diff --git a/emconfigure b/emconfigure
index ce98af226..df1e5e7f0 100755
--- a/emconfigure
+++ b/emconfigure
@@ -20,6 +20,17 @@ import os, sys
 from tools import shared
 from subprocess import CalledProcessError
 
+if len(sys.argv) < 2 or 'configure' not in sys.argv[1]:
+  print >> sys.stderr, '''
+emconfigure is a helper for configure, setting various environment
+variables so that emcc etc. are used.
+
+TYPICAL USAGE:   emconfigure ./configure [FLAGS]
+
+warning: you do not seem to have 'configure' as the first argument
+
+'''
+
 try:
 	shared.Building.configure(sys.argv[1:])
 except CalledProcessError, e:
diff --git a/emmake b/emmake
index e8f34f416..f1c956093 100755
--- a/emmake
+++ b/emmake
@@ -22,6 +22,17 @@ import os, sys
 from tools import shared
 from subprocess import CalledProcessError
 
+if len(sys.argv) < 2 or sys.argv[1] != 'make':
+  print >> sys.stderr, '''
+emmake is a helper for make, setting various environment
+variables so that emcc etc. are used.
+
+USAGE:   emmake make [FLAGS]
+
+warning: you do not seem to have 'make' as the first argument
+
+'''
+
 try:
 	shared.Building.make(sys.argv[1:])
 except CalledProcessError, e:
diff --git a/tests/test_other.py b/tests/test_other.py
index ad11e97d1..3d0a4af01 100644
--- a/tests/test_other.py
+++ b/tests/test_other.py
@@ -4692,3 +4692,18 @@ Descriptor desc;
         break
     assert change > 0 and change <= n
 
+  def test_emmake_emconfigure(self):
+    def check(what, args, fail=True):
+      print what, args, fail
+      our, err = Popen([PYTHON, path_from_root(what)] + args, stdout=PIPE, stderr=PIPE).communicate()
+      assert ('is a helper for' in err) == fail
+      assert ('USAGE' in err) == fail
+      assert ('warning: you do not seem to have' in err) == fail
+    check('emmake', [])
+    check('emconfigure', [])
+    check('emmake', ['--version'])
+    check('emconfigure', ['--version'])
+    check('emmake', ['make'], fail=False)
+    check('emconfigure', ['configure'], fail=False)
+    check('emconfigure', ['./configure'], fail=False)
+
diff --git a/tests/test_sockets.py b/tests/test_sockets.py
index ce6b1ab3d..06712f919 100644
--- a/tests/test_sockets.py
+++ b/tests/test_sockets.py
@@ -325,6 +325,7 @@ class sockets(BrowserCore):
         self.btest(os.path.join('sockets', 'test_sockets_select_server_closes_connection_client_rw.c'), expected='266', args=[sockets_include, '-DSOCKK=%d' % harness.listen_port])
 
   def test_enet(self):
+    # this is also a good test of raw usage of emconfigure and emmake
     try_delete(self.in_dir('enet'))
     shutil.copytree(path_from_root('tests', 'enet'), self.in_dir('enet'))
     pwd = os.getcwd()