diff --git a/tooling/db/sqlite-exec b/tooling/db/sqlite-exec
index 5dfe9cb87..ba3174b7d 100755
--- a/tooling/db/sqlite-exec
+++ b/tooling/db/sqlite-exec
@@ -1,4 +1,15 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # Run an INSERT/UPDATE/DELETE on the ticketing database. Whitelistable command.
 # Usage: sqlite-exec "UPDATE tickets SET status='done' WHERE id=1"
+if [ "$1" = "--help" ] || [ "$1" = "-h" ]; then
+  echo "Usage: sqlite-exec <SQL>"
+  echo ""
+  echo "Run an INSERT, UPDATE, or DELETE on the ticketing database."
+  echo "Output is JSON: {\"ok\": true, \"affected_rows\": N}"
+  echo ""
+  echo "Examples:"
+  echo "  sqlite-exec \"UPDATE tickets SET status='done' WHERE id=42\""
+  echo "  sqlite-exec \"UPDATE tickets SET assigned_to='stig' WHERE id=844\""
+  exit 0
+fi
 exec python3 "$(dirname "$0")/sqlite_connector.py" execute "$@"
diff --git a/tooling/db/sqlite-query b/tooling/db/sqlite-query
index f217bc0ee..460fe0e39 100755
--- a/tooling/db/sqlite-query
+++ b/tooling/db/sqlite-query
@@ -1,4 +1,15 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # Run a SELECT query on the ticketing database. Whitelistable command.
 # Usage: sqlite-query "SELECT * FROM tickets WHERE status='in_progress'"
+if [ "$1" = "--help" ] || [ "$1" = "-h" ]; then
+  echo "Usage: sqlite-query <SQL>"
+  echo ""
+  echo "Run a SELECT query on the ticketing database."
+  echo "Output is JSON: {\"ok\": true, \"count\": N, \"rows\": [...]}"
+  echo ""
+  echo "Examples:"
+  echo "  sqlite-query \"SELECT id, title, status FROM tickets WHERE sprint_id=36\""
+  echo "  sqlite-query \"SELECT * FROM tickets WHERE assigned_to='stig'\""
+  exit 0
+fi
 exec python3 "$(dirname "$0")/sqlite_connector.py" query "$@"