diff --git a/go/libraries/doltcore/sqle/dtables/help_table.go b/go/libraries/doltcore/sqle/dtables/help_table.go
index aca9087eb6..204498c238 100644
--- a/go/libraries/doltcore/sqle/dtables/help_table.go
+++ b/go/libraries/doltcore/sqle/dtables/help_table.go
@@ -126,15 +126,16 @@ func NewHelpRowIter() HelpRowIter {
 var DoltCommand cli.SubCommandHandler
 
 func (itr HelpRowIter) Next(_ *sql.Context) (sql.Row, error) {
-	helpRows := *itr.rows
-	if helpRows == nil {
+	if *itr.rows == nil {
 		var err error
-		helpRows, err = generateProcedureHelpRows(DoltCommand.Name(), DoltCommand.Subcommands)
+		*itr.rows, err = generateProcedureHelpRows(DoltCommand.Name(), DoltCommand.Subcommands)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
 	}
 
+	helpRows := *itr.rows
+
 	if *itr.idx >= len(helpRows) {
 		return nil, io.EOF
 	}