diff --git a/cyclopts/core.py b/cyclopts/core.py
index c689072d..9a856baa 100644
--- a/cyclopts/core.py
+++ b/cyclopts/core.py
@@ -136,14 +136,16 @@ def _validate_default_command(x):
     return x
 
 
-def _combined_meta_command_mapping(app: Optional["App"], recurse_meta=True) -> dict[str, "App"]:
+def _combined_meta_command_mapping(
+    app: Optional["App"], recurse_meta=True, recurse_parent_meta=True
+) -> dict[str, "App"]:
     """Return a copied and combined mapping containing app and meta-app commands."""
     if app is None:
         return {}
     command_mapping = copy(app._commands)
     if recurse_meta:
         command_mapping.update(_combined_meta_command_mapping(app._meta))
-    if app._meta_parent:
+    if recurse_parent_meta and app._meta_parent:
         command_mapping.update(_combined_meta_command_mapping(app._meta_parent, recurse_meta=False))
     return command_mapping
 
@@ -581,6 +583,8 @@ def meta(self) -> "App":
     def parse_commands(
         self,
         tokens: Union[None, str, Iterable[str]] = None,
+        *,
+        include_parent_meta=True,
     ) -> tuple[tuple[str, ...], tuple["App", ...], list[str]]:
         """Extract out the command tokens from a command.
 
@@ -608,7 +612,7 @@ def parse_commands(
         apps: list[App] = [app]
         unused_tokens = tokens
 
-        command_mapping = _combined_meta_command_mapping(app)
+        command_mapping = _combined_meta_command_mapping(app, recurse_parent_meta=include_parent_meta)
 
         for i, token in enumerate(tokens):
             try:
@@ -618,7 +622,7 @@ def parse_commands(
             except KeyError:
                 break
             command_chain.append(token)
-            command_mapping = _combined_meta_command_mapping(app)
+            command_mapping = _combined_meta_command_mapping(app, recurse_parent_meta=include_parent_meta)
 
         return tuple(command_chain), tuple(apps), unused_tokens
 
@@ -898,7 +902,7 @@ def _parse_known_args(
 
         meta_parent = self
 
-        command_chain, apps, unused_tokens = self.parse_commands(tokens)
+        command_chain, apps, unused_tokens = self.parse_commands(tokens, include_parent_meta=False)
         command_app = apps[-1]
 
         ignored: dict[str, Any] = {}
diff --git a/tests/test_meta.py b/tests/test_meta.py
index 9d7a4089..aa06d75b 100644
--- a/tests/test_meta.py
+++ b/tests/test_meta.py
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
+from textwrap import dedent
 from typing import Annotated
 
 import pytest
 
-from cyclopts import Parameter
+from cyclopts import App, Parameter
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
@@ -31,3 +32,121 @@ def meta(*tokens: Annotated[str, Parameter(allow_leading_hyphen=True)], meta_fla
 def test_meta_app_config_inheritance(app):
     app.config = ("foo", "bar")
     assert app.meta.config == ("foo", "bar")
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def queue():
+    return []
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def nested_meta_app(queue, console):
+    subapp = App(console=console)
+
+    @subapp.meta.default
+    def subapp_meta(*tokens: Annotated[str, Parameter(show=False, allow_leading_hyphen=True)]) -> None:
+        """This is subapp's help."""
+        queue.append("subapp meta")
+        subapp(tokens)
+
+    @subapp.command
+    def foo(value: int) -> None:
+        """Subapp foo help string.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        value: int
+            The value a user inputted.
+        """
+        queue.append(f"subapp foo body {value}")
+
+    app = App(name="test_app", console=console)
+    app.command(subapp.meta, name="subapp")
+
+    @app.meta.default
+    def meta(*tokens: Annotated[str, Parameter(show=False, allow_leading_hyphen=True)]):
+        queue.append("root meta")
+        app(tokens)
+
+    return app
+
+
+def test_meta_app_nested_root_help(nested_meta_app, console, queue):
+    with console.capture() as capture:
+        nested_meta_app.meta(["--help"])
+
+    actual = capture.get()
+
+    expected = dedent(
+        """\
+        Usage: test_app COMMAND
+
+        ╭─ Commands ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮
+        │ subapp     This is subapp's help.                                  │
+        │ --help -h  Display this message and exit.                          │
+        │ --version  Display application version.                            │
+        ╰────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯
+        """
+    )
+
+    assert actual == expected
+    assert not queue
+
+
+def test_meta_app_nested_subapp_help(nested_meta_app, console, queue):
+    with console.capture() as capture:
+        nested_meta_app.meta(["subapp", "--help"])
+
+    actual = capture.get()
+
+    expected = dedent(
+        """\
+        Usage: test_app subapp COMMAND [ARGS]
+
+        This is subapp's help.
+
+        ╭─ Commands ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮
+        │ foo        Subapp foo help string.                                 │
+        │ --help -h  Display this message and exit.                          │
+        │ --version  Display application version.                            │
+        ╰────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯
+        """
+    )
+
+    assert actual == expected
+    assert not queue
+
+
+def test_meta_app_nested_subapp_foo_help(nested_meta_app, console, queue):
+    with console.capture() as capture:
+        nested_meta_app.meta(["subapp", "foo", "--help"])
+
+    actual = capture.get()
+
+    expected = dedent(
+        """\
+        Usage: test_app subapp foo [ARGS] [OPTIONS]
+
+        Subapp foo help string.
+
+        ╭─ Parameters ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────╮
+        │ *  VALUE --value  The value a user inputted. [required]            │
+        ╰────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────╯
+        """
+    )
+
+    assert actual == expected
+    assert not queue
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "cmd_str,expected",
+    [
+        ("", ["root meta"]),
+        ("subapp", ["root meta", "subapp meta"]),
+        ("subapp foo 5", ["root meta", "subapp meta", "subapp foo body 5"]),
+    ],
+)
+def test_meta_app_nested_exec(nested_meta_app, queue, cmd_str, expected):
+    nested_meta_app.meta(cmd_str)
+    assert queue == expected