diff --git a/src/app/main.c b/src/app/main.c
index cd631647..91cdbcd9 100644
--- a/src/app/main.c
+++ b/src/app/main.c
@@ -38,46 +38,58 @@ static RpmOstreeCommand commands[] = {
 #ifdef HAVE_COMPOSE_TOOLING
   { "compose", RPM_OSTREE_BUILTIN_FLAG_LOCAL_CMD |
                RPM_OSTREE_BUILTIN_FLAG_REQUIRES_ROOT,
-    rpmostree_builtin_compose },
+    NULL, rpmostree_builtin_compose },
 #endif
   { "cleanup", 0,
+    "Clear cached/pending data",
     rpmostree_builtin_cleanup },
   { "db", RPM_OSTREE_BUILTIN_FLAG_LOCAL_CMD,
-    rpmostree_builtin_db },
+    NULL, rpmostree_builtin_db },
   { "deploy", RPM_OSTREE_BUILTIN_FLAG_SUPPORTS_PKG_INSTALLS,
+    "Deploy a specific commit",
     rpmostree_builtin_deploy },
   { "rebase", RPM_OSTREE_BUILTIN_FLAG_SUPPORTS_PKG_INSTALLS,
+    "Switch to a different tree",
     rpmostree_builtin_rebase },
   { "rollback", 0,
+    "Revert to the previously booted tree",
     rpmostree_builtin_rollback },
   { "status", 0,
+    "Get the version of the booted system",
     rpmostree_builtin_status },
   { "upgrade", RPM_OSTREE_BUILTIN_FLAG_SUPPORTS_PKG_INSTALLS,
+    "Perform a system upgrade",
     rpmostree_builtin_upgrade },
   { "reload", 0,
+    "Reload configuration",
     rpmostree_builtin_reload },
   { "initramfs", 0,
+    "Enable or disable local initramfs regeneration",
     rpmostree_builtin_initramfs },
   { "install", 0,
+    "Download and install layered RPM packages",
     rpmostree_builtin_install },
   { "uninstall", 0,
+    "Remove one or more overlay packages",
     rpmostree_builtin_uninstall },
   /* Legacy aliases */
   { "pkg-add", RPM_OSTREE_BUILTIN_FLAG_HIDDEN,
+    "Download and install layered RPM packages",
     rpmostree_builtin_install },
   { "pkg-remove", RPM_OSTREE_BUILTIN_FLAG_HIDDEN,
+    "Remove one or more overlay packages",
     rpmostree_builtin_uninstall },
   { "rpm", RPM_OSTREE_BUILTIN_FLAG_LOCAL_CMD |
            RPM_OSTREE_BUILTIN_FLAG_HIDDEN,
-    rpmostree_builtin_db },
+    NULL, rpmostree_builtin_db },
   /* Hidden */
   { "ex", RPM_OSTREE_BUILTIN_FLAG_LOCAL_CMD |
           RPM_OSTREE_BUILTIN_FLAG_HIDDEN,
-    rpmostree_builtin_ex },
+    NULL,rpmostree_builtin_ex },
   { "start-daemon", RPM_OSTREE_BUILTIN_FLAG_LOCAL_CMD |
                     RPM_OSTREE_BUILTIN_FLAG_REQUIRES_ROOT |
                     RPM_OSTREE_BUILTIN_FLAG_HIDDEN,
-    rpmostree_builtin_start_daemon },
+    "start the daemon process", rpmostree_builtin_start_daemon },
   { NULL }
 };
 
@@ -121,7 +133,20 @@ option_context_new_with_commands (RpmOstreeCommandInvocation *invocation,
     {
       gboolean hidden = (command->flags & RPM_OSTREE_BUILTIN_FLAG_HIDDEN) > 0;
       if (!hidden)
-        g_string_append_printf (summary, "\n  %s", command->name);
+        {
+          g_string_append_printf (summary, "\n  %s", command->name);
+          if (command->description != NULL)
+            {
+              /* add padding for description alignment */
+              guint max_command_len = 15;
+              guint pad = max_command_len - strlen (command->name);
+
+              for (guint padding_num = 0; padding_num < pad + 2; padding_num++)
+                g_string_append (summary, " ");
+
+              g_string_append_printf (summary, "%s", command->description);
+            }
+        }
     }
 
   g_option_context_set_summary (context, summary->str);
diff --git a/src/app/rpmostree-builtin-compose.c b/src/app/rpmostree-builtin-compose.c
index 43dff6c9..13284acf 100644
--- a/src/app/rpmostree-builtin-compose.c
+++ b/src/app/rpmostree-builtin-compose.c
@@ -30,8 +30,9 @@
 
 static RpmOstreeCommand compose_subcommands[] = {
   { "tree", RPM_OSTREE_BUILTIN_FLAG_LOCAL_CMD | RPM_OSTREE_BUILTIN_FLAG_REQUIRES_ROOT,
+    "Install packages and commit the result to an OSTree repository",
     rpmostree_compose_builtin_tree },
-  { NULL, 0, NULL }
+  { NULL, 0, NULL, NULL }
 };
 
 int
diff --git a/src/app/rpmostree-builtin-container.c b/src/app/rpmostree-builtin-container.c
index 77a9483d..eb479425 100644
--- a/src/app/rpmostree-builtin-container.c
+++ b/src/app/rpmostree-builtin-container.c
@@ -25,13 +25,13 @@
 
 static RpmOstreeCommand container_subcommands[] = {
   { "init", RPM_OSTREE_BUILTIN_FLAG_LOCAL_CMD,
-    rpmostree_container_builtin_init },
+    NULL, rpmostree_container_builtin_init },
   { "assemble", RPM_OSTREE_BUILTIN_FLAG_LOCAL_CMD,
-    rpmostree_container_builtin_assemble },
+    NULL, rpmostree_container_builtin_assemble },
   /* { "start", rpmostree_container_builtin_start }, */
   { "upgrade", RPM_OSTREE_BUILTIN_FLAG_LOCAL_CMD,
-    rpmostree_container_builtin_upgrade },
-  { NULL, 0, NULL }
+    NULL, rpmostree_container_builtin_upgrade },
+  { NULL, 0, NULL, NULL }
 };
 
 int
diff --git a/src/app/rpmostree-builtin-db.c b/src/app/rpmostree-builtin-db.c
index 89e4955d..addc5943 100644
--- a/src/app/rpmostree-builtin-db.c
+++ b/src/app/rpmostree-builtin-db.c
@@ -25,12 +25,15 @@
 
 static RpmOstreeCommand rpm_subcommands[] = {
   { "diff", RPM_OSTREE_BUILTIN_FLAG_LOCAL_CMD,
+    "Show package changes between two commits",
     rpmostree_db_builtin_diff },
   { "list", RPM_OSTREE_BUILTIN_FLAG_LOCAL_CMD,
+    "List packages within commits",
     rpmostree_db_builtin_list },
   { "version", RPM_OSTREE_BUILTIN_FLAG_LOCAL_CMD,
+    "Show rpmdb version of packages within the commits",
     rpmostree_db_builtin_version },
-  { NULL, 0, NULL }
+  { NULL, 0, NULL, NULL }
 };
 
 static char *opt_repo;
diff --git a/src/app/rpmostree-builtin-ex.c b/src/app/rpmostree-builtin-ex.c
index c11d750d..550c197e 100644
--- a/src/app/rpmostree-builtin-ex.c
+++ b/src/app/rpmostree-builtin-ex.c
@@ -24,14 +24,15 @@
 
 static RpmOstreeCommand ex_subcommands[] = {
   { "livefs", RPM_OSTREE_BUILTIN_FLAG_REQUIRES_ROOT,
+    "Apply pending deployment changes to booted deployment",
     rpmostree_ex_builtin_livefs },
   { "override", RPM_OSTREE_BUILTIN_FLAG_LOCAL_CMD,
-    rpmostree_ex_builtin_override },
+    NULL, rpmostree_ex_builtin_override },
   { "unpack", RPM_OSTREE_BUILTIN_FLAG_LOCAL_CMD,
-    rpmostree_ex_builtin_unpack },
+    NULL, rpmostree_ex_builtin_unpack },
   { "container", RPM_OSTREE_BUILTIN_FLAG_LOCAL_CMD,
-    rpmostree_builtin_container },
-  { NULL, 0, NULL }
+    NULL, rpmostree_builtin_container },
+  { NULL, 0, NULL, NULL }
 };
 
 /*
diff --git a/src/app/rpmostree-builtin-override.c b/src/app/rpmostree-builtin-override.c
index 0b7ab76c..32dab4e1 100644
--- a/src/app/rpmostree-builtin-override.c
+++ b/src/app/rpmostree-builtin-override.c
@@ -25,12 +25,15 @@
 
 static RpmOstreeCommand override_subcommands[] = {
   { "replace", RPM_OSTREE_BUILTIN_FLAG_SUPPORTS_PKG_INSTALLS,
+    "Remove packages from the base layer",
     rpmostree_override_builtin_replace },
   { "remove", RPM_OSTREE_BUILTIN_FLAG_SUPPORTS_PKG_INSTALLS,
+    "Remove packages from the base layer",
     rpmostree_override_builtin_remove },
   { "reset", RPM_OSTREE_BUILTIN_FLAG_SUPPORTS_PKG_INSTALLS,
+    "Reset currently active package overrides",
     rpmostree_override_builtin_reset },
-  { NULL, 0, NULL }
+  { NULL, 0, NULL, NULL }
 };
 
 int
diff --git a/src/app/rpmostree-builtins.h b/src/app/rpmostree-builtins.h
index 8d3ea91d..2ddab303 100644
--- a/src/app/rpmostree-builtins.h
+++ b/src/app/rpmostree-builtins.h
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ typedef struct RpmOstreeCommandInvocation RpmOstreeCommandInvocation;
 struct RpmOstreeCommand {
   const char *name;
   RpmOstreeBuiltinFlags flags;
+  const char *description; /* a short decription to describe the functionality */
   int (*fn) (int argc, char **argv, RpmOstreeCommandInvocation *invocation, GCancellable *cancellable, GError **error);
 };