diff --git a/libbb/appletlib.c b/libbb/appletlib.c
index 9b9d7dbd6..d5335d353 100644
--- a/libbb/appletlib.c
+++ b/libbb/appletlib.c
@@ -937,6 +937,9 @@ void FAST_FUNC show_usage_if_dash_dash_help(int applet_no, char **argv)
 #  endif
 #  if defined APPLET_NO_echo
 	 && applet_no != APPLET_NO_echo
+#  endif
+#  if ENABLE_TEST1 || ENABLE_TEST2
+	 && argv[0][0] != '[' /* exclude [ --help ] and [[ --help ]] too */
 #  endif
 	) {
 		if (argv[1] && strcmp(argv[1], "--help") == 0) {