diff --git a/clap_builder/src/output/help_template.rs b/clap_builder/src/output/help_template.rs
index 8c719043500..9fe7211b306 100644
--- a/clap_builder/src/output/help_template.rs
+++ b/clap_builder/src/output/help_template.rs
@@ -476,7 +476,7 @@ impl<'cmd, 'writer> HelpTemplate<'cmd, 'writer> {
                 }
             }
         }
-        if flatten {
+        if subcmds && flatten {
             let mut cmd = self.cmd.clone();
             cmd.build();
             self.write_flat_subcommands(&cmd, &mut first);
diff --git a/clap_builder/src/output/usage.rs b/clap_builder/src/output/usage.rs
index 0b2ff3b93c3..d75b704ba74 100644
--- a/clap_builder/src/output/usage.rs
+++ b/clap_builder/src/output/usage.rs
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ impl<'cmd> Usage<'cmd> {
         debug!("Usage::write_help_usage");
         use std::fmt::Write;
 
-        if self.cmd.is_flatten_help_set() {
+        if self.cmd.has_visible_subcommands() && self.cmd.is_flatten_help_set() {
             if !self.cmd.is_subcommand_required_set()
                 || self.cmd.is_args_conflicts_with_subcommands_set()
             {
@@ -113,7 +113,11 @@ impl<'cmd> Usage<'cmd> {
             }
             let mut cmd = self.cmd.clone();
             cmd.build();
-            for (i, sub) in cmd.get_subcommands().enumerate() {
+            for (i, sub) in cmd
+                .get_subcommands()
+                .filter(|c| !c.is_hide_set())
+                .enumerate()
+            {
                 if i != 0 {
                     styled.trim_end();
                     let _ = write!(styled, "{}", USAGE_SEP);
diff --git a/tests/builder/help.rs b/tests/builder/help.rs
index 7ed6a2959fa..5f413145018 100644
--- a/tests/builder/help.rs
+++ b/tests/builder/help.rs
@@ -3308,6 +3308,81 @@ Print this message or the help of the given subcommand(s)
     utils::assert_output(cmd, "parent -h", EXPECTED, false);
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn flatten_single_hidden_command() {
+    static EXPECTED: &str = "\
+parent command
+
+Usage: parent [OPTIONS]
+
+Options:
+      --parent <parent>  
+  -h, --help             Print help
+";
+    let cmd = Command::new("parent")
+        .flatten_help(true)
+        .about("parent command")
+        .arg(Arg::new("parent").long("parent"))
+        .subcommand(
+            Command::new("child1")
+                .hide(true)
+                .about("child1 command")
+                .arg(Arg::new("child").long("child1")),
+        );
+    utils::assert_output(cmd, "parent -h", EXPECTED, false);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn flatten_hidden_command() {
+    static EXPECTED: &str = "\
+parent command
+
+Usage: parent [OPTIONS]
+       parent child1 [OPTIONS]
+       parent child2 [OPTIONS]
+       parent help [COMMAND]...
+
+Options:
+      --parent <parent>  
+  -h, --help             Print help
+
+parent child1:
+child1 command
+      --child1 <child>  
+  -h, --help            Print help
+
+parent child2:
+child2 command
+      --child2 <child>  
+  -h, --help            Print help
+
+parent help:
+Print this message or the help of the given subcommand(s)
+  [COMMAND]...  Print help for the subcommand(s)
+";
+    let cmd = Command::new("parent")
+        .flatten_help(true)
+        .about("parent command")
+        .arg(Arg::new("parent").long("parent"))
+        .subcommand(
+            Command::new("child1")
+                .about("child1 command")
+                .arg(Arg::new("child").long("child1")),
+        )
+        .subcommand(
+            Command::new("child2")
+                .about("child2 command")
+                .arg(Arg::new("child").long("child2")),
+        )
+        .subcommand(
+            Command::new("child3")
+                .hide(true)
+                .about("child3 command")
+                .arg(Arg::new("child").long("child3")),
+        );
+    utils::assert_output(cmd, "parent -h", EXPECTED, false);
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn flatten_recursive() {
     static EXPECTED: &str = "\
@@ -3324,7 +3399,6 @@ Usage: parent [OPTIONS]
        parent child1 grandchild3 [OPTIONS]
        parent child1 help [COMMAND]
        parent child2 [OPTIONS]
-       parent child3 [OPTIONS]
        parent help [COMMAND]...
 
 Options:
@@ -3379,11 +3453,6 @@ child2 command
       --child2 <child>  
   -h, --help            Print help
 
-parent child3:
-child3 command
-      --child3 <child>  
-  -h, --help            Print help
-
 parent help:
 Print this message or the help of the given subcommand(s)
   [COMMAND]...  Print help for the subcommand(s)
@@ -3436,8 +3505,40 @@ Print this message or the help of the given subcommand(s)
         )
         .subcommand(
             Command::new("child3")
+                .hide(true)
                 .about("child3 command")
-                .arg(Arg::new("child").long("child3")),
+                .arg(Arg::new("child").long("child3"))
+                .subcommand(
+                    Command::new("grandchild1")
+                        .flatten_help(true)
+                        .about("grandchild1 command")
+                        .arg(Arg::new("grandchild").long("grandchild1"))
+                        .subcommand(
+                            Command::new("greatgrandchild1")
+                                .about("greatgrandchild1 command")
+                                .arg(Arg::new("greatgrandchild").long("greatgrandchild1")),
+                        )
+                        .subcommand(
+                            Command::new("greatgrandchild2")
+                                .about("greatgrandchild2 command")
+                                .arg(Arg::new("greatgrandchild").long("greatgrandchild2")),
+                        )
+                        .subcommand(
+                            Command::new("greatgrandchild3")
+                                .about("greatgrandchild3 command")
+                                .arg(Arg::new("greatgrandchild").long("greatgrandchild3")),
+                        ),
+                )
+                .subcommand(
+                    Command::new("grandchild2")
+                        .about("grandchild2 command")
+                        .arg(Arg::new("grandchild").long("grandchild2")),
+                )
+                .subcommand(
+                    Command::new("grandchild3")
+                        .about("grandchild3 command")
+                        .arg(Arg::new("grandchild").long("grandchild3")),
+                ),
         );
     utils::assert_output(cmd, "parent -h", EXPECTED, false);
 }