diff --git a/librz/core/cmd/cmd.c b/librz/core/cmd/cmd.c
index d52b1b05a0d..4ab4a5f00f3 100644
--- a/librz/core/cmd/cmd.c
+++ b/librz/core/cmd/cmd.c
@@ -3972,11 +3972,13 @@ DEFINE_HANDLE_TS_FCN_AND_SYMBOL(help_stmt) {
 	if (node_str_len >= 2 && !strcmp(node_string + node_str_len - 2, "?*")) {
 		node_string[node_str_len - 2] = 0;
 		const char *argv[2] = { NULL, node_string };
-		return rz_cmd_help_search_handler(state->core, 2, argv, RZ_OUTPUT_MODE_STANDARD);
+		int argc = node_str_len > 2 ? 2 : 1;
+		return rz_cmd_help_search_handler(state->core, argc, argv, RZ_OUTPUT_MODE_STANDARD);
 	} else if (node_str_len >= 3 && !strcmp(node_string + node_str_len - 3, "?*j")) {
 		node_string[node_str_len - 3] = 0;
 		const char *argv[2] = { NULL, node_string };
-		return rz_cmd_help_search_handler(state->core, 2, argv, RZ_OUTPUT_MODE_JSON);
+		int argc = node_str_len > 2 ? 2 : 1;
+		return rz_cmd_help_search_handler(state->core, argc, argv, RZ_OUTPUT_MODE_JSON);
 	}
 
 	TSNode command = ts_node_child_by_field_name(node, "command", strlen("command"));
diff --git a/subprojects/rizin-shell-parser/corpus/cmd_substitution.txt b/subprojects/rizin-shell-parser/corpus/cmd_substitution.txt
index 6dd16a2bcfb..5f510fb20b6 100644
--- a/subprojects/rizin-shell-parser/corpus/cmd_substitution.txt
+++ b/subprojects/rizin-shell-parser/corpus/cmd_substitution.txt
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 Command substitution used as simple arg $(
 =======================================
 
-?e $(p8 10)
+echo $(p8 10)
 
 ---
 
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ Command substitution used as simple arg $(
 Command substitution with multiple statements
 =======================================
 
-?e $(p8 10; p8 4 @ 0xdeadbeef)
+echo $(p8 10; p8 4 @ 0xdeadbeef)
 
 ---
 
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ Command substitution with multiple statements
 Command substitution used as simple arg `
 =======================================
 
-?e `p8 10`
+echo `p8 10`
 
 ---
 
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ Command substitution used as simple arg `
 Nested command substitution
 =======================================
 
-?e $(p8 $(?e 10))
+echo $(p8 $(echo 10))
 
 ---
 
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ Nested command substitution
 Nested command substitution 2
 =======================================
 
-?e Hello$(?e Wor$(?e ld))
+echo Hello$(echo Wor$(echo ld))
 
 ---
 
diff --git a/subprojects/rizin-shell-parser/corpus/comments.txt b/subprojects/rizin-shell-parser/corpus/comments.txt
index f51f94c0994..0b987780e4e 100644
--- a/subprojects/rizin-shell-parser/corpus/comments.txt
+++ b/subprojects/rizin-shell-parser/corpus/comments.txt
@@ -57,9 +57,9 @@ p8 4 # something
 #! identified as comment if not command name
 ============================================
 
-?e #!this is a comment
-?e #this is also a comment
-?e # and this too
+echo #!this is a comment
+echo #this is also a comment
+echo # and this too
 
 ---
 
diff --git a/subprojects/rizin-shell-parser/corpus/escape_args.txt b/subprojects/rizin-shell-parser/corpus/escape_args.txt
index 23aa0c7ac68..553d3cb4cab 100644
--- a/subprojects/rizin-shell-parser/corpus/escape_args.txt
+++ b/subprojects/rizin-shell-parser/corpus/escape_args.txt
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ pd 10\@test\>name
 Use newlines in echo
 ====================
 
-?e "Hello\nWorld"
+echo "Hello\nWorld"
 
 ---
 
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ Use newlines in echo
 Escape hash
 ===========
 
-?e Hello\#World
+echo Hello\#World
 
 ---
 
diff --git a/subprojects/rizin-shell-parser/corpus/grep_commands.txt b/subprojects/rizin-shell-parser/corpus/grep_commands.txt
index 565b6a43889..db97a1ca977 100644
--- a/subprojects/rizin-shell-parser/corpus/grep_commands.txt
+++ b/subprojects/rizin-shell-parser/corpus/grep_commands.txt
@@ -28,9 +28,9 @@ afl~$
 Grep with cmd substitution as specifier
 =======================================
 
-pd 10~`?e mov`
-pd 10~mo`?e v`
-pd 10~mo$(?e v)
+pd 10~`echo mov`
+pd 10~mo`echo v`
+pd 10~mo$(echo v)
 
 ---
 
diff --git a/subprojects/rizin-shell-parser/corpus/iter_commands.txt b/subprojects/rizin-shell-parser/corpus/iter_commands.txt
index 2d6c594a5fd..9ea7e2a0583 100644
--- a/subprojects/rizin-shell-parser/corpus/iter_commands.txt
+++ b/subprojects/rizin-shell-parser/corpus/iter_commands.txt
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ p8 @@/x 9090
 Iter interpret cmd
 ==================
 
-p8 @@c:?e hello
+p8 @@c:echo hello
 
 ---
 
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ p8 @@c:?e hello
 Iter interpret offsetssizes cmd
 ===============================
 
-p8 @@@c:?e hello 10
+p8 @@@c:echo hello 10
 
 ---
 
diff --git a/subprojects/rizin-shell-parser/corpus/quoted_args.txt b/subprojects/rizin-shell-parser/corpus/quoted_args.txt
index 70988ac1735..b4c6215748d 100644
--- a/subprojects/rizin-shell-parser/corpus/quoted_args.txt
+++ b/subprojects/rizin-shell-parser/corpus/quoted_args.txt
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 Echo with (double) quoted args
 ==============================
 
-?e "This;is.one@string"
+echo "This;is.one@string"
 
 ---
 
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ Echo with (double) quoted args
 Echo with (single) quoted args
 ==============================
 
-?e 'This;is.one@string'
+echo 'This;is.one@string'
 
 ---
 
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ Echo with (single) quoted args
 Legacy command - all quoted
 ===========================
 
-"?e This;is.one@string"
+"echo This;is.one@string"
 
 ---
 
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ Legacy command - all quoted
 Double quoted arg with cmd substitution
 =======================================
 
-?e "This is $(?e "a command")"
+echo "This is $(echo "a command")"
 
 ---
 
@@ -56,9 +56,9 @@ Double quoted arg with cmd substitution
 Quoted hash
 ==================
 
-?e "#"
-?e " #$(pdf)"
-?e '#'
+echo "#"
+echo " #$(pdf)"
+echo '#'
 
 ---
 
diff --git a/subprojects/rizin-shell-parser/corpus/simple_commands.txt b/subprojects/rizin-shell-parser/corpus/simple_commands.txt
index 02e05b52d40..e3f50b3a780 100644
--- a/subprojects/rizin-shell-parser/corpus/simple_commands.txt
+++ b/subprojects/rizin-shell-parser/corpus/simple_commands.txt
@@ -54,6 +54,20 @@ af 0xdeadbeef
     (args (arg (arg_identifier)))))
 
 
+=========================
+?v not valid
+=========================
+
+?v 3
+
+---
+
+(statements
+      (help_stmt
+        (cmd_identifier))
+      (ERROR))
+
+
 ======================
 Percentage mark statements
 ======================
@@ -160,7 +174,7 @@ pf???
   (help_stmt (cmd_identifier))
   (help_stmt (cmd_identifier))
   (help_stmt (cmd_identifier))
-  (arged_stmt (cmd_identifier))
+  (help_stmt (cmd_identifier))
   (help_stmt (cmd_identifier))
   (help_stmt (cmd_identifier))
   (help_stmt (cmd_identifier))
@@ -173,7 +187,7 @@ pf???
 Command with concatenation args
 ===============================
 
-?e Hello" World"'!' And All
+echo Hello" World"'!' And All
 
 ---
 
@@ -193,7 +207,7 @@ Command with concatenation args
 Tasks command
 =============
 
-& ?e Hello
+& echo Hello
 && 1
 &=
 &
@@ -215,7 +229,7 @@ Tasks command
 Arg with (...)
 ==============
 
-?e Hello(World)
+echo Hello(World)
 
 ---
 
@@ -235,7 +249,7 @@ Arg with (...)
 Expressions with (...)
 ============================
 
-?v (100 + (2 - 3)) * 2
+%v (100 + (2 - 3)) * 2
 
 ---
 
@@ -263,13 +277,13 @@ Expressions with (...)
 Arg with $
 ==========
 
-?v $$
+%v $$
 s $
-?v $*
-?v $$$ test
-?v $alias
-?e hello$alias
-?e test
+%v $*
+%v $$$ test
+%v $alias
+echo hello$alias
+echo test
 
 ---
 
diff --git a/subprojects/rizin-shell-parser/corpus/special_commands.txt b/subprojects/rizin-shell-parser/corpus/special_commands.txt
index e9627d06bb0..8a465863e70 100644
--- a/subprojects/rizin-shell-parser/corpus/special_commands.txt
+++ b/subprojects/rizin-shell-parser/corpus/special_commands.txt
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ Interpreter statements
 Pointer type statements with substitution
 =======================================
 
-*entr$(?e y0)=$(?v $$)
+*entr$(echo y0)=$(%v $$)
 
 ---
 
diff --git a/subprojects/rizin-shell-parser/src/scanner.c b/subprojects/rizin-shell-parser/src/scanner.c
index 5df51c9bcfb..133c5850da9 100644
--- a/subprojects/rizin-shell-parser/src/scanner.c
+++ b/subprojects/rizin-shell-parser/src/scanner.c
@@ -60,11 +60,11 @@ static bool is_interpret_cmd(const char *s) {
 
 static bool is_special_start(const int32_t ch) {
 	return ch == '*' || ch == '(' || ch == '@' || ch == '|' || ch == '>' ||
-		ch == '.' || ch == '|' || ch == '~' || ch == '!';
+		ch == '.' || ch == '|' || ch == '~' || ch == '!' || ch == '?';
 }
 
 static bool is_start_of_command(const int32_t ch) {
-	return iswalpha (ch) || ch == '$' || ch == '?' || ch == ':' || ch == '+' ||
+	return iswalpha (ch) || ch == '$' || ch == ':' || ch == '+' ||
 		ch == '=' || ch == '/' || ch == '_' || ch == '#' || ch == '\\' ||
 		ch == '-' || ch == '<' || ch == '&' || ch == '%' || is_special_start (ch);
 }
@@ -180,10 +180,9 @@ bool tree_sitter_rzcmd_external_scanner_scan(void *payload, TSLexer *lexer, cons
 		if (is_comment (res)) {
 			return false;
 		}
-		// ?? is not considered an help command, just a regular one
-		if ((res[i_res - 1] == '?' && strcmp (res, "??") != 0) ||
-			(i_res > 2 && is_recursive_help (res[i_res - 2], res[i_res - 1])) ||
-			(i_res > 3 && is_recursive_help_json (res[i_res - 3], res[i_res - 2], res[i_res - 1]))) {
+		if ((res[i_res - 1] == '?') ||
+			(i_res >= 2 && is_recursive_help(res[i_res - 2], res[i_res - 1])) ||
+			(i_res >= 3 && is_recursive_help_json(res[i_res - 3], res[i_res - 2], res[i_res - 1]))) {
 			if (i_res == 1) {
 				return false;
 			}