diff --git a/src/cli.c b/src/cli.c
index 9f4b8df5a..25d28f14d 100644
--- a/src/cli.c
+++ b/src/cli.c
@@ -372,24 +372,37 @@ void cli_register_kw(struct cli_kw_list *kw_list)
 void cli_list_keywords(void)
 {
 	struct cli_kw_list *kw_list;
-	struct cli_kw *kw;
+	struct cli_kw *kwp, *kwn, *kw;
 	int idx;
 
-	list_for_each_entry(kw_list, &cli_keywords.list, list) {
-		for (kw = &kw_list->kw[0]; kw->str_kw[0]; kw++) {
-			for (idx = 0; kw->str_kw[idx]; idx++) {
-				printf("%s ", kw->str_kw[idx]);
+	for (kwn = kwp = NULL;; kwp = kwn) {
+		list_for_each_entry(kw_list, &cli_keywords.list, list) {
+			/* note: we sort based on the usage message when available,
+			 * otherwise we fall back to the first keyword.
+			 */
+			for (kw = &kw_list->kw[0]; kw->str_kw[0]; kw++) {
+				if (strordered(kwp ? kwp->usage ? kwp->usage : kwp->str_kw[0] : NULL,
+					       kw->usage ? kw->usage : kw->str_kw[0],
+					       kwn != kwp ? kwn->usage ? kwn->usage : kwn->str_kw[0] : NULL))
+					kwn = kw;
 			}
-			if (kw->level & (ACCESS_MASTER_ONLY|ACCESS_MASTER))
-				printf("[MASTER] ");
-			if (!(kw->level & ACCESS_MASTER_ONLY))
-				printf("[WORKER] ");
-			if (kw->level & ACCESS_EXPERT)
-				printf("[EXPERT] ");
-			if (kw->level & ACCESS_EXPERIMENTAL)
-				printf("[EXPERIM] ");
-			printf("\n");
 		}
+
+		if (kwn == kwp)
+			break;
+
+		for (idx = 0; kwn->str_kw[idx]; idx++) {
+			printf("%s ", kwn->str_kw[idx]);
+		}
+		if (kwn->level & (ACCESS_MASTER_ONLY|ACCESS_MASTER))
+			printf("[MASTER] ");
+		if (!(kwn->level & ACCESS_MASTER_ONLY))
+			printf("[WORKER] ");
+		if (kwn->level & ACCESS_EXPERT)
+			printf("[EXPERT] ");
+		if (kwn->level & ACCESS_EXPERIMENTAL)
+			printf("[EXPERIM] ");
+		printf("\n");
 	}
 }