diff --git a/gendoc.sh b/gendoc.sh
index 61c01be..b7b2a78 100755
--- a/gendoc.sh
+++ b/gendoc.sh
@@ -25,15 +25,9 @@ any parameters. Followed by the help and usage information for each command.
 
 EOF
 
-./mox 2>&1 | sed 's/^\( *\|usage: \)/\t/'
-
-cat <<EOF
-
-EOF
-
-# setting XDG_CONFIG_HOME ensures "mox localserve" has reasonable default
-# values in its help output.
-XDG_CONFIG_HOME='$userconfigdir' ./mox helpall 2>&1
+./mox 2>&1 | sed -e 's/^usage: */\t/' -e 's/^  */\t/'
+echo
+./mox helpall 2>&1
 
 cat <<EOF
 */
diff --git a/localserve.go b/localserve.go
index a1848c2..b206367 100644
--- a/localserve.go
+++ b/localserve.go
@@ -66,6 +66,11 @@ during those commands instead of during "data".
 	if userConfDir == "" {
 		userConfDir = "."
 	}
+	// If we are being run to gather help output, show a placeholder directory
+	// instead of evaluating to the actual userconfigdir on the host os.
+	if c._gather {
+		userConfDir = "$userconfigdir"
+	}
 
 	var dir, ip string
 	var initOnly bool