diff --git a/crates/cargo-test-support/src/lib.rs b/crates/cargo-test-support/src/lib.rs
index a4c4153bad2..5280ea0efd2 100644
--- a/crates/cargo-test-support/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/cargo-test-support/src/lib.rs
@@ -803,6 +803,15 @@ impl Execs {
         }
     }
 
+    #[track_caller]
+    pub fn run_expect_error(&mut self) {
+        self.ran = true;
+        let p = (&self.process_builder).clone().unwrap();
+        if self.match_process(&p).is_ok() {
+            panic!("test was expected to fail, but succeeded running {}", p);
+        }
+    }
+
     /// Runs the process, checks the expected output, and returns the first
     /// JSON object on stdout.
     #[track_caller]
diff --git a/src/bin/cargo/commands/help.rs b/src/bin/cargo/commands/help.rs
index 597c2c5883b..caaa0c5a496 100644
--- a/src/bin/cargo/commands/help.rs
+++ b/src/bin/cargo/commands/help.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 use crate::aliased_command;
 use cargo::util::errors::CargoResult;
-use cargo::Config;
+use cargo::{drop_println, Config};
 use cargo_util::paths::resolve_executable;
 use flate2::read::GzDecoder;
 use std::ffi::OsString;
@@ -15,14 +15,14 @@ const COMPRESSED_MAN: &[u8] = include_bytes!(concat!(env!("OUT_DIR"), "/man.tgz"
 /// This runs before clap processing, because it needs to intercept the `help`
 /// command if a man page is available.
 ///
-/// Returns `true` if a man page was displayed. In this case, Cargo should
-/// exit.
+/// Returns `true` if help information was successfully displayed to the user.
+/// In this case, Cargo should exit.
 pub fn handle_embedded_help(config: &Config) -> bool {
     match try_help(config) {
         Ok(true) => true,
         Ok(false) => false,
         Err(e) => {
-            log::warn!("man failed: {:?}", e);
+            log::warn!("help failed: {:?}", e);
             false
         }
     }
@@ -46,11 +46,28 @@ fn try_help(config: &Config) -> CargoResult<bool> {
         Some(s) => s,
         None => return Ok(false),
     };
-    // Check if this is a built-in command (or alias);
+
     let subcommand = match check_alias(config, subcommand) {
+        // If this alias is more than a simple subcommand pass-through, show the alias.
+        Some(argv) if argv.len() > 1 => {
+            let alias = argv.join(" ");
+            drop_println!(config, "`{}` is aliased to `{}`", subcommand, alias);
+            return Ok(true);
+        }
+        // Otherwise, resolve the alias into its subcommand.
+        Some(argv) => {
+            // An alias with an empty argv can be created via `"empty-alias" = ""`.
+            let first = argv.get(0).map(String::as_str).unwrap_or(subcommand);
+            first.to_string()
+        }
+        None => subcommand.to_string(),
+    };
+
+    let subcommand = match check_builtin(&subcommand) {
         Some(s) => s,
         None => return Ok(false),
     };
+
     if resolve_executable(Path::new("man")).is_ok() {
         let man = match extract_man(&subcommand, "1") {
             Some(man) => man,
@@ -73,24 +90,18 @@ fn try_help(config: &Config) -> CargoResult<bool> {
     Ok(true)
 }
 
-/// Checks if the given subcommand is a built-in command (possibly via an alias).
+/// Checks if the given subcommand is an alias.
+///
+/// Returns None if it is not an alias.
+fn check_alias(config: &Config, subcommand: &str) -> Option<Vec<String>> {
+    aliased_command(config, subcommand).ok().flatten()
+}
+
+/// Checks if the given subcommand is a built-in command (not via an alias).
 ///
 /// Returns None if it is not a built-in command.
-fn check_alias(config: &Config, subcommand: &str) -> Option<String> {
-    if super::builtin_exec(subcommand).is_some() {
-        return Some(subcommand.to_string());
-    }
-    match aliased_command(config, subcommand) {
-        Ok(Some(alias)) => {
-            let alias = alias.into_iter().next()?;
-            if super::builtin_exec(&alias).is_some() {
-                Some(alias)
-            } else {
-                None
-            }
-        }
-        _ => None,
-    }
+fn check_builtin(subcommand: &str) -> Option<&str> {
+    super::builtin_exec(subcommand).map(|_| subcommand)
 }
 
 /// Extracts the given man page from the compressed archive.
diff --git a/tests/testsuite/help.rs b/tests/testsuite/help.rs
index ed91c5fcf27..fdb527e761a 100644
--- a/tests/testsuite/help.rs
+++ b/tests/testsuite/help.rs
@@ -110,6 +110,20 @@ fn help_with_man_and_path(
     assert_eq!(stdout, contents);
 }
 
+fn help_with_stdout_and_path(subcommand: &str, path: &Path) -> String {
+    let output = process(&cargo_exe())
+        .arg("help")
+        .arg(subcommand)
+        .env("PATH", path)
+        .exec_with_output()
+        .unwrap();
+    assert!(output.status.success());
+    let stderr = from_utf8(&output.stderr).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(stderr, "");
+    let stdout = from_utf8(&output.stdout).unwrap();
+    stdout.to_string()
+}
+
 #[cargo_test]
 fn help_man() {
     // Checks that `help command` displays the man page using the given command.
@@ -132,11 +146,25 @@ fn help_alias() {
         config,
         r#"
             [alias]
-            my-alias = ["build", "--release"]
+            empty-alias   = ""
+            simple-alias  = "build"
+            complex-alias = ["build", "--release"]
         "#,
     )
     .unwrap();
-    help_with_man_and_path("", "my-alias", "build", Path::new(""));
+
+    // The `empty-alias` returns an error.
+    cargo_process("help empty-alias")
+        .env("PATH", Path::new(""))
+        .with_stderr_contains("[..]The subcommand 'empty-alias' wasn't recognized[..]")
+        .run_expect_error();
+
+    // Because `simple-alias` aliases a subcommand with no arguments, help shows the manpage.
+    help_with_man_and_path("", "simple-alias", "build", Path::new(""));
+
+    // Help for `complex-alias` displays the full alias command.
+    let out = help_with_stdout_and_path("complex-alias", Path::new(""));
+    assert_eq!(out, "`complex-alias` is aliased to `build --release`\n");
 }
 
 #[cargo_test]