diff --git a/help.go b/help.go
index ff59ddc8b8..9a8d2437d5 100644
--- a/help.go
+++ b/help.go
@@ -64,6 +64,11 @@ var HelpPrinter helpPrinter = printHelp
 // HelpPrinterCustom is a function that writes the help output. It is used as
 // the default implementation of HelpPrinter, and may be called directly if
 // the ExtraInfo field is set on an App.
+//
+// In the default implementation, if the customFuncs argument contains a
+// "wrapAt" key, which is a function which takes no arguments and returns
+// an int, this int value will be used to produce a "wrap" function used
+// by the default template to wrap long lines.
 var HelpPrinterCustom helpPrinterCustom = printHelpCustom
 
 // VersionPrinter prints the version for the App
@@ -286,12 +291,29 @@ func ShowCommandCompletions(ctx *Context, command string) {
 // The customFuncs map will be combined with a default template.FuncMap to
 // allow using arbitrary functions in template rendering.
 func printHelpCustom(out io.Writer, templ string, data interface{}, customFuncs map[string]interface{}) {
+
+	const maxLineLength = 10000
+
 	funcMap := template.FuncMap{
 		"join":    strings.Join,
 		"indent":  indent,
 		"nindent": nindent,
 		"trim":    strings.TrimSpace,
+		"wrap":    func(input string, offset int) string { return wrap(input, offset, maxLineLength) },
+		"offset":  offset,
+	}
+
+	if customFuncs["wrapAt"] != nil {
+		if wa, ok := customFuncs["wrapAt"]; ok {
+			if waf, ok := wa.(func() int); ok {
+				wrapAt := waf()
+				customFuncs["wrap"] = func(input string, offset int) string {
+					return wrap(input, offset, wrapAt)
+				}
+			}
+		}
 	}
+
 	for key, value := range customFuncs {
 		funcMap[key] = value
 	}
@@ -402,3 +424,55 @@ func indent(spaces int, v string) string {
 func nindent(spaces int, v string) string {
 	return "\n" + indent(spaces, v)
 }
+
+func wrap(input string, offset int, wrapAt int) string {
+	var sb strings.Builder
+
+	lines := strings.Split(input, "\n")
+
+	padding := strings.Repeat(" ", offset)
+
+	for i, line := range lines {
+		if i != 0 {
+			sb.WriteString(padding)
+		}
+
+		sb.WriteString(wrapLine(line, offset, wrapAt, padding))
+
+		if i != len(lines)-1 {
+			sb.WriteString("\n")
+		}
+	}
+
+	return sb.String()
+}
+
+func wrapLine(input string, offset int, wrapAt int, padding string) string {
+	if wrapAt <= offset || len(input) <= wrapAt-offset {
+		return input
+	}
+
+	lineWidth := wrapAt - offset
+	words := strings.Fields(input)
+	if len(words) == 0 {
+		return input
+	}
+
+	wrapped := words[0]
+	spaceLeft := lineWidth - len(wrapped)
+	for _, word := range words[1:] {
+		if len(word)+1 > spaceLeft {
+			wrapped += "\n" + padding + word
+			spaceLeft = lineWidth - len(word)
+		} else {
+			wrapped += " " + word
+			spaceLeft -= 1 + len(word)
+		}
+	}
+
+	return wrapped
+}
+
+func offset(input string, fixed int) int {
+	return len(input) + fixed
+}
diff --git a/help_test.go b/help_test.go
index 17a263deb6..4feb7f05a0 100644
--- a/help_test.go
+++ b/help_test.go
@@ -1124,3 +1124,225 @@ func TestDefaultCompleteWithFlags(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	}
 }
+
+func TestWrappedHelp(t *testing.T) {
+
+	// Reset HelpPrinter after this test.
+	defer func(old helpPrinter) {
+		HelpPrinter = old
+	}(HelpPrinter)
+
+	output := new(bytes.Buffer)
+	app := &App{
+		Writer: output,
+		Flags: []Flag{
+			&BoolFlag{Name: "foo",
+				Aliases: []string{"h"},
+				Usage:   "here's a really long help text line, let's see where it wraps. blah blah blah and so on.",
+			},
+		},
+		Usage:     "here's a sample App.Usage string long enough that it should be wrapped in this test",
+		UsageText: "i'm not sure how App.UsageText differs from App.Usage, but this should also be wrapped in this test",
+		// TODO: figure out how to make ArgsUsage appear in the help text, and test that
+		Description: `here's a sample App.Description string long enough that it should be wrapped in this test
+
+with a newline
+   and an indented line`,
+		Copyright: `Here's a sample copyright text string long enough that it should be wrapped.
+Including newlines.
+   And also indented lines.
+
+
+And then another long line. Blah blah blah does anybody ever read these things?`,
+	}
+
+	c := NewContext(app, nil, nil)
+
+	HelpPrinter = func(w io.Writer, templ string, data interface{}) {
+		funcMap := map[string]interface{}{
+			"wrapAt": func() int {
+				return 30
+			},
+		}
+
+		HelpPrinterCustom(w, templ, data, funcMap)
+	}
+
+	_ = ShowAppHelp(c)
+
+	expected := `NAME:
+    - here's a sample
+      App.Usage string long
+      enough that it should be
+      wrapped in this test
+
+USAGE:
+   i'm not sure how
+   App.UsageText differs from
+   App.Usage, but this should
+   also be wrapped in this
+   test
+
+DESCRIPTION:
+   here's a sample
+   App.Description string long
+   enough that it should be
+   wrapped in this test
+   
+   with a newline
+      and an indented line
+
+GLOBAL OPTIONS:
+   --foo, -h here's a
+      really long help text
+      line, let's see where it
+      wraps. blah blah blah
+      and so on. (default:
+      false)
+
+COPYRIGHT:
+   Here's a sample copyright
+   text string long enough
+   that it should be wrapped.
+   Including newlines.
+      And also indented lines.
+   
+   
+   And then another long line.
+   Blah blah blah does anybody
+   ever read these things?
+`
+
+	if output.String() != expected {
+		t.Errorf("Unexpected wrapping, got:\n%s\nexpected: %s",
+			output.String(), expected)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestWrappedCommandHelp(t *testing.T) {
+
+	// Reset HelpPrinter after this test.
+	defer func(old helpPrinter) {
+		HelpPrinter = old
+	}(HelpPrinter)
+
+	output := new(bytes.Buffer)
+	app := &App{
+		Writer: output,
+		Commands: []*Command{
+			{
+				Name:        "add",
+				Aliases:     []string{"a"},
+				Usage:       "add a task to the list",
+				UsageText:   "this is an even longer way of describing adding a task to the list",
+				Description: "and a description long enough to wrap in this test case",
+				Action: func(c *Context) error {
+					return nil
+				},
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	c := NewContext(app, nil, nil)
+
+	HelpPrinter = func(w io.Writer, templ string, data interface{}) {
+		funcMap := map[string]interface{}{
+			"wrapAt": func() int {
+				return 30
+			},
+		}
+
+		HelpPrinterCustom(w, templ, data, funcMap)
+	}
+
+	_ = ShowCommandHelp(c, "add")
+
+	expected := `NAME:
+    - add a task to the list
+
+USAGE:
+   this is an even longer way
+   of describing adding a task
+   to the list
+
+DESCRIPTION:
+   and a description long
+   enough to wrap in this test
+   case
+`
+
+	if output.String() != expected {
+		t.Errorf("Unexpected wrapping, got:\n%s\nexpected: %s",
+			output.String(), expected)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestWrappedSubcommandHelp(t *testing.T) {
+
+	// Reset HelpPrinter after this test.
+	defer func(old helpPrinter) {
+		HelpPrinter = old
+	}(HelpPrinter)
+
+	output := new(bytes.Buffer)
+	app := &App{
+		Name:   "cli.test",
+		Writer: output,
+		Commands: []*Command{
+			{
+				Name:        "bar",
+				Aliases:     []string{"a"},
+				Usage:       "add a task to the list",
+				UsageText:   "this is an even longer way of describing adding a task to the list",
+				Description: "and a description long enough to wrap in this test case",
+				Action: func(c *Context) error {
+					return nil
+				},
+				Subcommands: []*Command{
+					{
+						Name:      "grok",
+						Usage:     "remove an existing template",
+						UsageText: "longer usage text goes here, la la la, hopefully this is long enough to wrap even more",
+						Action: func(c *Context) error {
+							return nil
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	HelpPrinter = func(w io.Writer, templ string, data interface{}) {
+		funcMap := map[string]interface{}{
+			"wrapAt": func() int {
+				return 30
+			},
+		}
+
+		HelpPrinterCustom(w, templ, data, funcMap)
+	}
+
+	_ = app.Run([]string{"foo", "bar", "grok", "--help"})
+
+	expected := `NAME:
+   cli.test bar grok - remove
+                       an
+                       existing
+                       template
+
+USAGE:
+   longer usage text goes
+   here, la la la, hopefully
+   this is long enough to wrap
+   even more
+
+OPTIONS:
+   --help, -h  show help (default: false)
+   
+`
+
+	if output.String() != expected {
+		t.Errorf("Unexpected wrapping, got:\n%s\nexpected: %s",
+			output.String(), expected)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/template.go b/template.go
index 264eb856bb..d2d3336c78 100644
--- a/template.go
+++ b/template.go
@@ -4,16 +4,16 @@ package cli
 // cli.go uses text/template to render templates. You can
 // render custom help text by setting this variable.
 var AppHelpTemplate = `NAME:
-   {{.Name}}{{if .Usage}} - {{.Usage}}{{end}}
+   {{$v := offset .Name 6}}{{wrap .Name 3}}{{if .Usage}} - {{wrap .Usage $v}}{{end}}
 
 USAGE:
-   {{if .UsageText}}{{.UsageText | nindent 3 | trim}}{{else}}{{.HelpName}} {{if .VisibleFlags}}[global options]{{end}}{{if .Commands}} command [command options]{{end}} {{if .ArgsUsage}}{{.ArgsUsage}}{{else}}[arguments...]{{end}}{{end}}{{if .Version}}{{if not .HideVersion}}
+   {{if .UsageText}}{{wrap .UsageText 3}}{{else}}{{.HelpName}} {{if .VisibleFlags}}[global options]{{end}}{{if .Commands}} command [command options]{{end}} {{if .ArgsUsage}}{{.ArgsUsage}}{{else}}[arguments...]{{end}}{{end}}{{if .Version}}{{if not .HideVersion}}
 
 VERSION:
    {{.Version}}{{end}}{{end}}{{if .Description}}
 
 DESCRIPTION:
-   {{.Description | nindent 3 | trim}}{{end}}{{if len .Authors}}
+   {{wrap .Description 3}}{{end}}{{if len .Authors}}
 
 AUTHOR{{with $length := len .Authors}}{{if ne 1 $length}}S{{end}}{{end}}:
    {{range $index, $author := .Authors}}{{if $index}}
@@ -31,26 +31,26 @@ GLOBAL OPTIONS:{{range .VisibleFlagCategories}}
 
 GLOBAL OPTIONS:
    {{range $index, $option := .VisibleFlags}}{{if $index}}
-   {{end}}{{$option}}{{end}}{{end}}{{end}}{{if .Copyright}}
+   {{end}}{{wrap $option.String 6}}{{end}}{{end}}{{if .Copyright}}
 
 COPYRIGHT:
-   {{.Copyright}}{{end}}
+   {{wrap .Copyright 3}}{{end}}
 `
 
 // CommandHelpTemplate is the text template for the command help topic.
 // cli.go uses text/template to render templates. You can
 // render custom help text by setting this variable.
 var CommandHelpTemplate = `NAME:
-   {{.HelpName}} - {{.Usage}}
+   {{$v := offset .HelpName 6}}{{wrap .HelpName 3}}{{if .Usage}} - {{wrap .Usage $v}}{{end}}
 
 USAGE:
-   {{if .UsageText}}{{.UsageText | nindent 3 | trim}}{{else}}{{.HelpName}}{{if .VisibleFlags}} [command options]{{end}} {{if .ArgsUsage}}{{.ArgsUsage}}{{else}}[arguments...]{{end}}{{end}}{{if .Category}}
+   {{if .UsageText}}{{wrap .UsageText 3}}{{else}}{{.HelpName}}{{if .VisibleFlags}} [command options]{{end}} {{if .ArgsUsage}}{{.ArgsUsage}}{{else}}[arguments...]{{end}}{{end}}{{if .Category}}
 
 CATEGORY:
    {{.Category}}{{end}}{{if .Description}}
 
 DESCRIPTION:
-   {{.Description | nindent 3 | trim}}{{end}}{{if .VisibleFlagCategories}}
+   {{wrap .Description 3}}{{end}}{{if .VisibleFlagCategories}}
 
 OPTIONS:{{range .VisibleFlagCategories}}
    {{if .Name}}{{.Name}}
@@ -69,10 +69,10 @@ var SubcommandHelpTemplate = `NAME:
    {{.HelpName}} - {{.Usage}}
 
 USAGE:
-   {{if .UsageText}}{{.UsageText | nindent 3 | trim}}{{else}}{{.HelpName}} command{{if .VisibleFlags}} [command options]{{end}} {{if .ArgsUsage}}{{.ArgsUsage}}{{else}}[arguments...]{{end}}{{end}}{{if .Description}}
+   {{if .UsageText}}{{wrap .UsageText 3}}{{else}}{{.HelpName}} command{{if .VisibleFlags}} [command options]{{end}} {{if .ArgsUsage}}{{.ArgsUsage}}{{else}}[arguments...]{{end}}{{end}}{{if .Description}}
 
 DESCRIPTION:
-   {{.Description | nindent 3 | trim}}{{end}}
+   {{wrap .Description 3}}{{end}}
 
 COMMANDS:{{range .VisibleCategories}}{{if .Name}}
    {{.Name}}:{{range .VisibleCommands}}