diff --git a/cmd/ifquery.c b/cmd/ifquery.c
index dc9cfbe..0612823 100644
--- a/cmd/ifquery.c
+++ b/cmd/ifquery.c
@@ -158,15 +158,6 @@ print_interface_property(struct lif_interface *iface, const char *property)
 	}
 }
 
-void
-ifquery_usage(int status)
-{
-	fprintf(stderr, "usage: ifquery [options] <interfaces>\n");
-	fprintf(stderr, "       ifquery [options] --list\n");
-
-	exit(status);
-}
-
 void
 list_interfaces(struct lif_dict *collection, struct match_options *opts)
 {
@@ -289,7 +280,7 @@ ifquery_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 	/* --list --state is not allowed */
 	if (listing && listing_stat)
-		ifquery_usage(EXIT_FAILURE);
+		generic_usage(self_applet, EXIT_FAILURE);
 
 	if (listing)
 	{
@@ -303,7 +294,7 @@ ifquery_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	}
 
 	if (optind >= argc)
-		ifquery_usage(EXIT_FAILURE);
+		generic_usage(self_applet, EXIT_FAILURE);
 
 	int idx = optind;
 	for (; idx < argc; idx++)
@@ -337,6 +328,6 @@ struct if_applet ifquery_applet = {
 	.name = "ifquery",
 	.desc = "query interface configuration",
 	.main = ifquery_main,
-	.usage = ifquery_usage,
+	.usage = "ifquery [options] <interfaces>\n  ifquery [options] --list",
 	.groups = { &global_option_group, &match_option_group, &exec_option_group, &local_option_group },
 };
diff --git a/cmd/ifupdown.c b/cmd/ifupdown.c
index 2c4143a..45410a7 100644
--- a/cmd/ifupdown.c
+++ b/cmd/ifupdown.c
@@ -320,11 +320,9 @@ ifupdown_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 struct if_applet ifup_applet = {
 	.name = "ifup",
 	.main = ifupdown_main,
-	.usage = ifupdown_usage
 };
 
 struct if_applet ifdown_applet = {
 	.name = "ifdown",
 	.main = ifupdown_main,
-	.usage = ifupdown_usage
 };
diff --git a/cmd/multicall-options.c b/cmd/multicall-options.c
index 30e7db4..9037264 100644
--- a/cmd/multicall-options.c
+++ b/cmd/multicall-options.c
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 #include <getopt.h>
 #include "cmd/multicall.h"
 
-static void
+void
 generic_usage(const struct if_applet *applet, int result)
 {
 	fprintf(stderr, "%s", applet->name);
@@ -30,6 +30,9 @@ generic_usage(const struct if_applet *applet, int result)
 
 	fprintf(stderr, "\n");
 
+	if (applet->usage != NULL)
+		fprintf(stderr, "\nUsage:\n  %s\n", applet->usage);
+
 	size_t iter;
 	for (iter = 0; applet->groups[iter] != NULL; iter++)
 	{
diff --git a/cmd/multicall.c b/cmd/multicall.c
index 9c8a891..ccb7688 100644
--- a/cmd/multicall.c
+++ b/cmd/multicall.c
@@ -102,6 +102,5 @@ multicall_usage(int status)
 struct if_applet ifupdown_applet = {
 	.name = "ifupdown",
 	.main = multicall_main,
-	.usage = multicall_usage,
 	.groups = { &global_option_group, NULL }
 };
diff --git a/cmd/multicall.h b/cmd/multicall.h
index cfbadd5..23cb836 100644
--- a/cmd/multicall.h
+++ b/cmd/multicall.h
@@ -42,8 +42,8 @@ struct if_option_group {
 struct if_applet {
 	const char *name;
 	const char *desc;
+	const char *usage;
 	int (*const main)(int argc, char *argv[]);
-	void (*const usage)(int status);
 	const struct if_option_group *groups[16];
 };
 
@@ -70,4 +70,6 @@ extern struct if_option_group match_option_group;
 extern struct lif_execute_opts exec_opts;
 extern struct if_option_group exec_option_group;
 
+void generic_usage(const struct if_applet *applet, int result);
+
 #endif