diff --git a/src/builtin.cpp b/src/builtin.cpp
index 0fb131e2b..fa2e0376f 100644
--- a/src/builtin.cpp
+++ b/src/builtin.cpp
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ int parse_help_only_cmd_opts(struct help_only_cmd_opts_t &opts, int *optind, int
                 break;
             }
             case ':': {
-                streams.err.append_format(BUILTIN_ERR_MISSING, cmd, argv[w.woptind - 1]);
+                builtin_missing_argument(parser, streams, cmd, argv[w.woptind - 1]);
                 return STATUS_INVALID_ARGS;
             }
             case '?': {
diff --git a/src/builtin_bind.cpp b/src/builtin_bind.cpp
index 86978e857..c7bf8bb7d 100644
--- a/src/builtin_bind.cpp
+++ b/src/builtin_bind.cpp
@@ -331,7 +331,7 @@ static int parse_cmd_opts(bind_cmd_opts_t &opts, int *optind,  //!OCLINT(high nc
                 return STATUS_CMD_OK;
             }
             case ':': {
-                streams.err.append_format(BUILTIN_ERR_MISSING, cmd, argv[w.woptind - 1]);
+                builtin_missing_argument(parser, streams, cmd, argv[w.woptind - 1]);
                 return STATUS_INVALID_ARGS;
             }
             case L'?': {
diff --git a/src/builtin_block.cpp b/src/builtin_block.cpp
index 8e06c8b3e..0e4d5aee3 100644
--- a/src/builtin_block.cpp
+++ b/src/builtin_block.cpp
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ static int parse_cmd_opts(block_cmd_opts_t &opts, int *optind,  //!OCLINT(high n
                 break;
             }
             case ':': {
-                streams.err.append_format(BUILTIN_ERR_MISSING, cmd, argv[w.woptind - 1]);
+                builtin_missing_argument(parser, streams, cmd, argv[w.woptind - 1]);
                 return STATUS_INVALID_ARGS;
             }
             case '?': {
diff --git a/src/builtin_builtin.cpp b/src/builtin_builtin.cpp
index 6d888fac5..e10f17b49 100644
--- a/src/builtin_builtin.cpp
+++ b/src/builtin_builtin.cpp
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ static int parse_cmd_opts(builtin_cmd_opts_t &opts, int *optind, int argc, wchar
                 break;
             }
             case ':': {
-                streams.err.append_format(BUILTIN_ERR_MISSING, cmd, argv[w.woptind - 1]);
+                builtin_missing_argument(parser, streams, cmd, argv[w.woptind - 1]);
                 return STATUS_INVALID_ARGS;
             }
             case '?': {
diff --git a/src/builtin_command.cpp b/src/builtin_command.cpp
index b53cec1e8..13dc1ad3d 100644
--- a/src/builtin_command.cpp
+++ b/src/builtin_command.cpp
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ static int parse_cmd_opts(command_cmd_opts_t &opts, int *optind, int argc, wchar
                 break;
             }
             case ':': {
-                streams.err.append_format(BUILTIN_ERR_MISSING, cmd, argv[w.woptind - 1]);
+                builtin_missing_argument(parser, streams, cmd, argv[w.woptind - 1]);
                 return STATUS_INVALID_ARGS;
             }
             case '?': {
diff --git a/src/builtin_commandline.cpp b/src/builtin_commandline.cpp
index 39b693ae2..d26b3ee07 100644
--- a/src/builtin_commandline.cpp
+++ b/src/builtin_commandline.cpp
@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@ int builtin_commandline(parser_t &parser, io_streams_t &streams, wchar_t **argv)
                 return STATUS_CMD_OK;
             }
             case ':': {
-                streams.err.append_format(BUILTIN_ERR_MISSING, cmd, argv[w.woptind - 1]);
+                builtin_missing_argument(parser, streams, cmd, argv[w.woptind - 1]);
                 return STATUS_INVALID_ARGS;
             }
             case L'?': {
@@ -330,8 +330,7 @@ int builtin_commandline(parser_t &parser, io_streams_t &streams, wchar_t **argv)
         }
 
         if (argc == w.woptind) {
-            streams.err.append_format(BUILTIN_ERR_MISSING, argv[0]);
-            builtin_print_help(parser, streams, cmd, streams.err);
+            builtin_missing_argument(parser, streams, cmd, argv[0]);
             return STATUS_INVALID_ARGS;
         }
 
diff --git a/src/builtin_contains.cpp b/src/builtin_contains.cpp
index 060abbfaa..346e267f1 100644
--- a/src/builtin_contains.cpp
+++ b/src/builtin_contains.cpp
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ static int parse_cmd_opts(contains_cmd_opts_t &opts, int *optind, int argc, wcha
                 break;
             }
             case ':': {
-                streams.err.append_format(BUILTIN_ERR_MISSING, cmd, argv[w.woptind - 1]);
+                builtin_missing_argument(parser, streams, cmd, argv[w.woptind - 1]);
                 return STATUS_INVALID_ARGS;
             }
             case '?': {
diff --git a/src/builtin_echo.cpp b/src/builtin_echo.cpp
index 76ee71056..db7afd99e 100644
--- a/src/builtin_echo.cpp
+++ b/src/builtin_echo.cpp
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ static int parse_cmd_opts(echo_cmd_opts_t &opts, int *optind, int argc, wchar_t
                 break;
             }
             case ':': {
-                streams.err.append_format(BUILTIN_ERR_MISSING, cmd, argv[w.woptind - 1]);
+                builtin_missing_argument(parser, streams, cmd, argv[w.woptind - 1]);
                 return STATUS_INVALID_ARGS;
             }
             case '?': {
diff --git a/src/builtin_exit.cpp b/src/builtin_exit.cpp
index 3390b44e7..9a15de052 100644
--- a/src/builtin_exit.cpp
+++ b/src/builtin_exit.cpp
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ static int parse_cmd_opts(exit_cmd_opts_t &opts, int *optind,  //!OCLINT(high nc
                 break;
             }
             case ':': {
-                streams.err.append_format(BUILTIN_ERR_MISSING, cmd, argv[w.woptind - 1]);
+                builtin_missing_argument(parser, streams, cmd, argv[w.woptind - 1]);
                 return STATUS_INVALID_ARGS;
             }
             case '?': {
diff --git a/src/builtin_function.cpp b/src/builtin_function.cpp
index 6f29d93a2..9576ce9dc 100644
--- a/src/builtin_function.cpp
+++ b/src/builtin_function.cpp
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ static int parse_cmd_opts(function_cmd_opts_t &opts, int *optind,  //!OCLINT(hig
                 break;
             }
             case ':': {
-                streams.err.append_format(BUILTIN_ERR_MISSING, cmd, argv[w.woptind - 1]);
+                builtin_missing_argument(parser, streams, cmd, argv[w.woptind - 1]);
                 return STATUS_INVALID_ARGS;
             }
             case '?': {
diff --git a/src/builtin_functions.cpp b/src/builtin_functions.cpp
index 92dbd57f9..5e6b42433 100644
--- a/src/builtin_functions.cpp
+++ b/src/builtin_functions.cpp
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ static int parse_cmd_opts(functions_cmd_opts_t &opts, int *optind,  //!OCLINT(hi
                 break;
             }
             case ':': {
-                streams.err.append_format(BUILTIN_ERR_MISSING, cmd, argv[w.woptind - 1]);
+                builtin_missing_argument(parser, streams, cmd, argv[w.woptind - 1]);
                 return STATUS_INVALID_ARGS;
             }
             case '?': {
diff --git a/src/builtin_history.cpp b/src/builtin_history.cpp
index 27aeadcd3..275024ea6 100644
--- a/src/builtin_history.cpp
+++ b/src/builtin_history.cpp
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ static int parse_cmd_opts(history_cmd_opts_t &opts, int *optind,  //!OCLINT(high
                 break;
             }
             case ':': {
-                streams.err.append_format(BUILTIN_ERR_MISSING, cmd, argv[w.woptind - 1]);
+                builtin_missing_argument(parser, streams, cmd, argv[w.woptind - 1]);
                 return STATUS_INVALID_ARGS;
             }
             case '?': {
diff --git a/src/builtin_jobs.cpp b/src/builtin_jobs.cpp
index 2f97ac7ec..9c2f9d50e 100644
--- a/src/builtin_jobs.cpp
+++ b/src/builtin_jobs.cpp
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ int builtin_jobs(parser_t &parser, io_streams_t &streams, wchar_t **argv) {
                 return STATUS_CMD_OK;
             }
             case ':': {
-                streams.err.append_format(BUILTIN_ERR_MISSING, cmd, argv[w.woptind - 1]);
+                builtin_missing_argument(parser, streams, cmd, argv[w.woptind - 1]);
                 return STATUS_INVALID_ARGS;
             }
             case '?': {
diff --git a/src/builtin_read.cpp b/src/builtin_read.cpp
index fbb862a90..492a5051e 100644
--- a/src/builtin_read.cpp
+++ b/src/builtin_read.cpp
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ static int parse_cmd_opts(read_cmd_opts_t &opts, int *optind,  //!OCLINT(high nc
                 break;
             }
             case ':': {
-                streams.err.append_format(BUILTIN_ERR_MISSING, cmd, argv[w.woptind - 1]);
+                builtin_missing_argument(parser, streams, cmd, argv[w.woptind - 1]);
                 return STATUS_INVALID_ARGS;
             }
             case L'?': {
diff --git a/src/builtin_return.cpp b/src/builtin_return.cpp
index 2eabaf38d..7e1cc2cf2 100644
--- a/src/builtin_return.cpp
+++ b/src/builtin_return.cpp
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ static int parse_cmd_opts(return_cmd_opts_t &opts, int *optind,  //!OCLINT(high
                 break;
             }
             case ':': {
-                streams.err.append_format(BUILTIN_ERR_MISSING, cmd, argv[w.woptind - 1]);
+                builtin_missing_argument(parser, streams, cmd, argv[w.woptind - 1]);
                 return STATUS_INVALID_ARGS;
             }
             case '?': {
diff --git a/src/builtin_set.cpp b/src/builtin_set.cpp
index c24483743..f70d105f6 100644
--- a/src/builtin_set.cpp
+++ b/src/builtin_set.cpp
@@ -397,7 +397,7 @@ int builtin_set(parser_t &parser, io_streams_t &streams, wchar_t **argv) {
                 return STATUS_CMD_OK;
             }
             case ':': {
-                streams.err.append_format(BUILTIN_ERR_MISSING, cmd, argv[w.woptind - 1]);
+                builtin_missing_argument(parser, streams, cmd, argv[w.woptind - 1]);
                 return STATUS_INVALID_ARGS;
             }
             case '?': {
diff --git a/src/builtin_set_color.cpp b/src/builtin_set_color.cpp
index 4505509f6..a4a5d12fc 100644
--- a/src/builtin_set_color.cpp
+++ b/src/builtin_set_color.cpp
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ int builtin_set_color(parser_t &parser, io_streams_t &streams, wchar_t **argv) {
                 return STATUS_CMD_OK;
             }
             case ':': {
-                streams.err.append_format(BUILTIN_ERR_MISSING, cmd, argv[w.woptind - 1]);
+                builtin_missing_argument(parser, streams, cmd, argv[w.woptind - 1]);
                 return STATUS_INVALID_ARGS;
             }
             case '?': {
diff --git a/src/builtin_ulimit.cpp b/src/builtin_ulimit.cpp
index 73c286924..0a3c7d650 100644
--- a/src/builtin_ulimit.cpp
+++ b/src/builtin_ulimit.cpp
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ int builtin_ulimit(parser_t &parser, io_streams_t &streams, wchar_t **argv) {
                 return STATUS_CMD_OK;
             }
             case ':': {
-                streams.err.append_format(BUILTIN_ERR_MISSING, cmd, argv[w.woptind - 1]);
+                builtin_missing_argument(parser, streams, cmd, argv[w.woptind - 1]);
                 return STATUS_INVALID_ARGS;
             }
             case '?': {