diff --git a/src/_usage.h b/src/_usage.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..56ea8f6e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/_usage.h
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+/*
+ * @file _usage.h
+ * @brief standardize help/usage output across all our programs
+ * @internal
+ *
+ * Copyright 2007 Gentoo Foundation
+ * Released under the GPLv2
+ */
+
+#define getoptstring_COMMON "Ch"
+#define longopts_COMMON \
+	{ "help",           0, NULL, 'h'}, \
+	{ "nocolor",        0, NULL, 'C'},
+
+#define case_RC_COMMON_GETOPT \
+	case 'C': setenv ("RC_NOCOLOR", "yes", 1); break; \
+	case 'h': usage (EXIT_SUCCESS); \
+	default:  usage (EXIT_FAILURE);