diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f105b17..c644227 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -284,6 +284,9 @@ $ ./example --version
 someprogram 4.3.0
 ```
 
+> **Note**
+> If a `--version` flag is defined in `args` or any subcommand, it overrides the built-in versioning.
+
 ### Overriding option names
 
 ```go
diff --git a/usage.go b/usage.go
index 6b578a5..4a056f3 100644
--- a/usage.go
+++ b/usage.go
@@ -48,18 +48,36 @@ func (p *Parser) WriteUsageForSubcommand(w io.Writer, subcommand ...string) erro
 	}
 
 	var positionals, longOptions, shortOptions []*spec
+	var hasVersionOption bool
 	for _, spec := range cmd.specs {
 		switch {
 		case spec.positional:
 			positionals = append(positionals, spec)
 		case spec.long != "":
 			longOptions = append(longOptions, spec)
+			if spec.long == "version" {
+				hasVersionOption = true
+			}
 		case spec.short != "":
 			shortOptions = append(shortOptions, spec)
 		}
 	}
 
-	if p.version != "" {
+	// make a list of ancestor commands so that we print with full context
+	// also determine if any ancestor has a version option spec
+	var ancestors []string
+	ancestor := cmd
+	for ancestor != nil {
+		for _, spec := range ancestor.specs {
+			if spec.long == "version" {
+				hasVersionOption = true
+			}
+		}
+		ancestors = append(ancestors, ancestor.name)
+		ancestor = ancestor.parent
+	}
+
+	if !hasVersionOption && p.version != "" {
 		fmt.Fprintln(w, p.version)
 	}
 
@@ -208,6 +226,9 @@ func (p *Parser) WriteHelpForSubcommand(w io.Writer, subcommand ...string) error
 			positionals = append(positionals, spec)
 		case spec.long != "":
 			longOptions = append(longOptions, spec)
+			if spec.long == "version" {
+				hasVersionOption = true
+			}
 		case spec.short != "":
 			shortOptions = append(shortOptions, spec)
 		case spec.short == "" && spec.long == "":
@@ -215,6 +236,21 @@ func (p *Parser) WriteHelpForSubcommand(w io.Writer, subcommand ...string) error
 		}
 	}
 
+	// obtain a flattened list of options from all ancestors
+	// also determine if any ancestor has a version option spec
+	var globals []*spec
+	ancestor := cmd.parent
+	for ancestor != nil {
+		for _, spec := range ancestor.specs {
+			if spec.long == "version" {
+				hasVersionOption = true
+				break
+			}
+		}
+		globals = append(globals, ancestor.specs...)
+		ancestor = ancestor.parent
+	}
+
 	if p.description != "" {
 		fmt.Fprintln(w, p.description)
 	}
@@ -236,28 +272,14 @@ func (p *Parser) WriteHelpForSubcommand(w io.Writer, subcommand ...string) error
 		}
 		for _, spec := range longOptions {
 			p.printOption(w, spec)
-			if spec.long == "version" {
-				hasVersionOption = true
-			}
 		}
 	}
 
-	// obtain a flattened list of options from all ancestors
-	var globals []*spec
-	ancestor := cmd.parent
-	for ancestor != nil {
-		globals = append(globals, ancestor.specs...)
-		ancestor = ancestor.parent
-	}
-
 	// write the list of global options
 	if len(globals) > 0 {
 		fmt.Fprint(w, "\nGlobal options:\n")
 		for _, spec := range globals {
 			p.printOption(w, spec)
-			if spec.long == "version" {
-				hasVersionOption = true
-			}
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/usage_test.go b/usage_test.go
index b2bcab1..b13ecbc 100644
--- a/usage_test.go
+++ b/usage_test.go
@@ -260,28 +260,199 @@ Options:
 	assert.Equal(t, expectedUsage, strings.TrimSpace(usage.String()))
 }
 
-type userDefinedVersionFlag struct {
-	ShowVersion bool `arg:"--version" help:"this is a user-defined version flag"`
+func TestUsageWithUserDefinedVersionFlag(t *testing.T) {
+	expectedUsage := "Usage: example [--version]"
+
+	expectedHelp := `
+Usage: example [--version]
+
+Options:
+  --version              this is a user-defined version flag
+  --help, -h             display this help and exit
+`
+
+	var args struct {
+		ShowVersion bool `arg:"--version" help:"this is a user-defined version flag"`
+	}
+
+	os.Args[0] = "example"
+	p, err := NewParser(Config{}, &args)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	var help bytes.Buffer
+	p.WriteHelp(&help)
+	assert.Equal(t, expectedHelp[1:], help.String())
+
+	var usage bytes.Buffer
+	p.WriteUsage(&usage)
+	assert.Equal(t, expectedUsage, strings.TrimSpace(usage.String()))
 }
 
-// Version returns the version for this program
-func (userDefinedVersionFlag) Version() string {
-	return "example 3.2.1"
+func TestUsageWithVersionAndUserDefinedVersionFlag(t *testing.T) {
+	expectedUsage := "Usage: example [--version]"
+
+	expectedHelp := `
+Usage: example [--version]
+
+Options:
+  --version              this is a user-defined version flag
+  --help, -h             display this help and exit
+`
+
+	var args struct {
+		versioned
+		ShowVersion bool `arg:"--version" help:"this is a user-defined version flag"`
+	}
+
+	os.Args[0] = "example"
+	p, err := NewParser(Config{}, &args)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	var help bytes.Buffer
+	p.WriteHelp(&help)
+	assert.Equal(t, expectedHelp[1:], help.String())
+
+	var usage bytes.Buffer
+	p.WriteUsage(&usage)
+	assert.Equal(t, expectedUsage, strings.TrimSpace(usage.String()))
 }
 
-func TestUsageWithUserDefinedVersionFlag(t *testing.T) {
-	expectedUsage := "example 3.2.1\nUsage: example [--version]"
+type subcommand struct {
+	Number int `arg:"-n,--number" help:"compute something on the given number"`
+}
+
+func TestUsageWithVersionAndSubcommand(t *testing.T) {
+	expectedUsage := "example 3.2.1\nUsage: example <command> [<args>]"
 
 	expectedHelp := `
 example 3.2.1
-Usage: example [--version]
+Usage: example <command> [<args>]
+
+Options:
+  --help, -h             display this help and exit
+  --version              display version and exit
+
+Commands:
+  cmd
+`
+
+	var args struct {
+		versioned
+		Cmd *subcommand `arg:"subcommand"`
+	}
+
+	os.Args[0] = "example"
+	p, err := NewParser(Config{}, &args)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	var help bytes.Buffer
+	p.WriteHelp(&help)
+	assert.Equal(t, expectedHelp[1:], help.String())
+
+	var usage bytes.Buffer
+	p.WriteUsage(&usage)
+	assert.Equal(t, expectedUsage, strings.TrimSpace(usage.String()))
+
+	expectedUsage = "example 3.2.1\nUsage: example cmd [--number NUMBER]"
+
+	expectedHelp = `
+example 3.2.1
+Usage: example cmd [--number NUMBER]
+
+Options:
+  --number NUMBER, -n NUMBER
+                         compute something on the given number
+  --help, -h             display this help and exit
+  --version              display version and exit
+`
+	_ = p.Parse([]string{"cmd"})
+
+	help = bytes.Buffer{}
+	p.WriteHelp(&help)
+	assert.Equal(t, expectedHelp[1:], help.String())
+
+	usage = bytes.Buffer{}
+	p.WriteUsage(&usage)
+	assert.Equal(t, expectedUsage, strings.TrimSpace(usage.String()))
+}
+
+func TestUsageWithUserDefinedVersionFlagAndSubcommand(t *testing.T) {
+	expectedUsage := "Usage: example [--version] <command> [<args>]"
+
+	expectedHelp := `
+Usage: example [--version] <command> [<args>]
+
+Options:
+  --version              this is a user-defined version flag
+  --help, -h             display this help and exit
+
+Commands:
+  cmd
+`
+
+	var args struct {
+		Cmd         *subcommand `arg:"subcommand"`
+		ShowVersion bool        `arg:"--version" help:"this is a user-defined version flag"`
+	}
+
+	os.Args[0] = "example"
+	p, err := NewParser(Config{}, &args)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	var help bytes.Buffer
+	p.WriteHelp(&help)
+	assert.Equal(t, expectedHelp[1:], help.String())
+
+	var usage bytes.Buffer
+	p.WriteUsage(&usage)
+	assert.Equal(t, expectedUsage, strings.TrimSpace(usage.String()))
+
+	expectedUsage = "Usage: example cmd [--number NUMBER]"
+
+	expectedHelp = `
+Usage: example cmd [--number NUMBER]
+
+Options:
+  --number NUMBER, -n NUMBER
+                         compute something on the given number
+
+Global options:
+  --version              this is a user-defined version flag
+  --help, -h             display this help and exit
+`
+	_ = p.Parse([]string{"cmd"})
+
+	help = bytes.Buffer{}
+	p.WriteHelp(&help)
+	assert.Equal(t, expectedHelp[1:], help.String())
+
+	usage = bytes.Buffer{}
+	p.WriteUsage(&usage)
+	assert.Equal(t, expectedUsage, strings.TrimSpace(usage.String()))
+}
+
+func TestUsageWithVersionAndUserDefinedVersionFlagAndSubcommand(t *testing.T) {
+	expectedUsage := "Usage: example [--version] <command> [<args>]"
+
+	expectedHelp := `
+Usage: example [--version] <command> [<args>]
 
 Options:
   --version              this is a user-defined version flag
   --help, -h             display this help and exit
+
+Commands:
+  cmd
 `
+
+	var args struct {
+		versioned
+		Cmd         *subcommand `arg:"subcommand"`
+		ShowVersion bool        `arg:"--version" help:"this is a user-defined version flag"`
+	}
+
 	os.Args[0] = "example"
-	p, err := NewParser(Config{}, &userDefinedVersionFlag{})
+	p, err := NewParser(Config{}, &args)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
 	var help bytes.Buffer
@@ -291,6 +462,29 @@ Options:
 	var usage bytes.Buffer
 	p.WriteUsage(&usage)
 	assert.Equal(t, expectedUsage, strings.TrimSpace(usage.String()))
+
+	expectedUsage = "Usage: example cmd [--number NUMBER]"
+
+	expectedHelp = `
+Usage: example cmd [--number NUMBER]
+
+Options:
+  --number NUMBER, -n NUMBER
+                         compute something on the given number
+
+Global options:
+  --version              this is a user-defined version flag
+  --help, -h             display this help and exit
+`
+	_ = p.Parse([]string{"cmd"})
+
+	help = bytes.Buffer{}
+	p.WriteHelp(&help)
+	assert.Equal(t, expectedHelp[1:], help.String())
+
+	usage = bytes.Buffer{}
+	p.WriteUsage(&usage)
+	assert.Equal(t, expectedUsage, strings.TrimSpace(usage.String()))
 }
 
 type described struct{}