diff --git a/include/CLI/App.hpp b/include/CLI/App.hpp
index 7b6edb1d..23311150 100644
--- a/include/CLI/App.hpp
+++ b/include/CLI/App.hpp
@@ -389,7 +389,7 @@ class App {
         return opt;
     }
 
-    /// Set a help flag, replaced the existing one if present
+    /// Set a help flag, replace the existing one if present
     Option *set_help_flag(std::string name = "", std::string description = "") {
         if(help_ptr_ != nullptr) {
             remove_option(help_ptr_);
@@ -398,7 +398,8 @@ class App {
 
         // Empty name will simply remove the help flag
         if(!name.empty()) {
-            help_ptr_ = add_flag(name, description);
+            help_ptr_ = add_flag_function(name, [](size_t) -> void { throw CallForHelp(); }, description);
+            help_ptr_->short_circuit(true);
             help_ptr_->configurable(false);
         }
 
@@ -412,9 +413,10 @@ class App {
             help_all_ptr_ = nullptr;
         }
 
-        // Empty name will simply remove the help flag
+        // Empty name will simply remove the help all flag
         if(!name.empty()) {
-            help_all_ptr_ = add_flag(name, description);
+            help_all_ptr_ = add_flag_function(name, [](size_t) -> void { throw CallForAllHelp(); }, description);
+            help_all_ptr_->short_circuit(true);
             help_all_ptr_->configurable(false);
         }
 
@@ -1281,13 +1283,9 @@ class App {
             _parse_single(args, positional_only);
         }
 
-        if(help_ptr_ != nullptr && help_ptr_->count() > 0) {
-            throw CallForHelp();
-        }
-
-        if(help_all_ptr_ != nullptr && help_all_ptr_->count() > 0) {
-            throw CallForAllHelp();
-        }
+        for(const Option_p &opt : options_)
+            if(opt->get_short_circuit() && opt->count() > 0)
+                opt->run_callback();
 
         // Process an INI file
         if(config_ptr_ != nullptr) {
diff --git a/include/CLI/Option.hpp b/include/CLI/Option.hpp
index a2bb8004..86047c75 100644
--- a/include/CLI/Option.hpp
+++ b/include/CLI/Option.hpp
@@ -209,6 +209,9 @@ class Option : public OptionBase<Option> {
     /// Options store a callback to do all the work
     callback_t callback_;
 
+    /// Options can short-circuit for help options or similar (called before parsing is validated)
+    bool short_circuit_{false};
+
     ///@}
     /// @name Parsing results
     ///@{
@@ -383,6 +386,14 @@ class Option : public OptionBase<Option> {
         return this;
     }
 
+    /// Options with a short circuit set will run this function before parsing is finished.
+    ///
+    /// This is set on help functions, for example, to escape the normal validation.
+    Option *short_circuit(bool value = true) {
+        short_circuit_ = value;
+        return this;
+    }
+
     ///@}
     /// @name Accessors
     ///@{
@@ -402,6 +413,12 @@ class Option : public OptionBase<Option> {
     /// The default value (for help printing)
     std::string get_defaultval() const { return defaultval_; }
 
+    /// See if this is supposed to short circuit (skip validation, INI, etc) (Used for help flags)
+    bool get_short_circuit() const { return short_circuit_; }
+
+    /// Get the callback function
+    callback_t get_callback() const { return callback_; }
+
     /// Get the long names
     const std::vector<std::string> get_lnames() const { return lnames_; }