diff --git a/.github/workflows/bindgen.yml b/.github/workflows/bindgen.yml
index d459fc2fc2..ba95e42e23 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/bindgen.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/bindgen.yml
@@ -201,12 +201,27 @@ jobs:
           ./mdbook build book
           ./mdbook test book
 
+  # FIXME(pvdrz): this should be done inside `bindgen-test` instead
+  test-no-headers:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Test `--help`
+        run: cargo run -- --help
+
+      - name: Test `--version`
+        run: cargo run -- --version
+
+      - name: Test `--generate-shell-completions`
+        run: cargo run -- --generate-shell-completions=bash
+
   # One job that "summarizes" the success state of this pipeline. This can then
   # be added to branch protection, rather than having to add each job
   # separately.
   success:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    needs: [rustfmt-clippy, msrv, minimal, docs, quickchecking, test-expectations, test, check-cfg, test-book]
+    needs: [rustfmt-clippy, msrv, minimal, docs, quickchecking, test-expectations, test, check-cfg, test-book, test-no-headers]
     # GitHub branch protection is exceedingly silly and treats "jobs skipped
     # because a dependency failed" as success. So we have to do some
     # contortions to ensure the job fails if any of its dependencies fails.
diff --git a/bindgen/options/cli.rs b/bindgen/options/cli.rs
index 9d5cea3dc6..8c4c05bc84 100644
--- a/bindgen/options/cli.rs
+++ b/bindgen/options/cli.rs
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ fn parse_custom_attribute(
 #[allow(clippy::doc_markdown)]
 struct BindgenCommand {
     /// C or C++ header file.
-    header: String,
+    header: Option<String>,
     /// Path to write depfile to.
     #[arg(long)]
     depfile: Option<String>,
@@ -657,6 +657,33 @@ where
         clang_args,
     } = command;
 
+    if let Some(shell) = generate_shell_completions {
+        clap_complete::generate(
+            shell,
+            &mut BindgenCommand::command(),
+            "bindgen",
+            &mut io::stdout(),
+        );
+
+        exit(0)
+    }
+
+    if version {
+        println!(
+            "bindgen {}",
+            option_env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION").unwrap_or("unknown")
+        );
+        if verbose {
+            println!("Clang: {}", crate::clang_version().full);
+        }
+
+        exit(0)
+    }
+
+    if header.is_none() {
+        return Err(io::Error::new(io::ErrorKind::Other, "Header not found"));
+    }
+
     let mut builder = builder();
 
     #[derive(Debug)]
@@ -804,31 +831,8 @@ where
         }
     }
 
-    let header = Some(header);
-
     builder = apply_args!(
         builder {
-            generate_shell_completions => |_, shell| {
-                clap_complete::generate(
-                    shell,
-                    &mut BindgenCommand::command(),
-                    "bindgen",
-                    &mut io::stdout(),
-                );
-
-                exit(0)
-            },
-            version => |_, _| {
-                println!(
-                    "bindgen {}",
-                    option_env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION").unwrap_or("unknown")
-                );
-                if verbose {
-                    println!("Clang: {}", crate::clang_version().full);
-                }
-
-                exit(0)
-            },
             header,
             rust_target,
             rust_edition,