diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index d2bf2e6..9dcf9ab 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@ For breaking changes, check [here](#breaking-changes).
 
 [Babashka CLI](https://github.com/babashka/cli): turn Clojure functions into CLIs!
 
+## Unreleased
+
+- [#233](https://github.com/babashka/cli/issues/233): Generated help no longer prints extra spaces when `:prog` is not specified
+
 ## 0.12.91
 
 - zsh completion: disable sorting for registered program names to preserve candidate order
diff --git a/src/babashka/cli.cljc b/src/babashka/cli.cljc
index 0808394..d3f6d4f 100644
--- a/src/babashka/cli.cljc
+++ b/src/babashka/cli.cljc
@@ -1248,7 +1248,8 @@
     (remove (comp :no-doc second) pairs)))
 
 (defn- help-usage-line [prog node any-options?]
-  (str "Usage: " prog
+  (str "Usage:"
+       (when prog (str " " prog))
        (when any-options? " [options]")
        ;; `<command>` reflects the runtime contract (the node accepts/requires
        ;; a command), so it keys on the dispatchable children, not the
@@ -1318,12 +1319,12 @@
           (conj (str "Inherited options:\n" (format-opts {:spec inherited})))
 
           (seq cmds)
-          (conj (str "Run \"" prog " <command> --help\" for more information on a command."))
+          (conj (str "Run \"" (when prog (str prog " ")) "<command> --help\" for more information on a command."))
 
           (seq parents)
           (conj (str/join "\n"
                           (for [{p :prog n :name} parents]
-                            (str "Run \"" p " --help\" for " n " options."))))
+                            (str "Run \"" (when p (str p " ")) "--help\" for " n " options."))))
 
           ;; free-text the entry supplies (examples, notes), rendered verbatim
           ;; last, as a closing footer (argparse epilog / picocli footer convention)
@@ -1944,6 +1945,10 @@ $env.config.completions.external.completer = {|spans|
        (or (str/starts-with? s "-")
            (str/starts-with? s ":"))))
 
+(defn- prog-cmd [prog path]
+  (let [cmd-path (if (seq prog) (cons prog path) path)]
+    (when (seq cmd-path)
+      (str/join " " cmd-path))))
 
 (defn- command-help-context
   "Given a dispatch `tree`, command path `cmds`, `prog` name and dispatch-level
@@ -1960,7 +1965,7 @@ $env.config.completions.external.completer = {|spans|
   spec may be a vec-of-pairs); display order is handled by `render-help`."
   [tree cmds prog inherit global-spec]
   (let [node-at (fn [path] (get-in tree (interleave (repeat :cmd) path)))
-        prog-at (fn [path] (str/join " " (cons prog path)))
+        prog-at (fn [path] (prog-cmd prog path))
         ;; options available at the target level itself (e.g. an injected --help,
         ;; or a redefined option) - those never need a "must precede" pointer
         here (set (keys (->spec-map (:spec (node-at cmds)))))
@@ -2011,7 +2016,7 @@ $env.config.completions.external.completer = {|spans|
   * `:table`   - a `dispatch` table, or a tree (hand-written or from
                  [[table->tree]]) - see [[dispatch]] (required)
   * `:cmds`    - the command path, e.g. `[\"deps\" \"outdated\"]` (default `[]`)
-  * `:prog`    - program name shown in the usage line (required)
+  * `:prog`    - program name shown in the usage line
   * `:inherit` - only needed when you pass a dispatch-level `:inherit` to
                  `dispatch`; pass the same value so `Inherited options:` matches.
                  Per-option `:inherit true` is detected automatically.
@@ -2101,8 +2106,9 @@ $env.config.completions.external.completer = {|spans|
   (let [tree   (table->tree tree)
         path   (or dispatch [])
         ctx-at (fn [p] (command-help-context tree (vec p) prog inherit (::global-spec data)))
-        hint  (str "Run \"" (str/join " " (cons prog path))
-                   " --help\" for more information.")
+        prog-cmd-path (prog-cmd prog path)
+        hint  (str "Run \"" (when prog-cmd-path (str prog-cmd-path " "))
+                   "--help\" for more information.")
         usage (fn [p]
                 (let [{:keys [node prog inherited]} (ctx-at p)]
                   (help-usage-line prog node (or (seq (:spec node))
diff --git a/test/babashka/cli_test.cljc b/test/babashka/cli_test.cljc
index 07255e6..9d559f2 100644
--- a/test/babashka/cli_test.cljc
+++ b/test/babashka/cli_test.cljc
@@ -1231,6 +1231,12 @@
                   "Options:\n  -v, --verbose  Verbose output\n\n"
                   "Run \"example <command> --help\" for more information on a command.")
              (cli/format-command-help {:table table :prog "example"}))))
+    (testing "no :prog"
+      (is (= (str "Usage: [options] <command>\n\n"
+                  "Commands:\n  copy    Copy a file\n  delete  Delete a file\n\n"
+                  "Options:\n  -v, --verbose  Verbose output\n\n"
+                  "Run \"<command> --help\" for more information on a command.")
+             (cli/format-command-help {:table table}))))
     (testing "leaf: own options + option inherited from an ancestor"
       (is (= (str "Usage: example copy [options]\n\n"
                   "Copy a file\n\n"
@@ -1312,7 +1318,30 @@
                                                     (println (cli/format-command-help
                                                               {:table tree :cmds dispatch :prog prog :inherit inherit})))})]
         (is (str/includes? out "BANNER"))
-        (is (str/includes? out "Usage: p"))))))
+        (is (str/includes? out "Usage: p"))))
+    (testing "multi-word commands with inheritance"
+      (is (= (str "Usage: myprog foo bar [options]\n\n"
+                  "Options:\n"
+                  "  --some-foo-bar-opt\n\n"
+                  "Run \"myprog --help\" for global options.\n"
+                  "Run \"myprog foo --help\" for foo options.")
+             (cli/format-command-help
+               {:table [{:cmds []            :spec {:some-default-opt {}}}
+                        {:cmds ["foo"]       :spec {:some-foo-opt {}}}
+                        {:cmds ["foo" "bar"] :spec {:some-foo-bar-opt {}}}]
+                :cmds ["foo" "bar"]
+                :prog "myprog"})))
+      (testing "no :prog"
+        (is (= (str "Usage: foo bar [options]\n\n"
+                  "Options:\n"
+                  "  --some-foo-bar-opt\n\n"
+                  "Run \"--help\" for global options.\n"
+                  "Run \"foo --help\" for foo options.")
+             (cli/format-command-help
+               {:table [{:cmds []            :spec {:some-default-opt {}}}
+                        {:cmds ["foo"]       :spec {:some-foo-opt {}}}
+                        {:cmds ["foo" "bar"] :spec {:some-foo-bar-opt {}}}]
+                :cmds ["foo" "bar"]})))))))
 
 (deftest format-command-error-test
   (let [table [{:cmds [] :doc "tool"}
@@ -1328,6 +1357,14 @@
                     "Commands:\n  dev   Start dev.\n  deps  Dep tools\n\n"
                     "Run \"tool --help\" for more information.")
                s))))
+    (testing "no :prog"
+      (let [s (cli/format-command-error {:cause :no-match :wrong-input "nope"
+                                         :dispatch []
+                                         :tree (cli/table->tree table)})]
+        (is (= (str "Unknown command: nope\n\n"
+                    "Commands:\n  dev   Start dev.\n  deps  Dep tools\n\n"
+                    "Run \"--help\" for more information.")
+               s))))
     (testing ":input-exhausted (incomplete multi-word command) renders the group's commands"
       (let [s (cli/format-command-error {:cause :input-exhausted
                                          :dispatch ["deps"] :prog "tool"
@@ -1396,6 +1433,7 @@
     (testing ":help true works (no :prog; usage line omits it)"
       (let [{:keys [out exit]} (run-dispatch [{:cmds [] :doc "t"} {:cmds ["go"] :fn identity :doc "Go"}]
                                              ["--help"] {:help true})]
+        (is (str/includes? out "Usage: [options] <command>"))
         (is (str/includes? out "Commands:"))
         (is (nil? exit))))
     (testing "*exit-fn* codes can be remapped by :cause (e.g. group -> 0)"