diff --git a/Config.in b/Config.in
index a5d20038a..8baf565db 100644
--- a/Config.in
+++ b/Config.in
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ config SHOW_USAGE
 config FEATURE_VERBOSE_USAGE
 	bool "Show verbose applet usage messages"
 	default n
-	select SHOW_USAGE
+	depends on SHOW_USAGE
 	help
 	  All BusyBox applets will show more verbose help messages when
 	  busybox is invoked with --help. This will add a lot of text to the
diff --git a/applets/usage.c b/applets/usage.c
index d4fd12f9b..46adbf475 100644
--- a/applets/usage.c
+++ b/applets/usage.c
@@ -5,9 +5,9 @@
  * Licensed under GPLv2, see file LICENSE in this tarball for details.
  */
 #include <unistd.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <string.h>
 
-/* Just #include "autoconf.h" doesn't work for builds in separate
- * object directory */
 #include "autoconf.h"
 
 /* Since we can't use platform.h, have to do this again by hand: */
@@ -21,14 +21,35 @@
 # define USE_FOR_MMU(...) __VA_ARGS__
 #endif
 
-static const char usage_messages[] = ""
-#define MAKE_USAGE
 #include "usage.h"
+#define MAKE_USAGE(aname, usage) { aname, usage },
+static struct usage_data {
+	const char *aname;
+	const char *usage;
+} usage_array[] = {
 #include "applets.h"
-;
+};
+
+static int compare_func(const void *a, const void *b)
+{
+	const struct usage_data *ua = a;
+	const struct usage_data *ub = b;
+	return strcmp(ua->aname, ub->aname);
+}
 
 int main(void)
 {
-	write(STDOUT_FILENO, usage_messages, sizeof(usage_messages));
+	int i;
+	int num_messages = sizeof(usage_array) / sizeof(usage_array[0]);
+
+	if (num_messages == 0)
+		return 0;
+
+	qsort(usage_array,
+		num_messages, sizeof(usage_array[0]),
+		compare_func);
+	for (i = 0; i < num_messages; i++)
+		write(STDOUT_FILENO, usage_array[i].usage, strlen(usage_array[i].usage) + 1);
+
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/applets/usage_compressed b/applets/usage_compressed
index 8d343529d..12efd2c9c 100755
--- a/applets/usage_compressed
+++ b/applets/usage_compressed
@@ -9,12 +9,19 @@ test -x "$loc/usage" || exit 1
 test "$SED" || SED=sed
 test "$DD" || DD=dd
 
-sz=`"$loc/usage" | wc -c` || exit 1
-
 exec >"$target"
 
-echo 'static const char packed_usage[] ALIGN1 = {'
+echo '#define UNPACKED_USAGE \'
+"$loc/usage" | od -v -t x1 \
+| $SED -e 's/^[^ ]*//' \
+	-e 's/ //g' \
+	-e '/^$/d' \
+	-e 's/\(..\)/\\x\1/g' \
+	-e 's/^/"/' \
+	-e 's/$/" \\/'
+echo ''
 
+echo '#define PACKED_USAGE \'
 ## Breaks on big-endian systems!
 ## # Extra effort to avoid using "od -t x1": -t is not available
 ## # in non-CONFIG_DESKTOPed busybox od
@@ -24,12 +31,11 @@ echo 'static const char packed_usage[] ALIGN1 = {'
 ##	-e 's/ //g' \
 ##	-e '/^$/d' \
 ##	-e 's/\(..\)\(..\)/0x\2,0x\1,/g'
-
+##	-e 's/$/ \\/'
 "$loc/usage" | bzip2 -1 | $DD bs=2 skip=1 2>/dev/null | od -v -t x1 \
 | $SED -e 's/^[^ ]*//' \
 	-e 's/ //g' \
 	-e '/^$/d' \
-	-e 's/\(..\)/0x\1,/g'
-
-echo '};'
-echo '#define SIZEOF_usage_messages' `expr 0 + $sz`
+	-e 's/\(..\)/0x\1,/g' \
+	-e 's/$/ \\/'
+echo ''
diff --git a/applets/usage_pod.c b/applets/usage_pod.c
index ee3729d7b..85a2a8ec4 100644
--- a/applets/usage_pod.c
+++ b/applets/usage_pod.c
@@ -6,11 +6,10 @@
  */
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <stdint.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 
-/* Just #include "autoconf.h" doesn't work for builds in separate
- * object directory */
 #include "autoconf.h"
 
 #define SKIP_applet_main
@@ -29,22 +28,39 @@
 # define USE_FOR_MMU(...) __VA_ARGS__
 #endif
 
-static const char usage_messages[] = ""
-#define MAKE_USAGE
 #include "usage.h"
+#define MAKE_USAGE(aname, usage) { aname, usage },
+static struct usage_data {
+        const char *aname;
+        const char *usage;
+} usage_array[] = {
 #include "applets.h"
-;
+};
+
+static int compare_func(const void *a, const void *b)
+{
+	const struct usage_data *ua = a;
+	const struct usage_data *ub = b;
+	return strcmp(ua->aname, ub->aname);
+}
 
 int main(void)
 {
-	const char *names;
-	const char *usage;
 	int col, len2;
 
+	int i;
+	int num_messages = sizeof(usage_array) / sizeof(usage_array[0]);
+
+	if (num_messages == 0)
+		return 0;
+
+	qsort(usage_array,
+		num_messages, sizeof(usage_array[0]),
+		compare_func);
+
 	col = 0;
-	names = applet_names;
-	while (*names) {
-		len2 = strlen(names) + 2;
+	for (i = 0; i < num_messages; i++) {
+		len2 = strlen(usage_array[i].aname) + 2;
 		if (col >= 76 - len2) {
 			printf(",\n");
 			col = 0;
@@ -55,29 +71,24 @@ int main(void)
 		} else {
 			printf(", ");
 		}
-		printf(names);
+		printf(usage_array[i].aname);
 		col += len2;
-		names += len2 - 1;
 	}
 	printf("\n\n");
 
 	printf("=head1 COMMAND DESCRIPTIONS\n\n");
 	printf("=over 4\n\n");
 
-	names = applet_names;
-	usage = usage_messages;
-	while (*names) {
-		if (*names >= 'a' && *names <= 'z'
-		 && *usage != NOUSAGE_STR[0]
+	for (i = 0; i < num_messages; i++) {
+		if (usage_array[i].aname[0] >= 'a' && usage_array[i].aname[0] <= 'z'
+		 && usage_array[i].usage[0] != NOUSAGE_STR[0]
 		) {
-			printf("=item B<%s>\n\n", names);
-			if (*usage)
-				printf("%s %s\n\n", names, usage);
+			printf("=item B<%s>\n\n", usage_array[i].aname);
+			if (usage_array[i].usage[0])
+				printf("%s %s\n\n", usage_array[i].aname, usage_array[i].usage);
 			else
-				printf("%s\n\n", names);
+				printf("%s\n\n", usage_array[i].aname);
 		}
-		names += strlen(names) + 1;
-		usage += strlen(usage) + 1;
 	}
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/include/applets.h b/include/applets.h
index d8a706b44..cf8de8eb6 100644
--- a/include/applets.h
+++ b/include/applets.h
@@ -4,11 +4,6 @@
  *
  * If you write a new applet, you need to add an entry to this list to make
  * busybox aware of it.
- *
- * It is CRUCIAL that this listing be kept in ascii order, otherwise the binary
- * search lookup contributed by Gaute B Strokkenes stops working. If you value
- * your kneecaps, you'll be sure to *make sure* that any changes made to this
- * file result in the listing remaining in ascii order. You have been warned.
  */
 
 /*
@@ -36,16 +31,16 @@ s     - suid type:
 # define APPLET_NOFORK(name,main,l,s,name2)  name main##_main name2
 
 #elif defined(MAKE_USAGE) && ENABLE_FEATURE_VERBOSE_USAGE
-# define APPLET(name,l,s)                    name##_trivial_usage name##_full_usage "\0"
-# define APPLET_ODDNAME(name,main,l,s,name2) name2##_trivial_usage name2##_full_usage "\0"
-# define APPLET_NOEXEC(name,main,l,s,name2)  name2##_trivial_usage name2##_full_usage "\0"
-# define APPLET_NOFORK(name,main,l,s,name2)  name2##_trivial_usage name2##_full_usage "\0"
+# define APPLET(name,l,s)                    MAKE_USAGE(#name, name##_trivial_usage name##_full_usage)
+# define APPLET_ODDNAME(name,main,l,s,name2) MAKE_USAGE(#name, name2##_trivial_usage name2##_full_usage)
+# define APPLET_NOEXEC(name,main,l,s,name2)  MAKE_USAGE(#name, name2##_trivial_usage name2##_full_usage)
+# define APPLET_NOFORK(name,main,l,s,name2)  MAKE_USAGE(#name, name2##_trivial_usage name2##_full_usage)
 
 #elif defined(MAKE_USAGE) && !ENABLE_FEATURE_VERBOSE_USAGE
-# define APPLET(name,l,s)                    name##_trivial_usage "\0"
-# define APPLET_ODDNAME(name,main,l,s,name2) name2##_trivial_usage "\0"
-# define APPLET_NOEXEC(name,main,l,s,name2)  name2##_trivial_usage "\0"
-# define APPLET_NOFORK(name,main,l,s,name2)  name2##_trivial_usage "\0"
+# define APPLET(name,l,s)                    MAKE_USAGE(#name, name##_trivial_usage)
+# define APPLET_ODDNAME(name,main,l,s,name2) MAKE_USAGE(#name, name2##_trivial_usage)
+# define APPLET_NOEXEC(name,main,l,s,name2)  MAKE_USAGE(#name, name2##_trivial_usage)
+# define APPLET_NOFORK(name,main,l,s,name2)  MAKE_USAGE(#name, name2##_trivial_usage)
 
 #elif defined(MAKE_LINKS)
 # define APPLET(name,l,c)                    LINK l name
diff --git a/libbb/appletlib.c b/libbb/appletlib.c
index a8cd8e65f..6267f2673 100644
--- a/libbb/appletlib.c
+++ b/libbb/appletlib.c
@@ -43,35 +43,30 @@
 #include "applets.h"
 #undef PROTOTYPES
 
-#if ENABLE_SHOW_USAGE && !ENABLE_FEATURE_COMPRESS_USAGE
-/* Define usage_messages[] */
-static const char usage_messages[] ALIGN1 = ""
-# define MAKE_USAGE
-# include "usage.h"
-# include "applets.h"
-;
-# undef MAKE_USAGE
-#else
-# define usage_messages 0
-#endif /* SHOW_USAGE */
-
 
 /* Include generated applet names, pointers to <applet>_main, etc */
 #include "applet_tables.h"
 /* ...and if applet_tables generator says we have only one applet... */
 #ifdef SINGLE_APPLET_MAIN
-#undef ENABLE_FEATURE_INDIVIDUAL
-#define ENABLE_FEATURE_INDIVIDUAL 1
-#undef IF_FEATURE_INDIVIDUAL
-#define IF_FEATURE_INDIVIDUAL(...) __VA_ARGS__
+# undef ENABLE_FEATURE_INDIVIDUAL
+# define ENABLE_FEATURE_INDIVIDUAL 1
+# undef IF_FEATURE_INDIVIDUAL
+# define IF_FEATURE_INDIVIDUAL(...) __VA_ARGS__
 #endif
 
 
+#include "usage_compressed.h"
+
+#if ENABLE_SHOW_USAGE && !ENABLE_FEATURE_COMPRESS_USAGE
+static const char usage_messages[] ALIGN1 = UNPACKED_USAGE;
+#else
+# define usage_messages 0
+#endif /* SHOW_USAGE */
+
 #if ENABLE_FEATURE_COMPRESS_USAGE
 
-#include "usage_compressed.h"
-#include "unarchive.h"
-
+static const char packed_usage[] = { PACKED_USAGE };
+# include "unarchive.h"
 static const char *unpack_usage_messages(void)
 {
 	char *outbuf = NULL;
@@ -86,19 +81,19 @@ static const char *unpack_usage_messages(void)
 	 * end up here with i != 0 on read data errors! Not trivial */
 	if (!i) {
 		/* Cannot use xmalloc: will leak bd in NOFORK case! */
-		outbuf = malloc_or_warn(SIZEOF_usage_messages);
+		outbuf = malloc_or_warn(sizeof(UNPACKED_USAGE));
 		if (outbuf)
-			read_bunzip(bd, outbuf, SIZEOF_usage_messages);
+			read_bunzip(bd, outbuf, sizeof(UNPACKED_USAGE));
 	}
 	dealloc_bunzip(bd);
 	return outbuf;
 }
-#define dealloc_usage_messages(s) free(s)
+# define dealloc_usage_messages(s) free(s)
 
 #else
 
-#define unpack_usage_messages() usage_messages
-#define dealloc_usage_messages(s) ((void)(s))
+# define unpack_usage_messages() usage_messages
+# define dealloc_usage_messages(s) ((void)(s))
 
 #endif /* FEATURE_COMPRESS_USAGE */