diff --git a/mercurial/dispatch.py b/mercurial/dispatch.py
--- a/mercurial/dispatch.py
+++ b/mercurial/dispatch.py
@@ -370,9 +370,8 @@
             ui.warn(_("hg %s: %s\n") % (inst.args[0], msgbytes))
             commands.help_(ui, inst.args[0], full=False, command=True)
         else:
-            ui.pager('help')
             ui.warn(_("hg: %s\n") % inst.args[1])
-            commands.help_(ui, 'shortlist')
+            ui.warn(_("(use 'hg help -v' for a list of global options)\n"))
     except error.ParseError as inst:
         _formatparse(ui.warn, inst)
         return -1
diff --git a/tests/test-alias.t b/tests/test-alias.t
--- a/tests/test-alias.t
+++ b/tests/test-alias.t
@@ -651,81 +651,15 @@
 
   $ hg --invalid root
   hg: option --invalid not recognized
-  Mercurial Distributed SCM
-  
-  basic commands:
-  
-   add           add the specified files on the next commit
-   annotate      show changeset information by line for each file
-   clone         make a copy of an existing repository
-   commit        commit the specified files or all outstanding changes
-   diff          diff repository (or selected files)
-   export        dump the header and diffs for one or more changesets
-   forget        forget the specified files on the next commit
-   init          create a new repository in the given directory
-   log           show revision history of entire repository or files
-   merge         merge another revision into working directory
-   pull          pull changes from the specified source
-   push          push changes to the specified destination
-   remove        remove the specified files on the next commit
-   serve         start stand-alone webserver
-   status        show changed files in the working directory
-   summary       summarize working directory state
-   update        update working directory (or switch revisions)
-  
-  (use 'hg help' for the full list of commands or 'hg -v' for details)
+  (use 'hg help -v' for a list of global options)
   [255]
   $ hg --invalid mylog
   hg: option --invalid not recognized
-  Mercurial Distributed SCM
-  
-  basic commands:
-  
-   add           add the specified files on the next commit
-   annotate      show changeset information by line for each file
-   clone         make a copy of an existing repository
-   commit        commit the specified files or all outstanding changes
-   diff          diff repository (or selected files)
-   export        dump the header and diffs for one or more changesets
-   forget        forget the specified files on the next commit
-   init          create a new repository in the given directory
-   log           show revision history of entire repository or files
-   merge         merge another revision into working directory
-   pull          pull changes from the specified source
-   push          push changes to the specified destination
-   remove        remove the specified files on the next commit
-   serve         start stand-alone webserver
-   status        show changed files in the working directory
-   summary       summarize working directory state
-   update        update working directory (or switch revisions)
-  
-  (use 'hg help' for the full list of commands or 'hg -v' for details)
+  (use 'hg help -v' for a list of global options)
   [255]
   $ hg --invalid blank
   hg: option --invalid not recognized
-  Mercurial Distributed SCM
-  
-  basic commands:
-  
-   add           add the specified files on the next commit
-   annotate      show changeset information by line for each file
-   clone         make a copy of an existing repository
-   commit        commit the specified files or all outstanding changes
-   diff          diff repository (or selected files)
-   export        dump the header and diffs for one or more changesets
-   forget        forget the specified files on the next commit
-   init          create a new repository in the given directory
-   log           show revision history of entire repository or files
-   merge         merge another revision into working directory
-   pull          pull changes from the specified source
-   push          push changes to the specified destination
-   remove        remove the specified files on the next commit
-   serve         start stand-alone webserver
-   status        show changed files in the working directory
-   summary       summarize working directory state
-   update        update working directory (or switch revisions)
-  
-  (use 'hg help' for the full list of commands or 'hg -v' for details)
+  (use 'hg help -v' for a list of global options)
   [255]
 
 environment variable changes in alias commands