diff --git a/src/nvim/buffer.c b/src/nvim/buffer.c
index 4ab78b9f8a..d8c46020bc 100644
--- a/src/nvim/buffer.c
+++ b/src/nvim/buffer.c
@@ -1256,8 +1256,11 @@ static int do_buffer_ext(int action, int start, int dir, int count, int flags)
       buf = buf->b_next;
     }
   } else {
+    const bool help_only = (flags & DOBUF_SKIPHELP) != 0 && buf->b_help;
+
     bp = NULL;
-    while (count > 0 || (!unload && !buf->b_p_bl && bp != buf)) {
+    while (count > 0 || (bp != buf && !unload
+                         && !(help_only ? buf->b_help : buf->b_p_bl))) {
       // remember the buffer where we start, we come back there when all
       // buffers are unlisted.
       if (bp == NULL) {
@@ -1265,12 +1268,13 @@ static int do_buffer_ext(int action, int start, int dir, int count, int flags)
       }
       buf = dir == FORWARD ? (buf->b_next != NULL ? buf->b_next : firstbuf)
                            : (buf->b_prev != NULL ? buf->b_prev : lastbuf);
+      // Avoid non-help buffers if the starting point was a help buffer
+      // and vice-versa.
       // Don't count unlisted buffers.
-      // Avoid non-help buffers if the starting point was a non-help buffer and
-      // vice-versa.
       if (unload
-          || (buf->b_p_bl
-              && ((flags & DOBUF_SKIPHELP) == 0 || buf->b_help == bp->b_help))) {
+          || (help_only
+              ? buf->b_help
+              : (buf->b_p_bl && ((flags & DOBUF_SKIPHELP) == 0 || !buf->b_help)))) {
         count--;
         bp = NULL;              // use this buffer as new starting point
       }
diff --git a/test/old/testdir/test_buffer.vim b/test/old/testdir/test_buffer.vim
index 2bdc709482..cf4d264066 100644
--- a/test/old/testdir/test_buffer.vim
+++ b/test/old/testdir/test_buffer.vim
@@ -169,6 +169,17 @@ func Test_bnext_bprev_help()
   b XHelp1
   blast   | call assert_equal(b4, bufnr())
 
+  " Cycling through help buffers works even if they aren't listed.
+  b XHelp1
+  setlocal nobuflisted
+  bnext | call assert_equal(b3, bufnr())
+  bnext | call assert_equal(b1, bufnr())
+  bprev | call assert_equal(b3, bufnr())
+  setlocal nobuflisted
+  bprev | call assert_equal(b1, bufnr())
+  bprev | call assert_equal(b3, bufnr())
+  bnext | call assert_equal(b1, bufnr())
+
   %bwipe!
 endfunc