diff --git a/collects/help/help.ss b/collects/help/help.ss
index 717ed1d8..340a7a7c 100644
--- a/collects/help/help.ss
+++ b/collects/help/help.ss
@@ -1,13 +1,15 @@
 #lang scheme/base
 
-(require "search.ss" scheme/cmdline scheme/list)
+(require "search.ss" scheme/cmdline scheme/list scheme/string)
 
 ;; Minimal command-line arguments, the query string can contain all
 ;; kinds of magic.
 (command-line
  #:handlers
  (lambda (_ . ts)
-   (perform-search (apply string-append (add-between ts " "))))
+   (if (null? ts)
+     (send-main-page)
+     (perform-search (string-append* (add-between ts " ")))))
  '("search-terms")
  (lambda (help-str)
    (display help-str)