diff --git a/dandi/dandiarchive.py b/dandi/dandiarchive.py
index 40eb5fb3f..eefb99af5 100644
--- a/dandi/dandiarchive.py
+++ b/dandi/dandiarchive.py
@@ -704,7 +704,7 @@ class _dandi_url_parser:
  for a DANDI Archive instance.  If an optional ``version`` field is
  omitted from a URL, the given Dandiset's most recent published version
  will be used if it has one, and its draft version will be used otherwise.
-    """
+"""
     known_patterns = "Accepted resource identifier patterns:" + "\n - ".join(
         [""] + [display for _, _, display in known_urls]
     )
diff --git a/dandi/tests/test_helptext.py b/dandi/tests/test_helptext.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b72062112
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dandi/tests/test_helptext.py
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+import subprocess
+
+
+def get_helptext(command):
+    result = subprocess.run(
+        [*command, '--help'],
+        stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+        stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
+        text=True
+    )
+    return result.stdout
+
+
+def test_resource_identifier_helptext():
+    # The \n chars must be included for correct rendering
+    correct = "Accepted resource identifier patterns:\n   - DANDI:<dandiset id>[/<version>]\n"
+
+    ls_helptext = get_helptext(['dandi', 'ls'])
+    assert correct in ls_helptext
+
+    download_helptext = get_helptext(['dandi', 'download'])
+    assert correct in download_helptext