diff --git a/jdk/src/jdk.jlink/share/classes/jdk/tools/jlink/internal/TaskHelper.java b/jdk/src/jdk.jlink/share/classes/jdk/tools/jlink/internal/TaskHelper.java
index a7a820e5c59..7c60d79657e 100644
--- a/jdk/src/jdk.jlink/share/classes/jdk/tools/jlink/internal/TaskHelper.java
+++ b/jdk/src/jdk.jlink/share/classes/jdk/tools/jlink/internal/TaskHelper.java
@@ -227,12 +227,6 @@ public final class TaskHelper {
                     addOrderedPluginOptions(plugin, optionsSeen);
                 }
             }
-            mainOptions.add(new PluginOption(false,
-                    (task, opt, arg) -> {
-                        // This option is handled prior
-                        // to have the options parsed.
-                    },
-                    false, "--plugin-module-path"));
             mainOptions.add(new PluginOption(true, (task, opt, arg) -> {
                     for (Plugin plugin : plugins) {
                         if (plugin.getName().equals(arg)) {
diff --git a/jdk/src/jdk.jlink/share/classes/jdk/tools/jlink/resources/jlink.properties b/jdk/src/jdk.jlink/share/classes/jdk/tools/jlink/resources/jlink.properties
index 5f88c60a6ee..7a63cc38344 100644
--- a/jdk/src/jdk.jlink/share/classes/jdk/tools/jlink/resources/jlink.properties
+++ b/jdk/src/jdk.jlink/share/classes/jdk/tools/jlink/resources/jlink.properties
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ Usage: {0} <options> --module-path <modulepath> --add-modules <mods> --output\n\
 \<path> use --help for a list of possible options
 
 main.usage=\
-Usage: {0} <options> --module-path <modulepath> --add-modules <mods> --output
+Usage: {0} <options> --module-path <modulepath> --add-modules <mods> --output\n\
 \<path> Possible options include:
 
 error.prefix=Error:
diff --git a/jdk/test/tools/jlink/JLinkTest.java b/jdk/test/tools/jlink/JLinkTest.java
index e137ce426f6..4690bb12180 100644
--- a/jdk/test/tools/jlink/JLinkTest.java
+++ b/jdk/test/tools/jlink/JLinkTest.java
@@ -284,6 +284,13 @@ public class JLinkTest {
             helper.generateDefaultJModule(moduleName, "composite2");
             helper.generateDefaultImage(userOptions, moduleName).assertFailure("Error: orphan argument: bar");
         }
+
+        // basic check for --help - JDK-8173717
+        {
+            JImageGenerator.getJLinkTask()
+                    .option("--help")
+                    .call().assertSuccess();
+        }
     }
 
     private static void testCompress(Helper helper, String moduleName, String... userOptions) throws IOException {