diff --git a/src/go/rpk/pkg/cli/cmd/acl.go b/src/go/rpk/pkg/cli/cmd/acl.go
index c06976597a4d..e0cf0e930df5 100644
--- a/src/go/rpk/pkg/cli/cmd/acl.go
+++ b/src/go/rpk/pkg/cli/cmd/acl.go
@@ -38,11 +38,10 @@ func NewACLCommand(fs afero.Fs, mgr config.Manager) *cobra.Command {
 		helpOperations bool
 	)
 	command := &cobra.Command{
-		Use:          "acl",
-		Short:        "Manage ACLs and SASL users.",
-		Long:         helpACLs,
-		SilenceUsage: true,
-		Args:         cobra.ExactArgs(0),
+		Use:   "acl",
+		Short: "Manage ACLs and SASL users.",
+		Long:  helpACLs,
+		Args:  cobra.ExactArgs(0),
 		Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, _ []string) {
 			if helpOperations {
 				fmt.Println(helpACLOperations)
diff --git a/src/go/rpk/pkg/cli/cmd/debug/bundle.go b/src/go/rpk/pkg/cli/cmd/debug/bundle.go
index 1b78211b9f0e..99c36f9847b5 100644
--- a/src/go/rpk/pkg/cli/cmd/debug/bundle.go
+++ b/src/go/rpk/pkg/cli/cmd/debug/bundle.go
@@ -255,7 +255,6 @@ The following are the data sources that are bundled in the compressed file:
  - dmidecode: The DMI table contents. Only included if this command is run
    as root.
 `,
-		SilenceUsage: true,
 		Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 			p := config.ParamsFromCommand(cmd)
 			cfg, err := p.Load(fs)
diff --git a/src/go/rpk/pkg/cli/cmd/redpanda/check.go b/src/go/rpk/pkg/cli/cmd/redpanda/check.go
index dc6d7305c7a8..3ed0eda8f30d 100644
--- a/src/go/rpk/pkg/cli/cmd/redpanda/check.go
+++ b/src/go/rpk/pkg/cli/cmd/redpanda/check.go
@@ -32,9 +32,8 @@ func NewCheckCommand(fs afero.Fs, mgr config.Manager) *cobra.Command {
 		timeout    time.Duration
 	)
 	command := &cobra.Command{
-		Use:          "check",
-		Short:        "Check if system meets redpanda requirements.",
-		SilenceUsage: true,
+		Use:   "check",
+		Short: "Check if system meets redpanda requirements.",
 		RunE: func(ccmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 			return executeCheck(fs, mgr, configFile, timeout)
 		},
diff --git a/src/go/rpk/pkg/cli/cmd/redpanda/stop.go b/src/go/rpk/pkg/cli/cmd/redpanda/stop.go
index f4c603946a53..950b75bb99d1 100644
--- a/src/go/rpk/pkg/cli/cmd/redpanda/stop.go
+++ b/src/go/rpk/pkg/cli/cmd/redpanda/stop.go
@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@ func NewStopCommand(fs afero.Fs, mgr config.Manager) *cobra.Command {
 first sends SIGINT, and waits for the specified timeout. Then, if redpanda
 hasn't stopped, it sends SIGTERM. Lastly, it sends SIGKILL if it's still
 running.`,
-		SilenceUsage: true,
 		RunE: func(ccmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 			return executeStop(fs, mgr, configFile, timeout)
 		},
diff --git a/src/go/rpk/pkg/cli/cmd/root.go b/src/go/rpk/pkg/cli/cmd/root.go
index a285b960ab36..80aeef77a495 100644
--- a/src/go/rpk/pkg/cli/cmd/root.go
+++ b/src/go/rpk/pkg/cli/cmd/root.go
@@ -59,7 +59,6 @@ func Execute() {
 		Short: "rpk is the Redpanda CLI & toolbox.",
 		Long:  "",
 	}
-	rootCmd.SilenceUsage = true
 	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVarP(&verbose, config.FlagVerbose,
 		"v", false, "Enable verbose logging (default: false).")
 
diff --git a/src/go/rpk/pkg/cli/cmd/version.go b/src/go/rpk/pkg/cli/cmd/version.go
index 0f7454dbe2b0..1378dd6c98a1 100644
--- a/src/go/rpk/pkg/cli/cmd/version.go
+++ b/src/go/rpk/pkg/cli/cmd/version.go
@@ -18,10 +18,9 @@ import (
 
 func NewVersionCommand() *cobra.Command {
 	command := &cobra.Command{
-		Use:          "version",
-		Short:        "Check the current version.",
-		Long:         "",
-		SilenceUsage: true,
+		Use:   "version",
+		Short: "Check the current version.",
+		Long:  "",
 		Run: func(_ *cobra.Command, _ []string) {
 			log.SetFormatter(cli.NewNoopFormatter())
 			log.Infof("%s\n", version.Pretty())
diff --git a/src/go/rpk/pkg/cli/cmd/wasm/generate.go b/src/go/rpk/pkg/cli/cmd/wasm/generate.go
index 94b675797ab3..4af7ce68fc29 100644
--- a/src/go/rpk/pkg/cli/cmd/wasm/generate.go
+++ b/src/go/rpk/pkg/cli/cmd/wasm/generate.go
@@ -31,10 +31,9 @@ func NewGenerateCommand(fs afero.Fs) *cobra.Command {
 		skipVersion bool
 	)
 	cmd := &cobra.Command{
-		Use:          "generate [PROJECT DIRECTORY]",
-		Short:        "Create an npm template project for inline WASM engine.",
-		SilenceUsage: true,
-		Args:         cobra.ExactArgs(1),
+		Use:   "generate [PROJECT DIRECTORY]",
+		Short: "Create an npm template project for inline WASM engine.",
+		Args:  cobra.ExactArgs(1),
 		Run: func(_ *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 			path, err := filepath.Abs(args[0])
 			out.MaybeDie(err, "unable to get absolute path for %q: %v", args[0], err)