diff --git a/git-add.sh b/git-add.sh
index fdec86d1a4..f719b4b1a8 100755
--- a/git-add.sh
+++ b/git-add.sh
@@ -1,13 +1,8 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
-die () {
-    echo >&2 "$*"
-    exit 1
-}
-
-usage() {
-    die "usage: git add [-n] [-v] <file>..."
-}
+USAGE='[-n] [-v] <file>...'
+SUBDIRECTORY_OK='Yes'
+. git-sh-setup
 
 show_only=
 verbose=
@@ -29,8 +24,6 @@ while : ; do
   shift
 done
 
-GIT_DIR=$(git-rev-parse --git-dir) || exit
-
 if test -f "$GIT_DIR/info/exclude"
 then
 	git-ls-files -z \
diff --git a/git-am.sh b/git-am.sh
index 6ed527c7a9..39f255209e 100755
--- a/git-am.sh
+++ b/git-am.sh
@@ -1,14 +1,10 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 #
 #
-. git-sh-setup
 
-usage () {
-    echo >&2 "usage: $0 [--signoff] [--dotest=<dir>] [--utf8] [--binary] [--3way] <mbox>"
-    echo >&2 "	or, when resuming"
-    echo >&2 "	$0 [--skip | --resolved]"
-    exit 1;
-}
+USAGE='[--signoff] [--dotest=<dir>] [--utf8] [--binary] [--3way] <mbox>
+  or, when resuming [--skip | --resolved]'
+. git-sh-setup
 
 stop_here () {
     echo "$1" >"$dotest/next"
diff --git a/git-applymbox.sh b/git-applymbox.sh
index c686cc8d27..61c8c024c6 100755
--- a/git-applymbox.sh
+++ b/git-applymbox.sh
@@ -18,13 +18,9 @@
 ##
 ## git-am is supposed to be the newer and better tool for this job.
 
+USAGE='[-u] [-k] [-q] [-m] (-c .dotest/<num> | mbox) [signoff]'
 . git-sh-setup
 
-usage () {
-    echo >&2 "applymbox [-u] [-k] [-q] [-m] (-c .dotest/<num> | mbox) [signoff]"
-    exit 1
-}
-
 keep_subject= query_apply= continue= utf8= resume=t
 while case "$#" in 0) break ;; esac
 do
diff --git a/git-applypatch.sh b/git-applypatch.sh
index a112e1a504..e8ba34a0ad 100755
--- a/git-applypatch.sh
+++ b/git-applypatch.sh
@@ -10,8 +10,12 @@
 ##	$3 - "info" file with Author, email and subject
 ##	$4 - optional file containing signoff to add
 ##
+
+USAGE='<msg> <patch> <info> [<signoff>]'
 . git-sh-setup
 
+case "$#" in 3|4) usage ;; esac
+
 final=.dotest/final-commit
 ##
 ## If this file exists, we ask before applying
diff --git a/git-bisect.sh b/git-bisect.sh
index 05dae8ad13..51e1e4417d 100755
--- a/git-bisect.sh
+++ b/git-bisect.sh
@@ -1,4 +1,15 @@
 #!/bin/sh
+
+USAGE='[start|bad|good|next|reset|visualize]'
+LONG_USAGE='git bisect start [<pathspec>]	reset bisect state and start bisection.
+git bisect bad [<rev>]		mark <rev> a known-bad revision.
+git bisect good [<rev>...]	mark <rev>... known-good revisions.
+git bisect next			find next bisection to test and check it out.
+git bisect reset [<branch>]	finish bisection search and go back to branch.
+git bisect visualize            show bisect status in gitk.
+git bisect replay <logfile>	replay bisection log
+git bisect log			show bisect log.'
+
 . git-sh-setup
 
 sq() {
@@ -11,19 +22,6 @@ sq() {
 	' "$@"
 }
 
-usage() {
-    echo >&2 'usage: git bisect [start|bad|good|next|reset|visualize]
-git bisect start [<pathspec>]	reset bisect state and start bisection.
-git bisect bad [<rev>]		mark <rev> a known-bad revision.
-git bisect good [<rev>...]	mark <rev>... known-good revisions.
-git bisect next			find next bisection to test and check it out.
-git bisect reset [<branch>]	finish bisection search and go back to branch.
-git bisect visualize            show bisect status in gitk.
-git bisect replay <logfile>	replay bisection log
-git bisect log			show bisect log.'
-    exit 1
-}
-
 bisect_autostart() {
 	test -d "$GIT_DIR/refs/bisect" || {
 		echo >&2 'You need to start by "git bisect start"'
diff --git a/git-branch.sh b/git-branch.sh
index 5306b2719f..0266f46223 100755
--- a/git-branch.sh
+++ b/git-branch.sh
@@ -1,21 +1,12 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
-GIT_DIR=`git-rev-parse --git-dir` || exit $?
-
-die () {
-    echo >&2 "$*"
-    exit 1
-}
-
-usage () {
-    echo >&2 "usage: $(basename $0)"' [-d <branch>] | [[-f] <branch> [start-point]]
-
-If no arguments, show available branches and mark current branch with a star.
+USAGE='[-d <branch>] | [[-f] <branch> [start-point]]'
+LONG_USAGE='If no arguments, show available branches and mark current branch with a star.
 If one argument, create a new branch <branchname> based off of current HEAD.
-If two arguments, create a new branch <branchname> based off of <start-point>.
-'
-    exit 1
-}
+If two arguments, create a new branch <branchname> based off of <start-point>.'
+
+SUBDIRECTORY_OK='Yes'
+. git-sh-setup
 
 headref=$(git-symbolic-ref HEAD | sed -e 's|^refs/heads/||')
 
diff --git a/git-checkout.sh b/git-checkout.sh
index 4cf30e2c05..f241d4ba6b 100755
--- a/git-checkout.sh
+++ b/git-checkout.sh
@@ -1,9 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-. git-sh-setup
 
-usage () {
-    die "usage: git checkout [-f] [-b <new_branch>] [<branch>] [<paths>...]"
-}
+USAGE='[-f] [-b <new_branch>] [<branch>] [<paths>...]'
+. git-sh-setup
 
 old=$(git-rev-parse HEAD)
 new=
diff --git a/git-cherry.sh b/git-cherry.sh
index 867522b37f..5e9bd0caf2 100755
--- a/git-cherry.sh
+++ b/git-cherry.sh
@@ -3,11 +3,8 @@
 # Copyright (c) 2005 Junio C Hamano.
 #
 
-. git-sh-setup
-
-usage="usage: $0 "'[-v] <upstream> [<head>]
-
-             __*__*__*__*__> <upstream>
+USAGE='[-v] <upstream> [<head>]'
+LONG_USAGE='             __*__*__*__*__> <upstream>
             /
   fork-point
             \__+__+__+__+__+__+__+__> <head>
@@ -16,8 +13,8 @@ Each commit between the fork-point and <head> is examined, and
 compared against the change each commit between the fork-point and
 <upstream> introduces.  If the change seems to be in the upstream,
 it is shown on the standard output with prefix "+".  Otherwise
-it is shown with prefix "-".
-'
+it is shown with prefix "-".'
+. git-sh-setup
 
 case "$1" in -v) verbose=t; shift ;; esac 
 
@@ -35,7 +32,7 @@ case "$#" in
 2) upstream=`git-rev-parse --verify "$1"` &&
    ours=`git-rev-parse --verify "$2"` || exit
    ;;
-*) echo >&2 "$usage"; exit 1 ;;
+*) usage ;;
 esac
 
 # Note that these list commits in reverse order;
diff --git a/git-clone.sh b/git-clone.sh
index e49028f684..280cc2e81e 100755
--- a/git-clone.sh
+++ b/git-clone.sh
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 unset CDPATH
 
 usage() {
-	echo >&2 "* git clone [-l [-s]] [-q] [-u <upload-pack>] [-n] <repo> [<dir>]"
+	echo >&2 "Usage: $0 [-l [-s]] [-q] [-u <upload-pack>] [-n] <repo> [<dir>]"
 	exit 1
 }
 
diff --git a/git-commit.sh b/git-commit.sh
index 3d250ec853..7e39c107cf 100755
--- a/git-commit.sh
+++ b/git-commit.sh
@@ -3,12 +3,9 @@
 # Copyright (c) 2005 Linus Torvalds
 #
 
+USAGE='[-a] [-s] [-v | --no-verify]  [-m <message> | -F <logfile> | (-C|-c) <commit>] [-e] [<path>...]'
 . git-sh-setup
 
-usage () {
-	die 'git commit [-a] [-s] [-v | --no-verify]  [-m <message> | -F <logfile> | (-C|-c) <commit>] [-e] [<path>...]'
-}
-
 all= logfile= use_commit= no_edit= log_given= log_message= verify=t signoff=
 while case "$#" in 0) break;; esac
 do
diff --git a/git-fetch.sh b/git-fetch.sh
index 14ea295113..767ca61ca6 100755
--- a/git-fetch.sh
+++ b/git-fetch.sh
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 #
+
+USAGE='<fetch-options> <repository> <refspec>...'
 . git-sh-setup
 . git-parse-remote
 _x40='[0-9a-f][0-9a-f][0-9a-f][0-9a-f][0-9a-f]'
@@ -34,6 +36,9 @@ do
 	-v|--verbose)
 		verbose=Yes
 		;;
+	-*)
+		usage
+		;;
 	*)
 		break
 		;;
diff --git a/git-format-patch.sh b/git-format-patch.sh
index 921feee59c..01508e3b04 100755
--- a/git-format-patch.sh
+++ b/git-format-patch.sh
@@ -3,19 +3,8 @@
 # Copyright (c) 2005 Junio C Hamano
 #
 
-. git-sh-setup
-
-# Force diff to run in C locale.
-LANG=C LC_ALL=C
-export LANG LC_ALL
-
-usage () {
-    echo >&2 "usage: $0"' [-n] [-o dir | --stdout] [--keep-subject] [--mbox]
-    [--check] [--signoff] [-<diff options>...]
-    [--help]
-    ( from..to ... | upstream [ our-head ] )
-
-Prepare each commit with its patch since our-head forked from upstream,
+USAGE='[-n | -k] [-o <dir> | --stdout] [--signoff] [--check] [--mbox] [--diff-options] <upstream> [<our-head>]'
+LONG_USAGE='Prepare each commit with its patch since our-head forked from upstream,
 one file per patch, for e-mail submission.  Each output file is
 numbered sequentially from 1, and uses the first line of the commit
 message (massaged for pathname safety) as the filename.
@@ -28,10 +17,12 @@ as "[PATCH N/M] Subject", unless you have only one patch.
 
 When --mbox is specified, the output is formatted to resemble
 UNIX mailbox format, and can be concatenated together for processing
-with applymbox.
-'
-    exit 1
-}
+with applymbox.'
+. git-sh-setup
+
+# Force diff to run in C locale.
+LANG=C LC_ALL=C
+export LANG LC_ALL
 
 diff_opts=
 LF='
diff --git a/git-grep.sh b/git-grep.sh
index 44c16130bd..2ed8e955d6 100755
--- a/git-grep.sh
+++ b/git-grep.sh
@@ -3,6 +3,10 @@
 # Copyright (c) Linus Torvalds, 2005
 #
 
+USAGE='<option>... <pattern> <path>...'
+SUBDIRECTORY_OK='Yes'
+. git-sh-setup
+
 pattern=
 flags=()
 git_flags=()
@@ -40,8 +44,7 @@ while : ; do
 	shift
 done
 [ "$pattern" ] || {
-	echo >&2 "usage: 'git grep <pattern> [pathspec*]'"
-	exit 1
+	usage
 }
 git-ls-files -z "${git_flags[@]}" "$@" |
 	xargs -0 grep "${flags[@]}" -e "$pattern"
diff --git a/git-lost-found.sh b/git-lost-found.sh
index 2beec2aa63..ba6d587f31 100755
--- a/git-lost-found.sh
+++ b/git-lost-found.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,14 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
-GIT_DIR=`git-rev-parse --git-dir` || exit $?
+USAGE=''
+SUBDIRECTORY_OK='Yes'
+. git-sh-setup
+
+if [ "$#" != "0" ]
+then
+    usage
+fi
+
 laf="$GIT_DIR/lost-found"
 rm -fr "$laf" && mkdir -p "$laf/commit" "$laf/other" || exit
 
diff --git a/git-merge.sh b/git-merge.sh
index d25ae4b82d..e50fbb1160 100755
--- a/git-merge.sh
+++ b/git-merge.sh
@@ -3,15 +3,13 @@
 # Copyright (c) 2005 Junio C Hamano
 #
 
+
+USAGE='[-n] [--no-commit] [-s <strategy>]... <merge-message> <head> <remote>+'
 . git-sh-setup
 
 LF='
 '
 
-usage () {
-    die "git-merge [-n] [--no-commit] [-s <strategy>]... <merge-message> <head> <remote>+"
-}
-
 all_strategies='recursive octopus resolve stupid ours'
 default_strategies='recursive'
 use_strategies=
diff --git a/git-prune.sh b/git-prune.sh
index 7e7f0ad56d..7b61d05c4b 100755
--- a/git-prune.sh
+++ b/git-prune.sh
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
+USAGE='[-n] [--] [<head>...]'
 . git-sh-setup
 
 dryrun=
@@ -9,7 +10,7 @@ do
     case "$1" in
     -n) dryrun=-n echo=echo ;;
     --) break ;;
-    -*) echo >&2 "usage: git-prune [ -n ] [ heads... ]"; exit 1 ;;
+    -*) usage ;;
     *)  break ;;
     esac
     shift;
diff --git a/git-pull.sh b/git-pull.sh
index 3a139849fb..0991d5f14c 100755
--- a/git-pull.sh
+++ b/git-pull.sh
@@ -4,19 +4,10 @@
 #
 # Fetch one or more remote refs and merge it/them into the current HEAD.
 
+USAGE='[-n | --no-summary] [--no-commit] [-s strategy]... [<fetch-options>] <repo> <head>...'
+LONG_USAGE='Fetch one or more remote refs and merge it/them into the current HEAD.'
 . git-sh-setup
 
-usage () {
-    echo >&2 "usage: $0"' [-n] [--no-commit] [--no-summary] [--help]
-    [-s strategy]...
-    [<fetch-options>]
-    <repo> <head>...
-
-Fetch one or more remote refs and merge it/them into the current HEAD.
-'
-    exit 1
-}
-
 strategy_args= no_summary= no_commit=
 while case "$#,$1" in 0) break ;; *,-*) ;; *) break ;; esac
 do
diff --git a/git-push.sh b/git-push.sh
index 140c8f85d5..1c5cf80f87 100755
--- a/git-push.sh
+++ b/git-push.sh
@@ -1,11 +1,8 @@
 #!/bin/sh
+
+USAGE='[--all] [--force] <repository> [<refspec>...]'
 . git-sh-setup
 
-usage () {
-    die "Usage: git push [--all] [--force] <repository> [<refspec>]"
-}
-
-
 # Parse out parameters and then stop at remote, so that we can
 # translate it using .git/branches information
 has_all=
diff --git a/git-rebase.sh b/git-rebase.sh
index 638ff0dbc0..8a5f44aa5e 100755
--- a/git-rebase.sh
+++ b/git-rebase.sh
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 # Copyright (c) 2005 Junio C Hamano.
 #
 
+USAGE='<upstream> [<head>]'
 . git-sh-setup
 
 # Make sure we do not have .dotest
@@ -19,7 +20,7 @@ you still have something valuable there.'
 fi
 
 # The other head is given.  Make sure it is valid.
-other=$(git-rev-parse --verify "$1^0") || exit
+other=$(git-rev-parse --verify "$1^0") || usage
 
 # Make sure we have HEAD that is valid.
 head=$(git-rev-parse --verify "HEAD^0") || exit
@@ -36,7 +37,7 @@ esac
 # If the branch to rebase is given, first switch to it.
 case "$#" in
 2)
-	git-checkout "$2" || exit
+	git-checkout "$2" || usage
 esac
 
 # If the HEAD is a proper descendant of $other, we do not even need
diff --git a/git-repack.sh b/git-repack.sh
index 430ddc5a70..1fafb6ecf6 100755
--- a/git-repack.sh
+++ b/git-repack.sh
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 # Copyright (c) 2005 Linus Torvalds
 #
 
+USAGE='[-a] [-d] [-l] [-n]'
 . git-sh-setup
 	
 no_update_info= all_into_one= remove_redundant= local=
@@ -13,7 +14,7 @@ do
 	-a)	all_into_one=t ;;
 	-d)	remove_redundant=t ;;
 	-l)	local=t ;;
-	*)	break ;;
+	*)	usage ;;
 	esac
 	shift
 done
diff --git a/git-request-pull.sh b/git-request-pull.sh
index ae6cd272ba..2c48bfb299 100755
--- a/git-request-pull.sh
+++ b/git-request-pull.sh
@@ -4,13 +4,11 @@
 # This file is licensed under the GPL v2, or a later version
 # at the discretion of Linus Torvalds.
 
-usage()
-{
-	echo "$0 <commit> <url> [ <head> ]"
-	echo "  Summarizes the changes since <commit> to the standard output,"
-	echo "  and includes <url> in the message generated."
-	exit 1
-}
+USAGE='<commit> <url> [<head>]'
+LONG_USAGE='Summarizes the changes since <commit> to the standard output,
+and includes <url> in the message generated.'
+SUBDIRECTORY_OK='Yes'
+. git-sh-setup
 
 revision=$1
 url=$2
diff --git a/git-reset.sh b/git-reset.sh
index 72ef303aed..eb44ee8cc1 100755
--- a/git-reset.sh
+++ b/git-reset.sh
@@ -1,9 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-. git-sh-setup
 
-usage () {
-	die 'Usage: git reset [--mixed | --soft | --hard]  [<commit-ish>]'
-}
+USAGE='[--mixed | --soft | --hard]  [<commit-ish>]'
+. git-sh-setup
 
 tmp=/var/tmp/reset.$$
 trap 'rm -f $tmp-*' 0 1 2 3 15
diff --git a/git-resolve.sh b/git-resolve.sh
index fcc5ad7349..9263070054 100755
--- a/git-resolve.sh
+++ b/git-resolve.sh
@@ -4,11 +4,9 @@
 #
 # Resolve two trees.
 #
-. git-sh-setup
 
-usage () {
-	die "git-resolve <head> <remote> <merge-message>"
-}
+USAGE='<head> <remote> <merge-message>'
+. git-sh-setup
 
 dropheads() {
 	rm -f -- "$GIT_DIR/MERGE_HEAD" \
diff --git a/git-revert.sh b/git-revert.sh
index 9d499c4807..63d201be1b 100755
--- a/git-revert.sh
+++ b/git-revert.sh
@@ -3,29 +3,20 @@
 # Copyright (c) 2005 Linus Torvalds
 # Copyright (c) 2005 Junio C Hamano
 #
-. git-sh-setup
 
 case "$0" in
 *-revert* )
 	test -t 0 && edit=-e
-	me=revert ;;
+	me=revert
+	USAGE='[--edit | --no-edit] [-n] <commit-ish>' ;;
 *-cherry-pick* )
 	edit=
-	me=cherry-pick ;;
+	me=cherry-pick
+	USAGE='[--edit] [-n] [-r] <commit-ish>'  ;;
 * )
 	die "What are you talking about?" ;;
 esac
-
-usage () {
-	case "$me" in
-	cherry-pick)
-		die "usage git $me [--edit] [-n] [-r] <commit-ish>"
-		;;
-	revert)
-		die "usage git $me [--edit | --no-edit] [-n] <commit-ish>"
-		;;
-	esac
-}
+. git-sh-setup
 
 no_commit= replay=
 while case "$#" in 0) break ;; esac
diff --git a/git-sh-setup.sh b/git-sh-setup.sh
index b4f10224ba..1e638e493d 100755
--- a/git-sh-setup.sh
+++ b/git-sh-setup.sh
@@ -11,13 +11,37 @@
 # exporting it.
 unset CDPATH
 
-: ${GIT_DIR=.git}
-: ${GIT_OBJECT_DIRECTORY="$GIT_DIR/objects"}
-
 die() {
 	echo >&2 "$@"
 	exit 1
 }
 
-# Make sure we are in a valid repository of a vintage we understand.
-GIT_DIR="$GIT_DIR" git-var GIT_AUTHOR_IDENT >/dev/null || exit
+usage() {
+	die "Usage: $0 $USAGE"
+}
+
+if [ -z "$LONG_USAGE" ]
+then
+	LONG_USAGE="Usage: $0 $USAGE"
+else
+	LONG_USAGE="Usage: $0 $USAGE
+
+$LONG_USAGE"
+fi
+
+case "$1" in
+	--h|--he|--hel|--help)
+	echo "$LONG_USAGE"
+	exit
+esac
+
+if [ -z "$SUBDIRECTORY_OK" ]
+then
+	: ${GIT_DIR=.git}
+	: ${GIT_OBJECT_DIRECTORY="$GIT_DIR/objects"}
+
+	# Make sure we are in a valid repository of a vintage we understand.
+	GIT_DIR="$GIT_DIR" git-var GIT_AUTHOR_IDENT >/dev/null || exit
+else
+	GIT_DIR=$(git-rev-parse --git-dir) || exit
+fi
diff --git a/git-status.sh b/git-status.sh
index 2dda0c505c..50ccd24efb 100755
--- a/git-status.sh
+++ b/git-status.sh
@@ -2,7 +2,16 @@
 #
 # Copyright (c) 2005 Linus Torvalds
 #
-GIT_DIR=$(git-rev-parse --git-dir) || exit
+
+USAGE=''
+SUBDIRECTORY_OK='Yes'
+
+. git-sh-setup
+
+if [ "$#" != "0" ]
+then
+  usage
+fi
 
 report () {
   header="#
diff --git a/git-tag.sh b/git-tag.sh
index 2435a75f7a..6d0c973239 100755
--- a/git-tag.sh
+++ b/git-tag.sh
@@ -1,17 +1,9 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 # Copyright (c) 2005 Linus Torvalds
 
-GIT_DIR=`git-rev-parse --git-dir` || exit $?
-
-usage () {
-    echo >&2 "Usage: git-tag [-a | -s | -u <key-id>] [-f | -d] [-m <msg>] <tagname> [<head>]"
-    exit 1
-}
-
-die () {
-    echo >&2 "$*"
-    exit 1
-}
+USAGE='[-a | -s | -u <key-id>] [-f | -d] [-m <msg>] <tagname> [<head>]'
+SUBDIRECTORY_OK='Yes'
+. git-sh-setup
 
 annotate=
 signed=
diff --git a/git-verify-tag.sh b/git-verify-tag.sh
index 1f44da5349..726b1e706b 100755
--- a/git-verify-tag.sh
+++ b/git-verify-tag.sh
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
-GIT_DIR=`git-rev-parse --git-dir` || exit $?
+USAGE='<tag>'
+SUBDIRECTORY_OK='Yes'
+. git-sh-setup
 
-die () {
-    echo >&2 "$*"
-    exit 1
-}
+if [ "$#" != "1" ]
+then
+  usage
+fi
 
 type="$(git-cat-file -t "$1" 2>/dev/null)" ||
 	die "$1: no such object."
diff --git a/t/t3200-branch.sh b/t/t3200-branch.sh
index 36f7749bed..c3de151942 100755
--- a/t/t3200-branch.sh
+++ b/t/t3200-branch.sh
@@ -16,8 +16,8 @@ test_expect_success \
      git-update-index --add A &&
      git-commit -m "Initial commit."'
 
-test_expect_failure \
-    'git branch --help should return error code' \
+test_expect_success \
+    'git branch --help should return success now.' \
     'git-branch --help'
 
 test_expect_failure \