I would like help functions to autoload files when help on symbols is requestd. Built-in help do that only in limited cases, while helpful dutifully loads libraries when symbol is not loaded. I would actually prefer to just load documentation not the entire library, and I think I can do that, but it is a little bit more involved (have to find source and read the docs), unlike just performing autoloading. About the patch: there is already an help-enable-autoload option for built-in help, probably meant to do exactly what I want, but it is much more savvy what it loads (only kemaps I think?). I have introduced new variable, help-enable-symbol-autoload, and more aggressive autoloading will be performed only when this one is set to 't, so it is an opt-in option. I would gladly skip that extra variable and use original one, but that would turn it into opt-out option which might not be desired by everyone. I am not sure if understand exact usage of built-in help functions, but the main entry should be describe-* functions, and this should only affect those? I am little bit unsecure here. I have two versions, I prefer the first, help-fns.el only one, but as said, I am a bit unsure how help functions are used, so I have attached an alternative too. To note: this is only for functions, I am not sure if it is needed for variables? It is just a proposal. Best regards /a