diff --git a/tools/lib/subcmd/help.c b/tools/lib/subcmd/help.c
index 9ef5694..ddaeb4e 100644
--- a/tools/lib/subcmd/help.c
+++ b/tools/lib/subcmd/help.c
@@ -75,6 +75,9 @@ void exclude_cmds(struct cmdnames *cmds, struct cmdnames *excludes)
 	size_t ci, cj, ei;
 	int cmp;
 
+	if (!excludes->cnt)
+		return;
+
 	ci = cj = ei = 0;
 	while (ci < cmds->cnt && ei < excludes->cnt) {
 		cmp = strcmp(cmds->names[ci]->name, excludes->names[ei]->name);