diff --git a/lib/command.ts b/lib/command.ts
index 243786fa3..eea42ded0 100644
--- a/lib/command.ts
+++ b/lib/command.ts
@@ -263,6 +263,7 @@ export class CommandInstance {
     if (isCommandBuilderCallback(builder)) {
       // A function can be provided, which builds
       // up a yargs chain and possibly returns it.
+      yargs.getInternalMethods().getUsageInstance().freeze();
       const builderOutput = builder(
         yargs.getInternalMethods().reset(aliases),
         helpOrVersionSet
@@ -284,6 +285,7 @@ export class CommandInstance {
     } else if (isCommandBuilderOptionDefinitions(builder)) {
       // as a short hand, an object can instead be provided, specifying
       // the options that a command takes.
+      yargs.getInternalMethods().getUsageInstance().freeze();
       innerYargs = yargs.getInternalMethods().reset(aliases);
       Object.keys(commandHandler.builder).forEach(key => {
         innerYargs.option(key, builder[key]);
diff --git a/test/usage.cjs b/test/usage.cjs
index 9b4c50ec0..8c7466fb0 100644
--- a/test/usage.cjs
+++ b/test/usage.cjs
@@ -3991,6 +3991,57 @@ describe('usage tests', () => {
           '  --arg2     arg2 desc                                                  [string]',
         ]);
     });
+
+    // See: https://github.com/yargs/yargs/issues/2291
+    it('should display help output for nested default command on failure', () => {
+      const r = checkUsage(() =>
+        yargs()
+          .command(
+            'root',
+            'root command',
+            y => {
+              y.command({
+                command: 'nested',
+                desc: 'nested command',
+                builder: y => {
+                  y.command({
+                    command: 'deep-a',
+                    aliases: ['$0'],
+                    desc: 'deeply nested default',
+                    builder: noop,
+                    handler: noop,
+                  }).command({
+                    command: 'deep-b',
+                    desc: 'a deeply nested command',
+                    builder: noop,
+                    handler: noop,
+                  });
+                },
+                handler: noop,
+              });
+            },
+            () => {}
+          )
+          .strict()
+          .demandCommand()
+          .parse(['root', 'nested', 'bloop'])
+      );
+      r.errors[0]
+        .split('\n')
+        .should.deep.equal([
+          'usage root nested',
+          '',
+          'nested command',
+          '',
+          'Commands:',
+          '  usage root nested deep-a  deeply nested default                      [default]',
+          '  usage root nested deep-b  a deeply nested command',
+          '',
+          'Options:',
+          '  --help     Show help                                                 [boolean]',
+          '  --version  Show version number                                       [boolean]',
+        ]);
+    });
   });
 
   describe('positional', () => {