diff --git a/docs/pages/release_notes.md b/docs/pages/release_notes.md
index 34c6d6924b..ef6801164a 100644
--- a/docs/pages/release_notes.md
+++ b/docs/pages/release_notes.md
@@ -190,10 +190,11 @@ are deprecated as internal API.
 *   [#2729](https://github.com/pmd/pmd/pull/2729): Cleanup: use print instead of printf if no format exists - [XenoAmess](https://github.com/XenoAmess)
 *   [#2730](https://github.com/pmd/pmd/pull/2730): Cleanup: StringBuilder issues - [XenoAmess](https://github.com/XenoAmess)
 *   [#2731](https://github.com/pmd/pmd/pull/2731): Cleanup: avoid compiling Patterns repeatedly - [XenoAmess](https://github.com/XenoAmess)
-*   [#2732](https://github.com/pmd/pmd/pull/2732): Cleanup: use StandardCharsets instead of Charset.forName - [XenoAmess](https://github.com/XenoAmess) 
-*   [#2733](https://github.com/pmd/pmd/pull/2733): Cleanup: Collection::addAll issues  - [XenoAmess](https://github.com/XenoAmess) 
+*   [#2732](https://github.com/pmd/pmd/pull/2732): Cleanup: use StandardCharsets instead of Charset.forName - [XenoAmess](https://github.com/XenoAmess)
+*   [#2733](https://github.com/pmd/pmd/pull/2733): Cleanup: Collection::addAll issues  - [XenoAmess](https://github.com/XenoAmess)
 *   [#2734](https://github.com/pmd/pmd/pull/2734): Cleanup: use try with resources - [XenoAmess](https://github.com/XenoAmess)
 *   [#2744](https://github.com/pmd/pmd/pull/2744): Cleanup: fix typos - [XenoAmess](https://github.com/XenoAmess)
+*   [#2745](https://github.com/pmd/pmd/pull/2745): \[core] Fix a NPE in buildUsageText - [XenoAmess](https://github.com/XenoAmess)
 *   [#2749](https://github.com/pmd/pmd/pull/2749): \[dart] \[cpd] Improvements for Dart interpolated strings - [Maikel Steneker](https://github.com/maikelsteneker)
 *   [#2750](https://github.com/pmd/pmd/pull/2750): \[dart] \[cpd] Cpd Dart escaped dollar - [Maikel Steneker](https://github.com/maikelsteneker)
 
diff --git a/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/cli/PMDCommandLineInterface.java b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/cli/PMDCommandLineInterface.java
index 8642562b11..04daf8b5dc 100644
--- a/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/cli/PMDCommandLineInterface.java
+++ b/pmd-core/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/cli/PMDCommandLineInterface.java
@@ -41,12 +41,12 @@ public final class PMDCommandLineInterface {
             jcommander.parse(args);
             if (arguments.isHelp()) {
                 jcommander.usage();
-                System.out.println(buildUsageText(jcommander));
+                System.out.println(buildUsageText());
                 setStatusCodeOrExit(NO_ERRORS_STATUS);
             }
         } catch (ParameterException e) {
             jcommander.usage();
-            System.out.println(buildUsageText(jcommander));
+            System.out.println(buildUsageText());
             System.err.println(e.getMessage());
             setStatusCodeOrExit(ERROR_STATUS);
         }
@@ -54,19 +54,6 @@ public final class PMDCommandLineInterface {
     }
 
     public static String buildUsageText() {
-        return buildUsageText(null);
-    }
-
-    public static String buildUsageText(JCommander jcommander) {
-        StringBuilder usage = new StringBuilder();
-
-        StringBuilder allCommandsDescription = null;
-        if (jcommander != null && jcommander.getCommands() != null) {
-            for (String command : jcommander.getCommands().keySet()) {
-                allCommandsDescription.append(jcommander.getCommandDescription(command)).append(PMD.EOL);
-            }
-        }
-
         // TODO: Externalize that to a file available within the classpath ? -
         // with a poor's man templating ?
         String fullText = PMD.EOL + "Mandatory arguments:" + PMD.EOL + "1) A java source code filename or directory"
@@ -77,18 +64,17 @@ public final class PMDCommandLineInterface {
 
         fullText += supportedVersions() + PMD.EOL;
 
-        if (allCommandsDescription != null) {
-            fullText += "Optional arguments that may be put before or after the mandatory arguments: " + PMD.EOL
-                    + allCommandsDescription + PMD.EOL;
-        }
-
         fullText += "Available report formats and their configuration properties are:" + PMD.EOL + getReports()
                 + PMD.EOL + getExamples() + PMD.EOL + PMD.EOL + PMD.EOL;
 
-        fullText += usage.toString();
         return fullText;
     }
 
+    @Deprecated
+    public static String buildUsageText(JCommander jcommander) {
+        return buildUsageText();
+    }
+
     private static String getExamples() {
         return getWindowsExample() + getUnixExample();
     }
diff --git a/pmd-core/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/cli/PMDCommandLineInterfaceTest.java b/pmd-core/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/cli/PMDCommandLineInterfaceTest.java
index ef775a2f7a..432e96d623 100644
--- a/pmd-core/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/cli/PMDCommandLineInterfaceTest.java
+++ b/pmd-core/src/test/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/cli/PMDCommandLineInterfaceTest.java
@@ -81,4 +81,11 @@ public class PMDCommandLineInterfaceTest {
         PMDCommandLineInterface.setStatusCodeOrExit(0);
         Assert.assertEquals(System.getProperty(PMDCommandLineInterface.STATUS_CODE_PROPERTY), "0");
     }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testBuildUsageText() {
+        // no exception..
+        Assert.assertNotNull(PMDCommandLineInterface.buildUsageText());
+    }
+
 }