diff --git a/src/main/java/org/bukkit/craftbukkit/help/HelpYamlReader.java b/src/main/java/org/bukkit/craftbukkit/help/HelpYamlReader.java
index 158a781c6d..884fe39604 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/bukkit/craftbukkit/help/HelpYamlReader.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/bukkit/craftbukkit/help/HelpYamlReader.java
@@ -17,21 +17,28 @@ import java.util.logging.Level;
  */
 public class HelpYamlReader {
 
-    private final YamlConfiguration helpYaml;
+    private YamlConfiguration helpYaml;
     private final char ALT_COLOR_CODE = '&';
 
     public HelpYamlReader(Server server) {
         File helpYamlFile = new File("help.yml");
+        YamlConfiguration defaultConfig = YamlConfiguration.loadConfiguration(getClass().getClassLoader().getResourceAsStream("configurations/help.yml"));
         
-        helpYaml = YamlConfiguration.loadConfiguration(helpYamlFile);
-        helpYaml.options().copyDefaults(true);
-        helpYaml.setDefaults(YamlConfiguration.loadConfiguration(getClass().getClassLoader().getResourceAsStream("configurations/help.yml")));
         try {
-            if (!helpYamlFile.exists()) {
-                helpYaml.save(helpYamlFile);
+            helpYaml = YamlConfiguration.loadConfiguration(helpYamlFile);
+            helpYaml.options().copyDefaults(true);
+            helpYaml.setDefaults(defaultConfig);
+            
+            try {
+                if (!helpYamlFile.exists()) {
+                    helpYaml.save(helpYamlFile);
+                }
+            } catch (IOException ex) {
+                server.getLogger().log(Level.SEVERE, "Could not save " + helpYamlFile, ex);
             }
-        } catch (IOException ex) {
-            server.getLogger().log(Level.SEVERE, "Could not save " + helpYamlFile, ex);
+        } catch (Exception ex) {
+            server.getLogger().severe("Failed to load help.yml. Verify the yaml indentation is correct. Reverting to default help.yml.");
+            helpYaml = defaultConfig;
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/bukkit/craftbukkit/help/SimpleHelpMap.java b/src/main/java/org/bukkit/craftbukkit/help/SimpleHelpMap.java
index cdde69ce32..4e4604e5fb 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/bukkit/craftbukkit/help/SimpleHelpMap.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/bukkit/craftbukkit/help/SimpleHelpMap.java
@@ -90,6 +90,11 @@ public class SimpleHelpMap implements HelpMap {
     public synchronized void initializeCommands() {
         // ** Load topics from highest to lowest priority order **
         Set<String> ignoredPlugins = new HashSet<String>(yaml.getIgnoredPlugins());
+        
+        // Don't load any automatic help topics if All is ignored
+        if (ignoredPlugins.contains("All")) {
+            return;
+        }
 
         // Initialize help topics from the server's command map
         outer: for (Command command : server.getCommandMap().getCommands()) {
diff --git a/src/main/resources/configurations/help.yml b/src/main/resources/configurations/help.yml
index d7f363b122..faa7d569f6 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/configurations/help.yml
+++ b/src/main/resources/configurations/help.yml
@@ -33,7 +33,8 @@
 #         permission: you.dont.have
 # 
 # Any plugin in the ignored plugins list will be excluded from help. The name must match the name displayed by
-# the /plugins command. Ignore "Bukkit" to remove the standard bukkit commands from the index.
+# the /plugins command. Ignore "Bukkit" to remove the standard bukkit commands from the index. Ignore "All"
+# to completely disable automatic help topic generation.
 # ignore-plugins:
 #    - PluginNameOne
 #    - PluginNameTwo