--- a/src/ex_cmds.c	2016-09-21 15:16:13.032570431 -0700

+++ b/src/ex_cmds.c	2016-09-21 15:16:13.055466074 -0700

@@ -6276,6 +6276,8 @@

 #ifdef FEAT_FOLDING

     int		old_KeyTyped = KeyTyped;

 #endif

+    int		nohelp = FALSE, nominhelp = FALSE;

+    char_u	*mhf = NULL;

     if (eap != NULL)

     {

@@ -6327,6 +6329,23 @@

     n = find_help_tags(arg, &num_matches, &matches,

 						 eap != NULL && eap->forceit);

+    /*

+     * If we didn't find the help topic, check to see whether 'helpfile'

+     * (typically $VIMRUNTIME/doc/help.txt) exists.  If not, then we'll send the

+     * user to the minimized help file delivered with the core vim package which

+     * explains why there's no help and how to get it.

+     */

+    if (num_matches == 0 && mch_access((char *)p_hf, F_OK) < 0) {

+	nohelp = TRUE;

+	mhf = alloc(MAXPATHL);

+	STRNCPY(mhf, p_hf, MAXPATHL - 1);

+	mhf[STRLEN(mhf) - 8] = '\0';

+	STRNCAT(mhf, "help_minimized.txt", MAXPATHL - STRLEN(mhf) - 1);

+

+	if (mch_access((char *)mhf, F_OK) < 0)

+	    nominhelp = TRUE;

+    }

+

     i = 0;

 #ifdef FEAT_MULTI_LANG

     if (n != FAIL && lang != NULL)

@@ -6339,7 +6358,7 @@

 		break;

 	}

 #endif

-    if (i >= num_matches || n == FAIL)

+    if (!nohelp && i >= num_matches || n == FAIL)

     {

 #ifdef FEAT_MULTI_LANG

 	if (lang != NULL)

@@ -6352,9 +6371,11 @@

 	return;

     }

-    /* The first match (in the requested language) is the best match. */

-    tag = vim_strsave(matches[i]);

-    FreeWild(num_matches, matches);

+    if (!nohelp) {

+	/* The first match (in the requested language) is the best match. */

+	tag = vim_strsave(matches[i]);

+	FreeWild(num_matches, matches);

+    }

 #ifdef FEAT_GUI

     need_mouse_correct = TRUE;

@@ -6386,12 +6407,14 @@

 	     * There is no help window yet.

 	     * Try to open the file specified by the "helpfile" option.

 	     */

-	    if ((helpfd = mch_fopen((char *)p_hf, READBIN)) == NULL)

-	    {

-		smsg((char_u *)_("Sorry, help file \"%s\" not found"), p_hf);

-		goto erret;

+	    if (!nohelp || nominhelp) {

+		if ((helpfd = mch_fopen((char *)p_hf, READBIN)) == NULL)

+		{

+		    smsg((char_u *)_("Sorry, help file \"%s\" not found"), p_hf);

+		    goto erret;

+		}

+		fclose(helpfd);

 	    }

-	    fclose(helpfd);

 #ifdef FEAT_WINDOWS

 	    /* Split off help window; put it at far top if no position

@@ -6420,7 +6443,7 @@

 	     * Set the alternate file to the previously edited file.

 	     */

 	    alt_fnum = curbuf->b_fnum;

-	    (void)do_ecmd(0, NULL, NULL, NULL, ECMD_LASTL,

+	    (void)do_ecmd(0, mhf, NULL, NULL, ECMD_LASTL,

 			  ECMD_HIDE + ECMD_SET_HELP,

 #ifdef FEAT_WINDOWS

 			  NULL  /* buffer is still open, don't store info */

@@ -6443,7 +6466,7 @@

     KeyTyped = old_KeyTyped;

 #endif

-    if (tag != NULL)

+    if (!nohelp && tag != NULL)

 	do_tag(tag, DT_HELP, 1, FALSE, TRUE);

     /* Delete the empty buffer if we're not using it.  Careful: autocommands

@@ -6461,7 +6484,8 @@

 	curwin->w_alt_fnum = alt_fnum;

 erret:

-    vim_free(tag);

+    if (!nohelp)

+	vim_free(tag);

 }

 /*