diff --git a/cmds-filesystem.c b/cmds-filesystem.c
index db629d89..800aa4dc 100644
--- a/cmds-filesystem.c
+++ b/cmds-filesystem.c
@@ -1382,7 +1382,7 @@ const struct cmd_group filesystem_cmd_group = {
 		{ "show", cmd_show, cmd_show_usage, NULL, 0 },
 		{ "sync", cmd_sync, cmd_sync_usage, NULL, 0 },
 		{ "defragment", cmd_defrag, cmd_defrag_usage, NULL, 0 },
-		{ "balance", cmd_balance, NULL, &balance_cmd_group, 1 },
+		{ "balance", cmd_balance, NULL, &balance_cmd_group, CMD_HIDDEN },
 		{ "resize", cmd_resize, cmd_resize_usage, NULL, 0 },
 		{ "label", cmd_label, cmd_label_usage, NULL, 0 },
 		{ "usage", cmd_filesystem_usage,
diff --git a/commands.h b/commands.h
index f9733719..e995d79c 100644
--- a/commands.h
+++ b/commands.h
@@ -17,6 +17,10 @@
 #ifndef __BTRFS_COMMANDS_H__
 #define __BTRFS_COMMANDS_H__
 
+enum {
+	CMD_HIDDEN = (1 << 0),	/* should not be in help listings */
+};
+
 struct cmd_struct {
 	const char *token;
 	int (*fn)(int, char **);
@@ -47,8 +51,8 @@ struct cmd_struct {
 	/* should be NULL if token is not a subgroup */
 	const struct cmd_group *next;
 
-	/* if true don't list this token in help listings */
-	int hidden;
+	/* CMD_* flags above */
+	int flags;
 };
 
 #define NULL_CMD_STRUCT {NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, 0}
diff --git a/help.c b/help.c
index a67e3fdf..e57d9f28 100644
--- a/help.c
+++ b/help.c
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ static void usage_command_group_internal(const struct cmd_group *grp, int full,
 	int do_sep = 0;
 
 	for (; cmd->token; cmd++) {
-		if (cmd->hidden)
+		if (cmd->flags & CMD_HIDDEN)
 			continue;
 
 		if (full && cmd != grp->commands)
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ void usage_command_group_short(const struct cmd_group *grp)
 
 	fprintf(outf, "Command groups:\n");
 	for (cmd = grp->commands; cmd->token; cmd++) {
-		if (cmd->hidden)
+		if (cmd->flags & CMD_HIDDEN)
 			continue;
 
 		if (!cmd->next)
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ void usage_command_group_short(const struct cmd_group *grp)
 
 	fprintf(outf, "\nCommands:\n");
 	for (cmd = grp->commands; cmd->token; cmd++) {
-		if (cmd->hidden)
+		if (cmd->flags & CMD_HIDDEN)
 			continue;
 
 		if (cmd->next)