diff --git a/command.go b/command.go
index fddc203fa..812b08608 100644
--- a/command.go
+++ b/command.go
@@ -18,13 +18,14 @@ package cobra
 import (
 	"bytes"
 	"fmt"
-	"github.com/inconshreveable/mousetrap"
-	flag "github.com/spf13/pflag"
 	"io"
 	"os"
 	"runtime"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
+
+	"github.com/inconshreveable/mousetrap"
+	flag "github.com/spf13/pflag"
 )
 
 // Command is just that, a command for your application.
@@ -790,6 +791,13 @@ func (c *Command) HasParent() bool {
 	return c.parent != nil
 }
 
+func (c *Command) assureHelpFlag() {
+	if c.Flags().Lookup("help") == nil && c.PersistentFlags().Lookup("help") == nil {
+		c.PersistentFlags().BoolVarP(&c.helpFlagVal, "help", "h", false, "help for "+c.Name())
+	}
+	c.mergePersistentFlags()
+}
+
 // Get the complete FlagSet that applies to this command (local and persistent declared here and by all parents)
 func (c *Command) Flags() *flag.FlagSet {
 	if c.flags == nil {
@@ -798,7 +806,7 @@ func (c *Command) Flags() *flag.FlagSet {
 			c.flagErrorBuf = new(bytes.Buffer)
 		}
 		c.flags.SetOutput(c.flagErrorBuf)
-		c.PersistentFlags().BoolVarP(&c.helpFlagVal, "help", "h", false, "help for "+c.Name())
+		c.assureHelpFlag()
 	}
 	return c.flags
 }
@@ -934,7 +942,9 @@ func (c *Command) mergePersistentFlags() {
 		}
 		c.lflags.SetOutput(c.flagErrorBuf)
 		addtolocal := func(f *flag.Flag) {
-			c.lflags.AddFlag(f)
+			if c.lflags.Lookup(f.Name) == nil {
+				c.lflags.AddFlag(f)
+			}
 		}
 		c.Flags().VisitAll(addtolocal)
 		c.PersistentFlags().VisitAll(addtolocal)