diff --git a/pkg/cli/api.go b/pkg/cli/api.go
index 5abcbb651bb..8e71ab0438d 100644
--- a/pkg/cli/api.go
+++ b/pkg/cli/api.go
@@ -60,8 +60,8 @@ func (c cli) bindCreateAPI(ctx plugin.Context, cmd *cobra.Command) {
 		tmpGetter, isGetter := p.(plugin.CreateAPIPluginGetter)
 		if isGetter {
 			if getter != nil {
-				err := fmt.Errorf("duplicate API creation plugins for project version %q: %s, %s",
-					c.projectVersion, getter.Name(), p.Name())
+				err := fmt.Errorf("duplicate API creation plugins for project version %q (%s, %s), "+
+					"use a more specific plugin key", c.projectVersion, plugin.KeyFor(getter), plugin.KeyFor(p))
 				cmdErr(cmd, err)
 				return
 			}
diff --git a/pkg/cli/cmd_helpers.go b/pkg/cli/cmd_helpers.go
index 28bd48dd3a2..9ea30788da7 100644
--- a/pkg/cli/cmd_helpers.go
+++ b/pkg/cli/cmd_helpers.go
@@ -32,6 +32,12 @@ func cmdErr(cmd *cobra.Command, err error) {
 	cmd.RunE = errCmdFunc(err)
 }
 
+// cmdErrNoHelp calls cmdErr(cmd, err) then turns cmd's usage off.
+func cmdErrNoHelp(cmd *cobra.Command, err error) {
+	cmdErr(cmd, err)
+	cmd.SilenceUsage = true
+}
+
 // errCmdFunc returns a cobra RunE function that returns the provided error
 func errCmdFunc(err error) func(*cobra.Command, []string) error {
 	return func(*cobra.Command, []string) error {
diff --git a/pkg/cli/init.go b/pkg/cli/init.go
index 0dd1f340be4..5f97a571eb9 100644
--- a/pkg/cli/init.go
+++ b/pkg/cli/init.go
@@ -121,18 +121,23 @@ func (c cli) bindInit(ctx plugin.Context, cmd *cobra.Command) {
 		tmpGetter, isGetter := p.(plugin.InitPluginGetter)
 		if isGetter {
 			if getter != nil {
-				log.Fatalf("duplicate initialization plugins for project version %q: %s, %s",
-					c.projectVersion, getter.Name(), p.Name())
+				err := fmt.Errorf("duplicate initialization plugins for project version %q (%s, %s), "+
+					"use a more specific plugin key", c.projectVersion, plugin.KeyFor(getter), plugin.KeyFor(p))
+				cmdErrNoHelp(cmd, err)
+				return
 			}
 			getter = tmpGetter
 		}
 	}
 	if getter == nil {
+		var err error
 		if c.cliPluginKey == "" {
-			log.Fatalf("project version %q does not support an initialization plugin", c.projectVersion)
+			err = fmt.Errorf("project version %q does not support an initialization plugin", c.projectVersion)
 		} else {
-			log.Fatalf("plugin %q does not support an initialization plugin", c.cliPluginKey)
+			err = fmt.Errorf("plugin %q does not support an initialization plugin", c.cliPluginKey)
 		}
+		cmdErrNoHelp(cmd, err)
+		return
 	}
 
 	cfg := internalconfig.New(internalconfig.DefaultPath)
diff --git a/pkg/cli/webhook.go b/pkg/cli/webhook.go
index 6e1b9244055..08d7ecd3334 100644
--- a/pkg/cli/webhook.go
+++ b/pkg/cli/webhook.go
@@ -60,8 +60,8 @@ func (c cli) bindCreateWebhook(ctx plugin.Context, cmd *cobra.Command) {
 		tmpGetter, isGetter := p.(plugin.CreateWebhookPluginGetter)
 		if isGetter {
 			if getter != nil {
-				err := fmt.Errorf("duplicate webhook creation plugins for project version %q: %s, %s",
-					c.projectVersion, getter.Name(), p.Name())
+				err := fmt.Errorf("duplicate webhook creation plugins for project version %q (%s, %s), "+
+					"use a more specific plugin key", c.projectVersion, plugin.KeyFor(getter), plugin.KeyFor(p))
 				cmdErr(cmd, err)
 				return
 			}