diff --git a/stand/common/commands.c b/stand/common/commands.c
--- a/stand/common/commands.c
+++ b/stand/common/commands.c
@@ -123,7 +123,6 @@
 	return (pager_output("\n"));
 }
 
-
 static int
 command_help(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
@@ -132,7 +131,8 @@
 	char	*topic, *subtopic, *t, *s, *d;
 
 	/* page the help text from our load path */
-	snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "%s/boot/loader.help", getenv("loaddev"));
+	snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "%s/boot/%s", getenv("loaddev"),
+	    HELP_FILENAME);
 	if ((hfd = open(buf, O_RDONLY)) < 0) {
 		printf("Verbose help not available, "
 		    "use '?' to list commands\n");
diff --git a/stand/efi/loader/Makefile b/stand/efi/loader/Makefile
--- a/stand/efi/loader/Makefile
+++ b/stand/efi/loader/Makefile
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@
 
 NEWVERSWHAT=	"EFI loader" ${MACHINE}
 VERSION_FILE=	${.CURDIR}/../loader/version
+HELP_FILENAME=	"loader.help.efi"
 
 # Always add MI sources
 .include	"${BOOTSRC}/loader.mk"
diff --git a/stand/i386/loader/Makefile b/stand/i386/loader/Makefile
--- a/stand/i386/loader/Makefile
+++ b/stand/i386/loader/Makefile
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@
 .if exists(${.CURDIR}/help.i386)
 HELP_FILES=	${.CURDIR}/help.i386
 .endif
+HELP_FILENAME=	"loader.help.bios"
 
 # Always add MI sources
 .include	"${BOOTSRC}/loader.mk"
diff --git a/stand/kboot/Makefile b/stand/kboot/Makefile
--- a/stand/kboot/Makefile
+++ b/stand/kboot/Makefile
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@
 HAVE_ZFS=yes
 .endif
 
+HELP_FILENAME=	"loader.help.kboot"
+
 .include	"${BOOTSRC}/fdt.mk"
 
 # Note: Since we're producing a userland binary, we key off of MACHINE_ARCH
diff --git a/stand/loader.mk b/stand/loader.mk
--- a/stand/loader.mk
+++ b/stand/loader.mk
@@ -162,12 +162,17 @@
 CFLAGS+=	-DELF_VERBOSE
 .endif
 
-.if !empty(HELP_FILES)
+# Each loader variant defines their own help filename. Optional or
+# build-specific commands are included by augmenting HELP_FILES.
+.if !defined(HELP_FILENAME)
+.error Define HELP_FILENAME before including loader.mk
+.endif
+
 HELP_FILES+=	${LDRSRC}/help.common
 
-CLEANFILES+=	loader.help
-FILES+=		loader.help
+CFLAGS+=	-DHELP_FILENAME=\"${HELP_FILENAME}\"
+CLEANFILES+=	${HELP_FILENAME}
+FILES+=		${HELP_FILENAME}
 
-loader.help: ${HELP_FILES}
+${HELP_FILENAME}: ${HELP_FILES}
 	cat ${HELP_FILES} | awk -f ${LDRSRC}/merge_help.awk > ${.TARGET}
-.endif
diff --git a/stand/powerpc/ofw/Makefile b/stand/powerpc/ofw/Makefile
--- a/stand/powerpc/ofw/Makefile
+++ b/stand/powerpc/ofw/Makefile
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
 .endif
 
 HELP_FILES=	${FDTSRC}/help.fdt
+HELP_FILENAME=	"loader.help.ofw"
 
 # Always add MI sources
 .include	"${BOOTSRC}/loader.mk"
diff --git a/stand/uboot/Makefile b/stand/uboot/Makefile
--- a/stand/uboot/Makefile
+++ b/stand/uboot/Makefile
@@ -35,7 +35,8 @@
 CWARNFLAGS.self_reloc.c+=	-Wno-error=maybe-uninitialized
 .endif
 
-HELP_FILES=	 ${.CURDIR}/help.uboot ${BOOTSRC}/fdt/help.fdt
+HELP_FILES=	${.CURDIR}/help.uboot ${BOOTSRC}/fdt/help.fdt
+HELP_FILENAME=	"loader.help.uboot"
 
 # Always add MI sources
 .include	"${BOOTSRC}/loader.mk"
diff --git a/stand/userboot/userboot/Makefile b/stand/userboot/userboot/Makefile
--- a/stand/userboot/userboot/Makefile
+++ b/stand/userboot/userboot/Makefile
@@ -54,6 +54,8 @@
 HAVE_ZFS=yes
 .endif
 
+HELP_FILENAME=	"loader.help.userboot"
+
 # Always add MI sources
 .include	"${BOOTSRC}/loader.mk"
 CFLAGS+=	-I.