diff --git a/Lib/argparse.py b/Lib/argparse.py
--- a/Lib/argparse.py
+++ b/Lib/argparse.py
@@ -166,6 +166,7 @@
         self._indent_increment = indent_increment
         self._max_help_position = max_help_position
         self._width = width
+        self._min_help_width = 10
 
         self._current_indent = 0
         self._level = 0
@@ -484,7 +485,7 @@
         # determine the required width and the entry label
         help_position = min(self._action_max_length + 2,
                             self._max_help_position)
-        help_width = self._width - help_position
+        help_width = max(self._width - help_position, self._min_help_width)
         action_width = help_position - self._current_indent - 2
         action_header = self._format_action_invocation(action)
 
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_argparse.py b/Lib/test/test_argparse.py
--- a/Lib/test/test_argparse.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_argparse.py
@@ -4754,6 +4754,18 @@
     def test_nargs_3_metavar_length3(self):
         self.do_test_no_exception(nargs=3, metavar=("1", "2", "3"))
 
+# =============
+# COLUMNS tests
+# =============
+
+class TestColumns(TestCase):
+
+    def test_columns_1(self):
+        """Make sure that there are no exceptions for low COLUMNS value"""
+        with support.EnvironmentVarGuard() as env:
+            env.set('COLUMNS', '1')
+            argparse.ArgumentParser().print_help()
+
 # ============================
 # from argparse import * tests
 # ============================