diff --git a/dvc/cli.py b/dvc/cli.py
index 5ffdc1347..2de78ff60 100644
--- a/dvc/cli.py
+++ b/dvc/cli.py
@@ -81,18 +81,33 @@ COMMANDS = [
 class DvcParser(argparse.ArgumentParser):
     """Custom parser class for dvc CLI."""
 
-    def error(self, message):
+    def error(self, message, command=None):
         """Custom error method.
         Args:
             message (str): error message.
-
+            command (str): subcommand name for help message
         Raises:
             dvc.exceptions.DvcParser: dvc parser exception.
+
         """
         logger.error(message)
+        if command is not None:
+            for action in self._actions:
+                if action.dest == "cmd" and command in action.choices:
+                    subparser = action.choices[command]
+                    subparser.print_help()
+                    raise DvcParserError()
         self.print_help()
         raise DvcParserError()
 
+    # override this to send subcommand name to error method
+    def parse_args(self, args=None, namespace=None):
+        args, argv = self.parse_known_args(args, namespace)
+        if argv:
+            msg = "unrecognized arguments: %s"
+            self.error(msg % " ".join(argv), args.cmd)
+        return args
+
 
 class VersionAction(argparse.Action):  # pragma: no cover
     # pylint: disable=too-few-public-methods
diff --git a/tests/func/test_cli.py b/tests/func/test_cli.py
index bd19836c5..970be5337 100644
--- a/tests/func/test_cli.py
+++ b/tests/func/test_cli.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ from dvc.command.remove import CmdRemove
 from dvc.command.repro import CmdRepro
 from dvc.command.run import CmdRun
 from dvc.command.status import CmdDataStatus
-from dvc.exceptions import DvcException
+from dvc.exceptions import DvcException, DvcParserError
 from tests.basic_env import TestDvc
 
 
@@ -171,3 +171,36 @@ class TestFindRoot(TestDvc):
         args = A()
         with self.assertRaises(DvcException):
             CmdBase(args)
+
+
+def test_unknown_command_help(capsys):
+    try:
+        _ = parse_args(["unknown"])
+    except DvcParserError:
+        pass
+    captured = capsys.readouterr()
+    output = captured.out
+    try:
+        _ = parse_args(["--help"])
+    except SystemExit:
+        pass
+    captured = capsys.readouterr()
+    help_output = captured.out
+    assert output == help_output
+
+
+def test_unknown_subcommand_help(capsys):
+    sample_subcommand = "push"
+    try:
+        _ = parse_args([sample_subcommand, "--unknown"])
+    except DvcParserError:
+        pass
+    captured = capsys.readouterr()
+    output = captured.out
+    try:
+        _ = parse_args([sample_subcommand, "--help"])
+    except SystemExit:
+        pass
+    captured = capsys.readouterr()
+    help_output = captured.out
+    assert output == help_output