diff --git a/CHANGES.txt b/CHANGES.txt
--- a/CHANGES.txt
+++ b/CHANGES.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 Changelog for CmdArgs
 
+0.10.11
+    #15, never put [brackets] around optional args in Explicit
 0.10.10
     #14, fix @ file arguments
 0.10.9
diff --git a/System/Console/CmdArgs/Explicit/Help.hs b/System/Console/CmdArgs/Explicit/Help.hs
--- a/System/Console/CmdArgs/Explicit/Help.hs
+++ b/System/Console/CmdArgs/Explicit/Help.hs
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@
 
 
 helpArgs :: ([Arg a], Maybe (Arg a)) -> [String]
-helpArgs (ys,y) = [['['|r] ++ argType x ++ [']'|r] | (i,x) <- zip [0..] xs, let r = req > i]
+helpArgs (ys,y) = [['['|o] ++ argType x ++ [']'|o] | (i,x) <- zip [0..] xs, let o = False && req <= i]
     where xs = ys ++ maybeToList y
           req = maximum $ 0 : [i | (i,x) <- zip [1..] xs, argRequire x]
 
diff --git a/cmdargs.cabal b/cmdargs.cabal
--- a/cmdargs.cabal
+++ b/cmdargs.cabal
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 cabal-version:      >= 1.6
 build-type:         Simple
 name:               cmdargs
-version:            0.10.10
+version:            0.10.11
 license:            BSD3
 license-file:       LICENSE
 category:           Console