diff --git a/src/nvim/buffer.c b/src/nvim/buffer.c
index 7660093fc2..c9ae4c3ed3 100644
--- a/src/nvim/buffer.c
+++ b/src/nvim/buffer.c
@@ -302,9 +302,9 @@ int open_buffer(bool read_stdin, exarg_T *eap, int flags_arg)
     }
 #endif
 
-    // Help buffer is filtered.
+    // Help buffer: populate *local-additions* in help.txt
     if (bt_help(curbuf)) {
-      fix_help_buffer();
+      get_local_additions();
     }
   } else if (read_stdin) {
     int save_bin = curbuf->b_p_bin;
diff --git a/src/nvim/help.c b/src/nvim/help.c
index 28b95b2346..b1b53bc0c3 100644
--- a/src/nvim/help.c
+++ b/src/nvim/help.c
@@ -642,46 +642,9 @@ void prepare_help_buffer(void)
   set_buflisted(false);
 }
 
-/// After reading a help file: May cleanup a help buffer when syntax
-/// highlighting is not used.
-void fix_help_buffer(void)
+/// After reading a help file: if help.txt, populate *local-additions*
+void get_local_additions(void)
 {
-  // Set filetype to "help".
-  if (strcmp(curbuf->b_p_ft, "help") != 0) {
-    curbuf->b_ro_locked++;
-    set_option_value_give_err(kOptFiletype, STATIC_CSTR_AS_OPTVAL("help"), OPT_LOCAL);
-    curbuf->b_ro_locked--;
-  }
-
-  if (!syntax_present(curwin)) {
-    bool in_example = false;
-    for (linenr_T lnum = 1; lnum <= curbuf->b_ml.ml_line_count; lnum++) {
-      char *line = ml_get_buf(curbuf, lnum);
-      const size_t len = strlen(line);
-      if (in_example && len > 0 && !ascii_iswhite(line[0])) {
-        // End of example: non-white or '<' in first column.
-        if (line[0] == '<') {
-          // blank-out a '<' in the first column
-          line = ml_get_buf_mut(curbuf, lnum);
-          line[0] = ' ';
-        }
-        in_example = false;
-      }
-      if (!in_example && len > 0) {
-        if (line[len - 1] == '>' && (len == 1 || line[len - 2] == ' ')) {
-          // blank-out a '>' in the last column (start of example)
-          line = ml_get_buf_mut(curbuf, lnum);
-          line[len - 1] = ' ';
-          in_example = true;
-        } else if (line[len - 1] == '~') {
-          // blank-out a '~' at the end of line (header marker)
-          line = ml_get_buf_mut(curbuf, lnum);
-          line[len - 1] = ' ';
-        }
-      }
-    }
-  }
-
   // In the "help.txt" and "help.abx" file, add the locally added help
   // files.  This uses the very first line in the help file.
   char *const fname = path_tail(curbuf->b_fname);