diff --git a/gerrit-sshd/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/sshd/DispatchCommand.java b/gerrit-sshd/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/sshd/DispatchCommand.java
index fa5ab53ea7..d548d34e6d 100644
--- a/gerrit-sshd/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/sshd/DispatchCommand.java
+++ b/gerrit-sshd/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/sshd/DispatchCommand.java
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import com.google.gerrit.extensions.restapi.AuthException;
 import com.google.gerrit.server.CurrentUser;
 import com.google.gerrit.server.account.CapabilityUtils;
 import com.google.gerrit.server.args4j.SubcommandHandler;
+import com.google.gerrit.sshd.commands.ErrorSlaveMode;
 import com.google.inject.Inject;
 import com.google.inject.Provider;
 import com.google.inject.assistedinject.Assisted;
@@ -154,9 +155,13 @@ final class DispatchCommand extends BaseCommand {
     String format = "%-" + maxLength + "s   %s";
     for (String name : Sets.newTreeSet(commands.keySet())) {
       final CommandProvider p = commands.get(name);
+      Command c = p.getProvider().get();
+      String description = c instanceof ErrorSlaveMode
+          ? "Command disabled: server is running in slave mode"
+          : Strings.nullToEmpty(p.getDescription());
+
       usage.append("   ");
-      usage.append(String.format(format, name,
-          Strings.nullToEmpty(p.getDescription())));
+      usage.append(String.format(format, name, description));
       usage.append("\n");
     }
     usage.append("\n");
diff --git a/gerrit-sshd/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/sshd/commands/ErrorSlaveMode.java b/gerrit-sshd/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/sshd/commands/ErrorSlaveMode.java
index b911547aaa..32c7203842 100644
--- a/gerrit-sshd/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/sshd/commands/ErrorSlaveMode.java
+++ b/gerrit-sshd/src/main/java/com/google/gerrit/sshd/commands/ErrorSlaveMode.java
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ import java.io.IOException;
  * server. This is used when a user tries to run a command on a server in Slave
  * Mode, but the command only applies to the Master server.
  */
-final class ErrorSlaveMode extends BaseCommand {
+public final class ErrorSlaveMode extends BaseCommand {
   @Override
   public void start(final Environment env) {
     String msg =