diff --git a/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/Main.hs b/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/Main.hs
index f76f0c5a5..fc30ff720 100644
--- a/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/Main.hs
+++ b/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/Main.hs
@@ -61,6 +61,9 @@ main = withProgName "hledger-ui.log" $ do  -- force Hledger.Utils.Debug.* to log
   dbg1IO "args" progArgs
   dbg1IO "debugLevel" debugLevel
 
+  -- try to encourage user's $PAGER to properly display ANSI (in command line help)
+  when useColorOnStdout setupPager
+
   opts@UIOpts{uoCliOpts=copts@CliOpts{inputopts_=iopts,rawopts_=rawopts}} <- getHledgerUIOpts
   -- when (debug_ $ cliopts_ opts) $ printf "%s\n" prognameandversion >> printf "opts: %s\n" (show opts)
 
@@ -68,7 +71,7 @@ main = withProgName "hledger-ui.log" $ do  -- force Hledger.Utils.Debug.* to log
   let copts' = copts{inputopts_=iopts{forecast_=forecast_ iopts <|> Just nulldatespan}}
 
   case True of
-    _ | "help"            `inRawOpts` rawopts -> putStr (showModeUsage uimode)
+    _ | "help"            `inRawOpts` rawopts -> pager (showModeUsage uimode)
     _ | "info"            `inRawOpts` rawopts -> runInfoForTopic "hledger-ui" Nothing
     _ | "man"             `inRawOpts` rawopts -> runManForTopic  "hledger-ui" Nothing
     _ | "version"         `inRawOpts` rawopts -> putStrLn prognameandversion
diff --git a/hledger-web/Hledger/Web/Main.hs b/hledger-web/Hledger/Web/Main.hs
index 08eacbfa0..ebb1e6e24 100644
--- a/hledger-web/Hledger/Web/Main.hs
+++ b/hledger-web/Hledger/Web/Main.hs
@@ -48,10 +48,13 @@ hledgerWebDev =
 -- Run normally.
 hledgerWebMain :: IO ()
 hledgerWebMain = do
+  -- try to encourage user's $PAGER to properly display ANSI (in command line help)
+  when useColorOnStdout setupPager
+
   wopts@WebOpts{cliopts_=copts@CliOpts{debug_, rawopts_}} <- getHledgerWebOpts
   when (debug_ > 0) $ printf "%s\n" prognameandversion >> printf "opts: %s\n" (show wopts)
   if
-    | "help"            `inRawOpts` rawopts_ -> putStr (showModeUsage webmode) >> exitSuccess
+    | "help"            `inRawOpts` rawopts_ -> pager (showModeUsage webmode) >> exitSuccess
     | "info"            `inRawOpts` rawopts_ -> runInfoForTopic "hledger-web" Nothing
     | "man"             `inRawOpts` rawopts_ -> runManForTopic  "hledger-web" Nothing
     | "version"         `inRawOpts` rawopts_ -> putStrLn prognameandversion >> exitSuccess
diff --git a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Main.hs b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Main.hs
index 4a23a851c..2c7b06fbc 100644
--- a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Main.hs
+++ b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Main.hs
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ mainmode addons = defMode {
 main :: IO ()
 main = do
   starttime <- getPOSIXTime
-  -- if we will be showing ANSI, try to ensure user's $PAGER will display it properly
+  -- try to encourage user's $PAGER to properly display ANSI
   when useColorOnStdout setupPager
 
   -- Choose and run the appropriate internal or external command based