diff --git a/tests/t2120-shorthelp.sh b/tests/t2120-shorthelp.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..1724dee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/t2120-shorthelp.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+#
+
+test_description='shorthelp functionality
+
+This test covers the output of the -h option and the shorthelp action.
+'
+. ./actions-test-lib.sh
+. ./test-lib.sh
+
+# Note: To avoid having to adapt the test whenever the actions change, only
+# check for the section headers.
+test_todo_session '-h output' <<EOF
+>>> todo.sh -h | sed '/^  [A-Z]/!d'
+  Usage: todo.sh [-fhpantvV] [-d todo_config] action [task_number] [task_description]
+  Actions:
+  Actions can be added and overridden using scripts in the actions
+  See "help" for more details.
+EOF
+
+test_todo_session 'shorthelp output' <<EOF
+>>> todo.sh shorthelp | sed '/^  [A-Z]/!d'
+  Usage: todo.sh [-fhpantvV] [-d todo_config] action [task_number] [task_description]
+  Actions:
+  Actions can be added and overridden using scripts in the actions
+  See "help" for more details.
+EOF
+
+make_action "foo"
+test_todo_session 'shorthelp output with custom action' <<EOF
+>>> todo.sh -v shorthelp | sed '/^  [A-Z]/!d'
+  Usage: todo.sh [-fhpantvV] [-d todo_config] action [task_number] [task_description]
+  Actions:
+  Actions can be added and overridden using scripts in the actions
+  Add-on Actions:
+  See "help" for more details.
+EOF
+
+
+# Verify that custom configuration is actually processed (when the -d option
+# precedes the -h option) by specifying a different actions directory and moving
+# our custom action there. The help output should mention the "Add-On Actions".
+set -o pipefail # So that the sed filter doesn't swallow todo.sh's exit code.
+mv todo.cfg custom.cfg
+mv .todo.actions.d custom.actions
+echo 'export TODO_ACTIONS_DIR=$HOME/custom.actions' >> custom.cfg
+
+test_todo_session '-h and fatal error without config' <<EOF
+>>> todo.sh -h | sed '/^ \\{0,2\\}[A-Z]/!d'
+  Usage: todo.sh [-fhpantvV] [-d todo_config] action [task_number] [task_description]
+  Actions:
+  Actions can be added and overridden using scripts in the actions
+  See "help" for more details.
+Fatal Error: Cannot read configuration file $HOME/.todo/config
+=== 1
+EOF
+
+# Config option comes too late; "Add-on Actions" is *not* mentioned here.
+test_todo_session '-h and fatal error with trailing custom config' <<EOF
+>>> todo.sh -h -d custom.cfg | sed '/^ \\{0,2\\}[A-Z]/!d'
+  Usage: todo.sh [-fhpantvV] [-d todo_config] action [task_number] [task_description]
+  Actions:
+  Actions can be added and overridden using scripts in the actions
+  See "help" for more details.
+Fatal Error: Cannot read configuration file $HOME/.todo/config
+=== 1
+EOF
+
+# Config option processed; "Add-on Actions" is mentioned here.
+test_todo_session '-h output with preceding custom config' <<EOF
+>>> todo.sh -d custom.cfg -h | sed '/^ \\{0,2\\}[A-Z]/!d'
+  Usage: todo.sh [-fhpantvV] [-d todo_config] action [task_number] [task_description]
+  Actions:
+  Actions can be added and overridden using scripts in the actions
+  Add-on Actions:
+  See "help" for more details.
+EOF
+
+test_done
diff --git a/todo.sh b/todo.sh
index a6c6c54..7e75ceb 100755
--- a/todo.sh
+++ b/todo.sh
@@ -81,7 +81,6 @@ shorthelp()
 
 		  See "help" for more details.
 	EndHelpFooter
-    exit 0
 }
 
 help()
@@ -327,6 +326,16 @@ actionUsage()
     done
 }
 
+dieWithHelp()
+{
+    case "$1" in
+        help)       help;;
+        shorthelp)  shorthelp;;
+    esac
+    shift
+
+    die "$@"
+}
 die()
 {
     echo "$*"
@@ -514,6 +523,7 @@ do
         # Cannot just invoke shorthelp() because we need the configuration
         # processed to locate the add-on actions directory.
         set -- '-h' 'shorthelp'
+        OPTIND=2
         ;;
     n )
         OVR_TODOTXT_PRESERVE_LINE_NUMBERS=0
@@ -654,7 +664,7 @@ fi
 }
 
 # === SANITY CHECKS (thanks Karl!) ===
-[ -r "$TODOTXT_CFG_FILE" ] || die "Fatal Error: Cannot read configuration file $TODOTXT_CFG_FILE"
+[ -r "$TODOTXT_CFG_FILE" ] || dieWithHelp "$1" "Fatal Error: Cannot read configuration file $TODOTXT_CFG_FILE"
 
 . "$TODOTXT_CFG_FILE"
 
@@ -693,8 +703,8 @@ fi
 ACTION=${1:-$TODOTXT_DEFAULT_ACTION}
 
 [ -z "$ACTION" ]    && usage
-[ -d "$TODO_DIR" ]  || die "Fatal Error: $TODO_DIR is not a directory"
-( cd "$TODO_DIR" )  || die "Fatal Error: Unable to cd to $TODO_DIR"
+[ -d "$TODO_DIR" ]  || dieWithHelp "$1" "Fatal Error: $TODO_DIR is not a directory"
+( cd "$TODO_DIR" )  || dieWithHelp "$1" "Fatal Error: Unable to cd to $TODO_DIR"
 
 [ -f "$TODO_FILE" ] || cp /dev/null "$TODO_FILE"
 [ -f "$DONE_FILE" ] || cp /dev/null "$DONE_FILE"