diff --git a/src/commands/catalog.ts b/src/commands/catalog.ts
index bc28d49..d1c955a 100644
--- a/src/commands/catalog.ts
+++ b/src/commands/catalog.ts
@@ -25,7 +25,8 @@ function noIdp(): boolean {
 export function registerCatalogCommands(program: Command): void {
   const catalog = program
     .command('catalog')
-    .description('Service catalog — browse, inspect, and validate services');
+    .description('Service catalog — browse, inspect, and validate services')
+    .action(() => { catalog.outputHelp(); });
 
   // ── catalog list ──
   catalog
diff --git a/src/commands/observability.ts b/src/commands/observability.ts
index ca70a1c..4c1c3c9 100644
--- a/src/commands/observability.ts
+++ b/src/commands/observability.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ import { colors, bold, RESET, writeLine } from '../lib/terminal.js';
 export function registerObservabilityCommands(program: Command): void {
   const obs = program
     .command('obs')
-    .description('Observability — execution history, token costs, and trends');
+    .description('Observability — execution history, token costs, and trends')
+    .action(() => { obs.outputHelp(); });
 
   obs
     .command('history')
diff --git a/src/commands/release-check.ts b/src/commands/release-check.ts
index 5ecc801..4f7c41d 100644
--- a/src/commands/release-check.ts
+++ b/src/commands/release-check.ts
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@ async function checkHealth(url: string, expect: number): Promise<{ ok: boolean;
 export function registerReleaseCommands(program: Command): void {
   const release = program
     .command('release')
-    .description('Release management — pre-deploy checks and status');
+    .description('Release management — pre-deploy checks and status')
+    .action(() => { release.outputHelp(); });
 
   release
     .command('pre-check <service>')
diff --git a/src/commands/services.ts b/src/commands/services.ts
index 9674e37..acf8758 100644
--- a/src/commands/services.ts
+++ b/src/commands/services.ts
@@ -47,7 +47,8 @@ function dockerComposeAvailable(): boolean {
 export function registerServicesCommands(program: Command): void {
   const services = program
     .command('services')
-    .description('Manage Tier 2 local services (Postgres, Redis, API, Bridge)');
+    .description('Manage Tier 2 local services (Postgres, Redis, API, Bridge)')
+    .action(() => { services.outputHelp(); });
 
   // ── services up ──
   services