diff --git a/apps/vectorcraft/src/main.rs b/apps/vectorcraft/src/main.rs
index 4400c2d9c..5517e9ecc 100644
--- a/apps/vectorcraft/src/main.rs
+++ b/apps/vectorcraft/src/main.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 //! VectorCraft desktop app.
 //!
 //! Usage: `vectorcraft [--control <port> [--automation-read-root <dir>] [--automation-write-root <dir>]]
-//! [--in-window-menus] [files…]`
+//! [--in-window-menus] [files…]`, `vectorcraft --version`, `vectorcraft --help` (or `-h`)
 //!
 //! `--in-window-menus` (or `VECTORCRAFT_IN_WINDOW_MENUS=1`) keeps the menus inside the window on
 //! macOS instead of the macOS menu bar (`mac_menu`).
@@ -625,6 +625,26 @@ fn native_options(custom_titlebar: bool) -> eframe::NativeOptions {
     }
 }
 
+/// `vectorcraft --help`. Headless work (convert, run, MCP) is `vectorcraft-cli`'s.
+const USAGE: &str = "\
+Usage: vectorcraft [options] [files…]
+
+Opens the VectorCraft desktop app with the given files.
+
+Options:
+  --control <port>               Start the localhost JSON-lines control server on <port>
+                                 (or VECTORCRAFT_CONTROL_PORT)
+  --automation-read-root <dir>   Confine the files control requests read to <dir>
+  --automation-write-root <dir>  Confine the files control requests write to <dir>
+  --in-window-menus              Keep the menus inside the window on macOS
+                                 (or VECTORCRAFT_IN_WINDOW_MENUS=1)
+  --version                      Print the version and exit
+  -h, --help                     Print this help and exit
+
+Without a window (converting, scripting, the MCP server), use vectorcraft-cli:
+  vectorcraft-cli --help
+";
+
 fn main() -> std::process::ExitCode {
     // Validate roots before logging, font scans, preferences or the window: a missing value
     // must not clear an environment root and start the control channel without confinement.
@@ -650,6 +670,14 @@ fn main() -> std::process::ExitCode {
                 println!("vectorcraft {}", env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION"));
                 return std::process::ExitCode::SUCCESS;
             }
+            // Before anything starts, like `--version`: from a terminal or an agent's shell the app
+            // used to open (or hang without a display) instead (#2110).
+            "--help" | "-h" => {
+                // Not `print!`, which panics when standard output is closed (`| head -0`):
+                // there is nothing left to tell then.
+                let _ = std::io::Write::write_all(&mut std::io::stdout(), USAGE.as_bytes());
+                return std::process::ExitCode::SUCCESS;
+            }
             _ => files.push(a),
         }
     }
diff --git a/apps/vectorcraft/tests/help.rs b/apps/vectorcraft/tests/help.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5c77ecdbb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/vectorcraft/tests/help.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+// Integration tests: unwrapping and panicking on failure is fine here, unlike in shipped code (AGENTS.md › Robustness).
+#![allow(clippy::unwrap_used, clippy::expect_used, clippy::panic)]
+
+//! `vectorcraft --help` prints the usage and exits before the app starts (#2110): run from a
+//! terminal, SSH or an agent's shell it used to open the window (or hang without a display).
+
+use std::process::{Command, Output, Stdio};
+use std::time::{Duration, Instant};
+
+const BIN: &str = env!("CARGO_BIN_EXE_vectorcraft");
+
+/// Runs the desktop binary without a display, so a regression fails instead of opening a window.
+fn run(args: &[&str], env: &[(&str, &str)]) -> Output {
+    let mut child = Command::new(BIN)
+        .args(args)
+        .env_remove("DISPLAY")
+        .env_remove("WAYLAND_DISPLAY")
+        .env_remove("WAYLAND_SOCKET")
+        .env_remove("VECTORCRAFT_CONTROL_PORT")
+        .env("VECTORCRAFT_NO_PREFS", "1")
+        .envs(env.iter().copied())
+        .stdin(Stdio::null())
+        .stdout(Stdio::piped())
+        .stderr(Stdio::piped())
+        .spawn()
+        .unwrap();
+    let deadline = Instant::now() + Duration::from_secs(5);
+    while child.try_wait().unwrap().is_none() {
+        if Instant::now() >= deadline {
+            child.kill().unwrap();
+            panic!("{args:?}: the app started instead of printing its usage");
+        }
+        std::thread::sleep(Duration::from_millis(10));
+    }
+    child.wait_with_output().unwrap()
+}
+
+fn prints_usage(args: &[&str], env: &[(&str, &str)]) {
+    let out = run(args, env);
+    let stdout = String::from_utf8(out.stdout).unwrap();
+    assert!(out.status.success(), "{args:?}: {}", String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stderr));
+    assert!(out.stderr.is_empty(), "{args:?}: {}", String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stderr));
+    assert!(stdout.starts_with("Usage: vectorcraft "), "{args:?}: {stdout}");
+    for flag in ["--control", "--automation-read-root", "--automation-write-root", "--in-window-menus", "--version", "--help"] {
+        assert!(stdout.contains(flag), "{args:?}: usage doesn't mention {flag}: {stdout}");
+    }
+    // Headless work is the CLI's: the usage says where to go.
+    assert!(stdout.contains("vectorcraft-cli"), "{args:?}: {stdout}");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn help_prints_usage_and_exits_before_startup() {
+    prints_usage(&["--help"], &[]);
+    prints_usage(&["-h"], &[]);
+    // After a file or a flag, too: nothing is opened.
+    prints_usage(&["drawing.svg", "--help"], &[]);
+    prints_usage(&["--in-window-menus", "-h"], &[]);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn help_wins_over_a_bad_control_port_variable() {
+    prints_usage(&["--help"], &[("VECTORCRAFT_CONTROL_PORT", "abc")]);
+}