diff --git a/opencloud/pkg/command/root.go b/opencloud/pkg/command/root.go
index a0f42f4b5..1a80aa60f 100644
--- a/opencloud/pkg/command/root.go
+++ b/opencloud/pkg/command/root.go
@@ -22,18 +22,9 @@ func Execute() error {
 		Short: "opencloud",
 	})
 
-	for _, fn := range register.Commands {
-		cmd := fn(cfg)
-		// if the command has a RunE function, it is a subcommand of root
-		// if not it is a consumed root command from the services
-		// wee need to overwrite the RunE function to get the help output there
-		if cmd.RunE == nil {
-			cmd.RunE = func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
-				cmd.Help()
-				return nil
-			}
-		}
-		app.AddCommand(cmd)
+	for _, commandFactory := range register.Commands {
+		command := commandFactory(cfg)
+		app.AddCommand(command)
 	}
 	app.SetArgs(os.Args[1:])
 	ctx, _ := signal.NotifyContext(context.Background(), syscall.SIGINT, syscall.SIGTERM, syscall.SIGQUIT, syscall.SIGHUP)
diff --git a/opencloud/pkg/command/services.go b/opencloud/pkg/command/services.go
index f6b05e843..de84b049f 100644
--- a/opencloud/pkg/command/services.go
+++ b/opencloud/pkg/command/services.go
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 )
 
-var svccmds = []register.Command{
+var serviceCommands = []register.Command{
 	func(cfg *config.Config) *cobra.Command {
 		return ServiceCommand(cfg, cfg.Activitylog.Service.Name, activitylog.GetCommands(cfg.Activitylog), func(c *config.Config) {
 			cfg.Activitylog.Commons = cfg.Commons
@@ -265,9 +265,9 @@ var svccmds = []register.Command{
 	},
 }
 
-// ServiceCommand is the entry point for the all service commands.
-func ServiceCommand(cfg *config.Config, serviceName string, subcommands []*cobra.Command, f func(*config.Config)) *cobra.Command {
-	svcCommand := &cobra.Command{
+// ServiceCommand composes a cobra command from the given inputs.
+func ServiceCommand(cfg *config.Config, serviceName string, subCommands []*cobra.Command, f func(*config.Config)) *cobra.Command {
+	command := &cobra.Command{
 		Use:   serviceName,
 		Short: helper.SubcommandDescription(serviceName),
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
@@ -276,12 +276,21 @@ func ServiceCommand(cfg *config.Config, serviceName string, subcommands []*cobra
 			return nil
 		},
 	}
-	svcCommand.AddCommand(subcommands...)
-	return svcCommand
+
+	// if a service should have multiple child commands,
+	// we expect that at least one argument is needed;
+	// this helps cobra to force display all available child commands.
+	if len(subCommands) > 0 {
+		command.Args = cobra.MinimumNArgs(1)
+	}
+
+	command.AddCommand(subCommands...)
+
+	return command
 }
 
 func init() {
-	for _, c := range svccmds {
+	for _, c := range serviceCommands {
 		register.AddCommand(c)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/opencloud/pkg/register/command.go b/opencloud/pkg/register/command.go
index ac73c89a9..6a81f5047 100644
--- a/opencloud/pkg/register/command.go
+++ b/opencloud/pkg/register/command.go
@@ -1,13 +1,14 @@
 package register
 
 import (
-	"github.com/opencloud-eu/opencloud/pkg/config"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+
+	"github.com/opencloud-eu/opencloud/pkg/config"
 )
 
 var (
-	// Commands defines the slice of commands.
-	Commands = []Command{}
+	// Commands define the slice of commands.
+	Commands []Command
 )
 
 // Command defines the register command.