diff --git a/apps/pdfcraft/src/main.rs b/apps/pdfcraft/src/main.rs
index 420683942..96725cd8d 100644
--- a/apps/pdfcraft/src/main.rs
+++ b/apps/pdfcraft/src/main.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 //! PdfCraft desktop app.
 //!
-//! Usage: `pdfcraft [options] [files…]`
+//! Usage: `pdfcraft [options] [files…]` (`-h` / `--help` prints a short version of this, [`USAGE`]).
 //! `--create-images [images…]` stages the images in one PDF and asks for the page DPI.
 //!
 //! View options (applied after the files open; also the seed of the UI control channel):
@@ -56,6 +56,32 @@ const APP_ICON_PNG: &[u8] = include_bytes!("../../../assets/app-icon/pdfcraft-10
 #[cfg(not(target_os = "macos"))]
 const APP_ICON_PNG: &[u8] = include_bytes!("../../../assets/app-icon/hicolor/256x256/apps/ai.storyteller.pdfcraft.png");
 
+/// What `-h` / `--help` prints (#4076): a hint, not the full option list (that is this file's
+/// doc comment and the README). Scripts want `pdfcraft-cli`, which never opens a window.
+const USAGE: &str = "\
+Usage: pdfcraft [options] [files…]
+
+Opens the files in the PdfCraft desktop app.
+
+Options:
+  --new-window                open a window of its own instead of passing the files to a running PdfCraft
+  --create-images [images…]   put the images in one PDF and ask for the page DPI
+  --control <file>            enable the UI control channel (pdfcraft-cli ui --control <file> …)
+  --page N, --zoom 150, --layout continuous, --theme dark, …
+                              view settings applied once the files are open
+  -h, --help                  print this and exit
+  --version                   print the version and exit
+
+To inspect, convert or edit PDFs from a script, use pdfcraft-cli (pdfcraft-cli --help).";
+
+/// Print `text` for `--help` and `--version`. `println!` would panic on a full or closed
+/// standard output; this exits normally instead.
+fn print_and_exit(text: &str) -> eframe::Result {
+    use std::io::Write;
+    let _ = writeln!(std::io::stdout().lock(), "{text}");
+    Ok(())
+}
+
 /// The app was called PrintCraft before; settings saved then are under this key.
 const LEGACY_STORAGE_KEY: &str = "printcraft";
 
@@ -196,10 +222,9 @@ fn main() -> eframe::Result {
     let mut args = std::env::args().skip(1);
     while let Some(a) = args.next() {
         match a.as_str() {
-            "--version" => {
-                println!("pdfcraft {}", pdfcraft_engine::build_info::version());
-                return Ok(());
-            }
+            "--version" => return print_and_exit(&format!("pdfcraft {}", pdfcraft_engine::build_info::version())),
+            // Before any window or log file, so a scripted call returns (#4076).
+            "-h" | "--help" => return print_and_exit(USAGE),
             "--control" => control_file = args.next(),
             "--create-images" => create_images = true,
             "--new-window" => new_window = true,
diff --git a/apps/pdfcraft/tests/help.rs b/apps/pdfcraft/tests/help.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fce9a8dd3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/pdfcraft/tests/help.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+//! `--help`, `-h` and `--version` print and exit without opening a window (#4076), so a script that
+//! calls them returns.
+
+use std::process::{Command, Output, Stdio};
+use std::time::{Duration, Instant};
+
+const BIN: &str = env!("CARGO_BIN_EXE_pdfcraft");
+
+/// Run the app with `args`, failing if it is still running after 60 s (it opened its window).
+fn run(args: &[&str], stdout: Stdio) -> Output {
+    let mut child = Command::new(BIN).args(args).stdin(Stdio::null()).stdout(stdout).stderr(Stdio::piped()).spawn().unwrap();
+    let deadline = Instant::now() + Duration::from_secs(60);
+    while child.try_wait().unwrap().is_none() {
+        if Instant::now() > deadline {
+            let _ = child.kill();
+            panic!("pdfcraft {args:?} did not exit: it started the app instead");
+        }
+        std::thread::sleep(Duration::from_millis(50));
+    }
+    child.wait_with_output().unwrap()
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn help_prints_usage_and_exits() {
+    for flag in ["--help", "-h"] {
+        let out = run(&[flag], Stdio::piped());
+        assert!(out.status.success(), "{flag}: {:?} {}", out.status, String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stderr));
+        let stdout = String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stdout);
+        assert!(stdout.starts_with("Usage: pdfcraft [options] [files…]"), "{flag}: {stdout}");
+        assert!(stdout.contains("pdfcraft-cli"), "{flag}: points scripts to the CLI: {stdout}");
+    }
+    // Wherever it is on the command line, and with files named.
+    let out = run(&["missing.pdf", "--help"], Stdio::piped());
+    assert!(out.status.success());
+    assert!(String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stdout).starts_with("Usage:"));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn version_prints_the_version_and_exits() {
+    let out = run(&["--version"], Stdio::piped());
+    assert!(out.status.success(), "{:?} {}", out.status, String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stderr));
+    assert!(String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stdout).starts_with("pdfcraft "), "{}", String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stdout));
+}
+
+/// A standard output that can't be written (here a full device) ends the run normally: `println!`
+/// would panic and exit 101.
+#[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
+#[test]
+fn help_and_version_survive_an_unwritable_stdout() {
+    for flag in ["--help", "--version"] {
+        let full = std::fs::OpenOptions::new().write(true).open("/dev/full").unwrap();
+        let out = run(&[flag], Stdio::from(full));
+        assert!(out.status.success(), "{flag}: {:?} {}", out.status, String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stderr));
+    }
+}