diff --git a/usr.sbin/pw/pw.h b/usr.sbin/pw/pw.h
--- a/usr.sbin/pw/pw.h
+++ b/usr.sbin/pw/pw.h
@@ -114,3 +114,5 @@
     const char ** __restrict);
 
 bool grp_has_member(struct group *grp, const char *name);
+
+void usage(void);
diff --git a/usr.sbin/pw/pw.c b/usr.sbin/pw/pw.c
--- a/usr.sbin/pw/pw.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/pw/pw.c
@@ -101,13 +101,16 @@
 
 struct pwconf conf;
 
+static int	mode = -1;
+static int	which = -1;
+
 static int	getindex(const char *words[], const char *word);
 static void	cmdhelp(int mode, int which);
 
 int
 main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
-	int		mode = -1, which = -1, tmp;
+	int		tmp;
 	struct stat	st;
 	char		arg, *arg1;
 	bool		relocated, nis;
@@ -375,5 +378,11 @@
 
 		fprintf(stderr, "%s", help[which][mode]);
 	}
-	exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+	exit(EX_USAGE);
+}
+
+void
+usage(void)
+{
+	cmdhelp(mode, which);
 }
diff --git a/usr.sbin/pw/pw_group.c b/usr.sbin/pw/pw_group.c
--- a/usr.sbin/pw/pw_group.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/pw/pw_group.c
@@ -273,9 +273,13 @@
 			quiet = true;
 			break;
 		default:
-			exit(EX_USAGE);
+			usage();
 		}
 	}
+	argc -= optind;
+	argv += optind;
+	if (argc > 0)
+		usage();
 
 	if (quiet)
 		freopen(_PATH_DEVNULL, "w", stderr);
@@ -332,9 +336,13 @@
 			all = true;
 			break;
 		default:
-			exit(EX_USAGE);
+			usage();
 		}
 	}
+	argc -= optind;
+	argv += optind;
+	if (argc > 0)
+		usage();
 
 	if (quiet)
 		freopen(_PATH_DEVNULL, "w", stderr);
@@ -391,9 +399,13 @@
 			nis = true;
 			break;
 		default:
-			exit(EX_USAGE);
+			usage();
 		}
 	}
+	argc -= optind;
+	argv += optind;
+	if (argc > 0)
+		usage();
 
 	if (quiet)
 		freopen(_PATH_DEVNULL, "w", stderr);
@@ -551,9 +563,13 @@
 			nis = true;
 			break;
 		default:
-			exit(EX_USAGE);
+			usage();
 		}
 	}
+	argc -= optind;
+	argv += optind;
+	if (argc > 0)
+		usage();
 
 	if (quiet)
 		freopen(_PATH_DEVNULL, "w", stderr);
@@ -645,9 +661,14 @@
 			nis = true;
 			break;
 		default:
-			exit(EX_USAGE);
+			usage();
 		}
 	}
+	argc -= optind;
+	argv += optind;
+	if (argc > 0)
+		usage();
+
 	if (quiet)
 		freopen(_PATH_DEVNULL, "w", stderr);
 	cnf = get_userconfig(cfg);
diff --git a/usr.sbin/pw/pw_user.c b/usr.sbin/pw/pw_user.c
--- a/usr.sbin/pw/pw_user.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/pw/pw_user.c
@@ -708,9 +708,13 @@
 			quiet = true;
 			break;
 		default:
-			exit(EX_USAGE);
+			usage();
 		}
 	}
+	argc -= optind;
+	argv += optind;
+	if (argc > 0)
+		usage();
 
 	if (quiet)
 		freopen(_PATH_DEVNULL, "w", stderr);
@@ -772,9 +776,13 @@
 			v7 = true;
 			break;
 		default:
-			exit(EX_USAGE);
+			usage();
 		}
 	}
+	argc -= optind;
+	argv += optind;
+	if (argc > 0)
+		usage();
 
 	if (quiet)
 		freopen(_PATH_DEVNULL, "w", stderr);
@@ -855,9 +863,13 @@
 			nis = true;
 			break;
 		default:
-			exit(EX_USAGE);
+			usage();
 		}
 	}
+	argc -= optind;
+	argv += optind;
+	if (argc > 0)
+		usage();
 
 	if (quiet)
 		freopen(_PATH_DEVNULL, "w", stderr);
@@ -1003,9 +1015,13 @@
 			/* compatibility */
 			break;
 		default:
-			exit(EX_USAGE);
+			usage();
 		}
 	}
+	argc -= optind;
+	argv += optind;
+	if (argc > 0)
+		usage();
 
 	return (pw_userlock(arg1, M_LOCK));
 }
@@ -1022,9 +1038,13 @@
 			/* compatibility */
 			break;
 		default:
-			exit(EX_USAGE);
+			usage();
 		}
 	}
+	argc -= optind;
+	argv += optind;
+	if (argc > 0)
+		usage();
 
 	return (pw_userlock(arg1, M_UNLOCK));
 }
@@ -1291,9 +1311,13 @@
 			nis = true;
 			break;
 		default:
-			exit(EX_USAGE);
+			usage();
 		}
 	}
+	argc -= optind;
+	argv += optind;
+	if (argc > 0)
+		usage();
 
 	if (geteuid() != 0 && ! dryrun)
 		errx(EX_NOPERM, "you must be root");
@@ -1604,9 +1628,13 @@
 			nis = true;
 			break;
 		default:
-			exit(EX_USAGE);
+			usage();
 		}
 	}
+	argc -= optind;
+	argv += optind;
+	if (argc > 0)
+		usage();
 
 	if (geteuid() != 0 && ! dryrun)
 		errx(EX_NOPERM, "you must be root");