diff --git a/asterixdb/asterix-client-helper/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/clienthelper/AsterixHelperExecution.java b/asterixdb/asterix-client-helper/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/clienthelper/AsterixHelperExecution.java
index 82e8386..419e660 100644
--- a/asterixdb/asterix-client-helper/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/clienthelper/AsterixHelperExecution.java
+++ b/asterixdb/asterix-client-helper/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/clienthelper/AsterixHelperExecution.java
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 public class AsterixHelperExecution {
 
     public static final String ASTERIX_HELPER = "asterixhelper";
+    public static final int COMMAND_USAGE_ALIGNMENT = 20;
 
     protected AsterixHelperExecution() {
     }
@@ -41,7 +42,7 @@
             "squid:S106", // use of System.err
             "squid:S1166" // rethrow or log exception
     })
-    protected int execute(String [] argArray) throws IOException {
+    public int execute(String [] argArray) throws IOException {
         Args args = createArgs();
         CmdLineParser parser = createParser(args);
         try {
@@ -59,7 +60,7 @@
             System.err.println("ERROR: " + e.getMessage() + "\n\n"
                     + "Usage: " + getHelperCommandName() + " [options] <command>\n\n"
                     + "Commands:");
-            printCommandUsage(System.err);
+            printCommandsUsage(System.err);
             System.err.println("Options:");
             parser.printUsage(System.err);
             System.err.flush();
@@ -71,12 +72,20 @@
         return ASTERIX_HELPER;
     }
 
-    protected void printCommandUsage(PrintStream out) {
+    protected void printCommandsUsage(PrintStream out) {
         for (Command command : Command.values()) {
-            out.println("  " + command.name().toLowerCase() + " " + command.usage());
+            printCommandUsage(out, command.name(), command.usage());
         }
     }
 
+    protected void printCommandUsage(PrintStream out, String name, String usage) {
+        StringBuilder padding = new StringBuilder();
+        for (int i = name.length(); i < COMMAND_USAGE_ALIGNMENT; i++) {
+            padding.append(' ');
+        }
+        out.println("  " + name.toLowerCase() + padding.toString() + " : " + usage);
+    }
+
     protected CmdLineParser createParser(Args args) {
         return new CmdLineParser(args, ParserProperties.defaults().withUsageWidth(120));
     }
diff --git a/asterixdb/asterix-client-helper/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/clienthelper/commands/ClientCommand.java b/asterixdb/asterix-client-helper/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/clienthelper/commands/ClientCommand.java
index 734d87b..8f0cac0 100644
--- a/asterixdb/asterix-client-helper/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/clienthelper/commands/ClientCommand.java
+++ b/asterixdb/asterix-client-helper/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/clienthelper/commands/ClientCommand.java
@@ -28,9 +28,9 @@
 public abstract class ClientCommand {
 
     public enum Command {
-        GET_CLUSTER_STATE("- Get state of cluster (errorcode 0 = UP, non-zero = DOWN)"),
-        WAIT_FOR_CLUSTER(" - Wait for cluster to be ready (errorcode 0 = UP, non-zero = UNKNOWN)\")"),
-        SHUTDOWN_CLUSTER(" - Instructs the cluster to shut down"),;
+        GET_CLUSTER_STATE("Get state of cluster (errorcode 0 = UP, non-zero = DOWN)"),
+        WAIT_FOR_CLUSTER("Wait for cluster to be ready (errorcode 0 = UP, non-zero = UNKNOWN)"),
+        SHUTDOWN_CLUSTER("Instructs the cluster to shut down"),;
 
         private final String usage;
         private static final Map<String, Command> nameMap = new HashMap<>();
diff --git a/asterixdb/asterix-client-helper/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/clienthelper/commands/RemoteCommand.java b/asterixdb/asterix-client-helper/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/clienthelper/commands/RemoteCommand.java
index 1440b70..77ccbb4 100644
--- a/asterixdb/asterix-client-helper/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/clienthelper/commands/RemoteCommand.java
+++ b/asterixdb/asterix-client-helper/src/main/java/org/apache/asterix/clienthelper/commands/RemoteCommand.java
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 import org.apache.asterix.clienthelper.Args;
 
 public abstract class RemoteCommand extends ClientCommand {
-    enum Method {
+    protected enum Method {
         GET,
         POST
     }