaration of keys to dump. Only those keys are dumped (not the whole message).\n", 0, 1, 0 },
     { "X:", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
-    { "x", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 }
+    { "x", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
+    { "h", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
 };
 
 const char* tool_description = "Dump the content of a GRIB file in different formats.";
diff --git a/tools/grib_filter.cc b/tools/grib_filter.cc
index 8ed7ff296..019fc48c8 100644
--- a/tools/grib_filter.cc
+++ b/tools/grib_filter.cc
@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@ grib_option grib_options[] = {
     { "G", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
     { "T:", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
     { "7", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
-    { "v", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 }
+    { "v", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
+    { "h", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
 };
 const char* tool_description =
     "Apply the rules defined in rules_file to each GRIB "
diff --git a/tools/grib_get.cc b/tools/grib_get.cc
index 12acb78da..6251c436f 100644
--- a/tools/grib_get.cc
+++ b/tools/grib_get.cc
@@ -32,7 +32,8 @@ grib_option grib_options[] = {
     { "7", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
     { "v", 0, 0, 1, 0, 0 },
     { "X:", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
-    { "i:", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 }
+    { "i:", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
+    { "h", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
 };
 
 const char* tool_description =
diff --git a/tools/grib_get_data.cc b/tools/grib_get_data.cc
index 83b87421d..54185ac61 100644
--- a/tools/grib_get_data.cc
+++ b/tools/grib_get_data.cc
@@ -31,7 +31,8 @@ grib_option grib_options[] = {
     { "G", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
     { "7", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
     { "X:", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
-    { "V", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 }
+    { "V", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
+    { "h", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
 };
 
 const char* tool_description =
diff --git a/tools/grib_histogram.cc b/tools/grib_histogram.cc
index a41105c74..789cdcc26 100644
--- a/tools/grib_histogram.cc
+++ b/tools/grib_histogram.cc
@@ -15,7 +15,8 @@ grib_option grib_options[] = {
     { "V", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
     { "p:", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 }, /* print keys */
     { "S", 0, 0, 1, 0, 0 },  /* needed for skip */
-    { "w:", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 }  /* 'where' clause */
+    { "w:", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },  /* 'where' clause */
+    { "h", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
 };
 int grib_options_count = sizeof(grib_options) / sizeof(grib_option);
 
diff --git a/tools/grib_index_build.cc b/tools/grib_index_build.cc
index 5d1d16915..6e933da2b 100644
--- a/tools/grib_index_build.cc
+++ b/tools/grib_index_build.cc
@@ -33,7 +33,8 @@ grib_option grib_options[] = {
     { "N", 0,
       "Do not compress index."
       "\n\t\tBy default the index is compressed to remove keys with only one value.\n",
-      0, 1, 0 }
+      0, 1, 0 },
+    { "h", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
 };
 
 static int compress_index;
diff --git a/tools/grib_ls.cc b/tools/grib_ls.cc
index 0193b3e17..2be9333e4 100644
--- a/tools/grib_ls.cc
+++ b/tools/grib_ls.cc
@@ -35,7 +35,8 @@ grib_option grib_options[] = {
     { "7", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
     { "v", 0, 0, 1, 0, 0 },
     { "X:", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
-    { "x", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 }
+    { "x", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
+    { "h", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
 };
 
 const char* tool_description =
diff --git a/tools/grib_merge.cc b/tools/grib_merge.cc
index 8e18e54ea..7848935ff 100644
--- a/tools/grib_merge.cc
+++ b/tools/grib_merge.cc
@@ -56,7 +56,8 @@ grib_option grib_options[] = {
     { "g", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
     { "G", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
     { "7", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
-    { "v", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 }
+    { "v", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
+    { "h", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
 };
 
 int grib_options_count = sizeof(grib_options) / sizeof(grib_option);
diff --git a/tools/grib_options.cc b/tools/grib_options.cc
index 475f22fdf..3d792ca4e 100644
--- a/tools/grib_options.cc
+++ b/tools/grib_options.cc
@@ -106,8 +106,8 @@ static grib_options_help grib_options_help_list[] = {
     { "k:", "key1,key2,...",
       "\n\t\tSpecify a list of keys to index on. By default the input files are indexed on the MARS keys."
       "\n\t\tFor each key a string (key:s) or a double (key:d) or an integer (key:i)"
-      "\n\t\ttype can be requested.\n" }
-
+      "\n\t\ttype can be requested.\n" },
+    { "h", 0, "Display this help text and exit.\n" }
 };
 
 static int grib_options_help_count = sizeof(grib_options_help_list) / sizeof(grib_options_help);
@@ -198,6 +198,10 @@ int grib_process_runtime_options(grib_context* context, int argc, char** argv, g
     int has_input_extra = 0, nfiles = 0;
     char *karg = NULL, *warg = NULL, *sarg = NULL, *barg = NULL;
 
+    if (grib_options_on("h")) {
+        usage();
+    }
+
     if (grib_options_on("V")) {
         printf("\necCodes Version ");
         grib_print_api_version(stdout);
diff --git a/tools/grib_set.cc b/tools/grib_set.cc
index 13adcde65..537eb8a9f 100644
--- a/tools/grib_set.cc
+++ b/tools/grib_set.cc
@@ -39,7 +39,8 @@ grib_option grib_options[] = {
     { "G", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
     { "T:", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
     { "f", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
-    { "v", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 }
+    { "v", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
+    { "h", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
 };
 
 const char* tool_description =
diff --git a/tools/grib_to_netcdf.cc b/tools/grib_to_netcdf.cc
index e62b69a7d..b46145123 100644
--- a/tools/grib_to_netcdf.cc
+++ b/tools/grib_to_netcdf.cc
@@ -3936,7 +3936,8 @@ grib_option grib_options[] = {
       "\n\t\tChunking strategy based on GRIB message.\n",
       0, 1, "6" },
     { "s", 0, "Shuffle data before deflation compression.\n", 0, 1, 0 },
-    { "u:", "dimension", "\n\t\tSet dimension to be an unlimited dimension.\n", 0, 1, "time" }
+    { "u:", "dimension", "\n\t\tSet dimension to be an unlimited dimension.\n", 0, 1, "time" },
+    { "h", 0, 0, 0, 1, 0 },
 };
 
 int grib_options_count    = sizeof(grib_options) / sizeof(grib_option);