diff --git a/lib/vagrant/command/base.rb b/lib/vagrant/command/base.rb
index 09a2a01f3..8a4498fd8 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant/command/base.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant/command/base.rb
@@ -23,11 +23,30 @@ module Vagrant
       # Parses the options given an OptionParser instance.
       #
       # This is a convenience method that properly handles duping the
-      # originally argv array so that it is not destroyed. That is all.
+      # originally argv array so that it is not destroyed.
+      #
+      # This method will also automatically detect "-h" and "--help"
+      # and print help. And if any invalid options are detected, the help
+      # will be printed, as well.
+      #
+      # If this method returns `nil`, then you should assume that help
+      # was printed and parsing failed.
       def parse_options(opts)
+        # Creating a shallow copy of the arguments so the OptionParser
+        # doesn't destroy the originals.
         argv = @argv.dup
+
+        # Add the help option, which must be on every command.
+        opts.on_tail("-h", "--help", "Print this help") do
+          puts opts.help
+          return nil
+        end
+
         opts.parse!(argv)
         return argv
+      rescue OptionParser::InvalidOption
+        puts opts.help
+        return nil
       end
 
       # Yields a VM for each target VM for the command.
diff --git a/lib/vagrant/command/up.rb b/lib/vagrant/command/up.rb
index d647a2844..4b33933e6 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant/command/up.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant/command/up.rb
@@ -14,15 +14,11 @@ module Vagrant
           opts.on("--[no-]provision", "Enable or disable provisioning") do |p|
             options[:provision] = p
           end
-
-          opts.on("-h", "--help", "Print this help") do
-            puts opts.help
-            return
-          end
         end
 
         # Parse the options
         argv = parse_options(opts)
+        return if !argv
 
         # Go over each VM and bring it up
         @logger.debug("'Up' each target VM...")
diff --git a/test/unit/vagrant/command/base_test.rb b/test/unit/vagrant/command/base_test.rb
index bab3fd35e..b3ea69b97 100644
--- a/test/unit/vagrant/command/base_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/vagrant/command/base_test.rb
@@ -24,6 +24,20 @@ describe Vagrant::Command::Base do
       options[:f].should be
       result.should == ["foo"]
     end
+
+    ["-h", "--help"].each do |help_string|
+      it "returns nil and prints the help if '#{help_string}' is given" do
+        instance = klass.new([help_string], nil)
+        instance.should_receive(:puts)
+        instance.parse_options(OptionParser.new).should be_nil
+      end
+    end
+
+    it "returns nil if invalid options are given" do
+      instance = klass.new(["-f"], nil)
+      instance.should_receive(:puts)
+      instance.parse_options(OptionParser.new).should be_nil
+    end
   end
 
   describe "target VMs" do