Index: Lib/argparse.py
===================================================================
--- Lib/argparse.py	(revision 82127)
+++ Lib/argparse.py	(working copy)
@@ -541,7 +541,11 @@
         if action.metavar is not None:
             result = action.metavar
         elif action.choices is not None:
-            choice_strs = [str(choice) for choice in action.choices]
+            if isinstance(action, _SubParsersAction):
+                choice_strs = [choice_action.dest
+                               for choice_action in action._choices_actions]
+            else:
+                choice_strs = [str(choice) for choice in action.choices]
             result = '{%s}' % ','.join(choice_strs)
         else:
             result = default_metavar
@@ -1042,8 +1046,10 @@
         # create a pseudo-action to hold the choice help
         if 'help' in kwargs:
             help = kwargs.pop('help')
-            choice_action = self._ChoicesPseudoAction(name, help)
-            self._choices_actions.append(choice_action)
+        else:
+            help = ''
+        choice_action = self._ChoicesPseudoAction(name, help)
+        self._choices_actions.append(choice_action)
 
         # create the parser and add it to the map
         parser = self._parser_class(**kwargs)
@@ -1051,7 +1057,9 @@
         return parser
 
     def _get_subactions(self):
-        return self._choices_actions
+        return [choice_action
+                for choice_action in self._choices_actions
+                if choice_action.help]
 
     def __call__(self, parser, namespace, values, option_string=None):
         parser_name = values[0]
Index: Lib/test/test_argparse.py
===================================================================
--- Lib/test/test_argparse.py	(revision 82127)
+++ Lib/test/test_argparse.py	(working copy)
@@ -1782,7 +1782,7 @@
         parser2 = subparsers.add_parser('2')
         self.assertEqual(parser.format_usage(),
                          'usage: PROG [-h] [--foo] bar {1,2} ...\n')
-        self.assertEqual(parser.format_help(), textwrap.dedent('''\
+        self.assertMultiLineEqual(parser.format_help(), textwrap.dedent('''\
             usage: PROG [-h] [--foo] bar {1,2} ...
 
             main description
@@ -2615,16 +2615,28 @@
                 parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
                     *tester.parser_signature.args,
                     **tester.parser_signature.kwargs)
-                for argument_sig in tester.argument_signatures:
-                    parser.add_argument(*argument_sig.args,
-                                        **argument_sig.kwargs)
-                group_signatures = tester.argument_group_signatures
-                for group_sig, argument_sigs in group_signatures:
-                    group = parser.add_argument_group(*group_sig.args,
-                                                      **group_sig.kwargs)
-                    for argument_sig in argument_sigs:
-                        group.add_argument(*argument_sig.args,
-                                           **argument_sig.kwargs)
+
+                if hasattr(tester, 'argument_signatures'):
+                    for argument_sig in tester.argument_signatures:
+                        parser.add_argument(*argument_sig.args,
+                                            **argument_sig.kwargs)
+
+                if hasattr(tester, 'argument_group_signatures'):
+                    group_signatures = tester.argument_group_signatures
+                    for group_sig, argument_sigs in group_signatures:
+                        group = parser.add_argument_group(*group_sig.args,
+                                                          **group_sig.kwargs)
+                        for argument_sig in argument_sigs:
+                            group.add_argument(*argument_sig.args,
+                                               **argument_sig.kwargs)
+
+                if hasattr(tester, 'subparsers_signatures'):
+                    subparsers = parser.add_subparsers()
+                    subparsers_signatures = tester.subparsers_signatures
+                    for subparser_sig in subparsers_signatures:
+                        subparsers.add_parser(*subparser_sig.args,
+                                               **subparser_sig.kwargs)
+
                 return parser
 
             def _test(self, tester, parser_text):
@@ -2637,7 +2649,7 @@
                         if char1 != char2:
                             print('first diff: %r %r' % (char1, char2))
                             break
-                tester.assertEqual(expected_text, parser_text)
+                tester.assertMultiLineEqual(expected_text, parser_text)
 
             def test_format(self, tester):
                 parser = self._get_parser(tester)
@@ -3718,6 +3730,78 @@
         '''
     version = ''
 
+
+class TestHelpSubparsersOrdering(HelpTestCase):
+    """Test ordering of subcommands in help matches the code"""
+    parser_signature = Sig(prog='PROG',
+                           description='display some subcommands',
+                           version='0.1')
+
+    subparsers_signatures = [Sig(name=name)
+                             for name in ('a', 'b', 'c', 'd', 'e')]
+
+    usage = '''\
+        usage: PROG [-h] [-v] {a,b,c,d,e} ...
+        '''
+
+    help = usage + '''\
+
+        display some subcommands
+
+        positional arguments:
+          {a,b,c,d,e}
+
+        optional arguments:
+          -h, --help     show this help message and exit
+          -v, --version  show program's version number and exit
+        '''
+
+    version = '''\
+        0.1
+        '''
+
+class TestHelpSubparsersWithHelpOrdering(HelpTestCase):
+    """Test ordering of subcommands in help matches the code"""
+    parser_signature = Sig(prog='PROG',
+                           description='display some subcommands',
+                           version='0.1')
+
+    subcommand_data = (('a', 'a subcommand help'),
+                       ('b', 'b subcommand help'),
+                       ('c', 'c subcommand help'),
+                       ('d', 'd subcommand help'),
+                       ('e', 'e subcommand help'),
+                       )
+
+    subparsers_signatures = [Sig(name=name, help=help)
+                             for name, help in subcommand_data]
+
+    usage = '''\
+        usage: PROG [-h] [-v] {a,b,c,d,e} ...
+        '''
+
+    help = usage + '''\
+
+        display some subcommands
+
+        positional arguments:
+          {a,b,c,d,e}
+            a            a subcommand help
+            b            b subcommand help
+            c            c subcommand help
+            d            d subcommand help
+            e            e subcommand help
+
+        optional arguments:
+          -h, --help     show this help message and exit
+          -v, --version  show program's version number and exit
+        '''
+
+    version = '''\
+        0.1
+        '''
+
+
 # =====================================
 # Optional/Positional constructor tests
 # =====================================