diff --git a/build.go b/build.go
index 2eabbf9..f59ef7e 100644
--- a/build.go
+++ b/build.go
@@ -7,15 +7,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 func build(ast interface{}) (app *Application, err error) {
-	defer func() {
-		msg := recover()
-		if test, ok := msg.(error); ok {
-			app = nil
-			err = test
-		} else if msg != nil {
-			panic(msg)
-		}
-	}()
+	defer catch(&err)
 	v := reflect.ValueOf(ast)
 	iv := reflect.Indirect(v)
 	if v.Kind() != reflect.Ptr || iv.Kind() != reflect.Struct {
diff --git a/context.go b/context.go
index 4047672..3715c4b 100644
--- a/context.go
+++ b/context.go
@@ -19,12 +19,12 @@ type ParseTrace struct {
 }
 
 type ParseContext struct {
-	Trace []*ParseTrace // A trace through parsed nodes.
-	Error error         // Error that occurred during trace, if any.
+	Trace   []*ParseTrace // A trace through parsed nodes.
+	Error   error         // Error that occurred during trace, if any.
+	Flags   []*Flag       // Accumulated available flags.
+	Command []string      // Full command path.
 
-	command []string // Full command path.
-	flags   []*Flag  // Accumulated available flags.
-	node    *Node    // Current node being parsed.
+	node *Node // Current node being parsed.
 
 	args []string
 	app  *Application
@@ -77,9 +77,15 @@ func (p *ParseContext) reset(node *Node) error {
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
-			p.reset(&branch.Argument.Node)
+			err = p.reset(&branch.Argument.Node)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
 		} else {
-			p.reset(branch.Command)
+			err := p.reset(branch.Command)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
 		}
 	}
 	return nil
@@ -88,7 +94,7 @@ func (p *ParseContext) reset(node *Node) error {
 func (p *ParseContext) trace(node *Node) (err error) { // nolint: gocyclo
 	positional := 0
 	p.node = node
-	p.flags = append(p.flags, node.Flags...)
+	p.Flags = append(p.Flags, node.Flags...)
 
 	for !p.scan.Peek().IsEOL() {
 		token := p.scan.Peek()
@@ -164,7 +170,7 @@ func (p *ParseContext) trace(node *Node) (err error) { // nolint: gocyclo
 				if err != nil {
 					return err
 				}
-				p.command = append(p.command, "<"+arg.Name+">")
+				p.Command = append(p.Command, "<"+arg.Name+">")
 				p.Trace = append(p.Trace, &ParseTrace{Positional: arg, Value: value})
 				positional++
 				break
@@ -176,7 +182,7 @@ func (p *ParseContext) trace(node *Node) (err error) { // nolint: gocyclo
 				case branch.Command != nil:
 					if branch.Command.Name == token.Value {
 						p.scan.Pop()
-						p.command = append(p.command, branch.Command.Name)
+						p.Command = append(p.Command, branch.Command.Name)
 						p.Trace = append(p.Trace, &ParseTrace{Command: branch.Command})
 						return p.trace(branch.Command)
 					}
@@ -184,7 +190,7 @@ func (p *ParseContext) trace(node *Node) (err error) { // nolint: gocyclo
 				case branch.Argument != nil:
 					arg := branch.Argument.Argument
 					if value, err := arg.Parse(p.scan); err == nil {
-						p.command = append(p.command, "<"+arg.Name+">")
+						p.Command = append(p.Command, "<"+arg.Name+">")
 						p.Trace = append(p.Trace, &ParseTrace{Argument: branch.Argument, Value: value})
 						return p.trace(&branch.Argument.Node)
 					}
@@ -205,7 +211,7 @@ func (p *ParseContext) trace(node *Node) (err error) { // nolint: gocyclo
 		return err
 	}
 
-	if err := checkMissingFlags(node.Children, p.flags); err != nil {
+	if err := checkMissingFlags(node.Children, p.Flags); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
@@ -291,15 +297,8 @@ func checkMissingPositionals(positional int, values []*Value) error {
 
 func (p *ParseContext) matchFlags(matcher func(f *Flag) bool) (err error) {
 	token := p.scan.Peek()
-	defer func() {
-		msg := recover()
-		if test, ok := msg.(Error); ok {
-			err = fmt.Errorf("%s %s", token, test)
-		} else if msg != nil {
-			panic(msg)
-		}
-	}()
-	for _, flag := range p.flags {
+	defer catch(&err)
+	for _, flag := range p.Flags {
 		// Found a matching flag.
 		if flag.Name == token.Value {
 			p.scan.Pop()
diff --git a/context_test.go b/context_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..08bd685
--- /dev/null
+++ b/context_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+package kong
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+func TestTraceErrorPartiallySucceeds(t *testing.T) {
+	var cli struct {
+		One struct {
+			Two struct {
+			} `kong:"cmd"`
+		} `kong:"cmd"`
+	}
+	p := mustNew(t, &cli)
+	trace, err := Trace([]string{"one", "bad"}, p.Model)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Error(t, trace.Error)
+}
diff --git a/help.go b/help.go
index 9df8215..8a92146 100644
--- a/help.go
+++ b/help.go
@@ -18,8 +18,12 @@ usage: {{.Name}}
 
 var defaultHelpTemplate = template.Must(template.New("help").Parse(defaultHelp))
 
-// WriteHelp to w. If w is nil, the default stdout writer will be used.
-func (k *Kong) WriteHelp(w io.Writer) error {
+// WriteHelp to w.
+//
+// If w is nil, the default stdout writer will be used.
+//
+// If args are provided, help will be written in the context o
+func (k *Kong) WriteHelp(w io.Writer, args ...interface{}) error {
 	if w == nil {
 		w = k.stdout
 	}
diff --git a/kong.go b/kong.go
index 6498f69..70855ed 100644
--- a/kong.go
+++ b/kong.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"text/template"
 )
 
+// Error reported by Kong.
 type Error struct{ msg string }
 
 func (e Error) Error() string { return e.msg }
@@ -57,14 +58,7 @@ func New(ast interface{}, options ...Option) (*Kong, error) {
 
 // Parse arguments into target.
 func (k *Kong) Parse(args []string) (command string, err error) {
-	defer func() {
-		msg := recover()
-		if test, ok := msg.(Error); ok {
-			err = test
-		} else if msg != nil {
-			panic(msg)
-		}
-	}()
+	defer catch(&err)
 	ctx, err := Trace(args, k.Model)
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", err
@@ -78,21 +72,6 @@ func (k *Kong) Parse(args []string) (command string, err error) {
 	return ctx.Apply()
 }
 
-// Trace through the command tree.
-//
-// The returned context will include a trace of all parsed objects encountered; flags, arguments, commands.
-func (k *Kong) Trace(args []string) (ctx *ParseContext, err error) {
-	defer func() {
-		msg := recover()
-		if test, ok := msg.(Error); ok {
-			err = test
-		} else if msg != nil {
-			panic(msg)
-		}
-	}()
-	return Trace(args, k.Model)
-}
-
 func (k *Kong) Errorf(format string, args ...interface{}) {
 	fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, k.Model.Name+": "+format, args...)
 }
@@ -108,3 +87,12 @@ func (k *Kong) FatalIfErrorf(err error, args ...interface{}) {
 	k.Errorf("%s\n", msg)
 	k.terminate(1)
 }
+
+func catch(err *error) {
+	msg := recover()
+	if test, ok := msg.(Error); ok {
+		*err = test
+	} else if msg != nil {
+		panic(msg)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/kong_test.go b/kong_test.go
index 55f3947..44233d3 100644
--- a/kong_test.go
+++ b/kong_test.go
@@ -352,16 +352,3 @@ func TestDuplicateFlagOnPeerCommandIsOkay(t *testing.T) {
 	_, err := New(&cli)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 }
-
-func TestTraceErrorPartiallySucceeds(t *testing.T) {
-	var cli struct {
-		One struct {
-			Two struct {
-			} `kong:"cmd"`
-		} `kong:"cmd"`
-	}
-	p := mustNew(t, &cli)
-	trace, err := p.Trace([]string{"one", "bad"})
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.Error(t, trace.Error)
-}