diff --git a/.changes/next-release/bugfix-help.json b/.changes/next-release/bugfix-help.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..cabf37f63a26
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changes/next-release/bugfix-help.json
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+{
+  "description": "Write help content to stdout if less is not installed. Fixes `#1957 <https://github.com/aws/aws-cli/issues/1957>`__",
+  "category": "help",
+  "type": "bugfix"
+}
diff --git a/awscli/help.py b/awscli/help.py
index 09a230a180e3..cef353767bfb 100644
--- a/awscli/help.py
+++ b/awscli/help.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 # language governing permissions and limitations under the License.
 import logging
 import os
+import sys
 import platform
 import shlex
 from subprocess import Popen, PIPE
@@ -62,6 +63,8 @@ class PagingHelpRenderer(object):
     a particular platform.
 
     """
+    def __init__(self, output_stream=sys.stdout):
+        self.output_stream = output_stream
 
     PAGER = None
 
@@ -114,6 +117,12 @@ def _convert_doc_content(self, contents):
 
     def _send_output_to_pager(self, output):
         cmdline = self.get_pager_cmdline()
+        if not self._exists_on_path(cmdline[0]):
+            LOG.debug("Pager '%s' not found in PATH, printing raw help." %
+                      cmdline[0])
+            self.output_stream.write(output.decode('utf-8') + "\n")
+            self.output_stream.flush()
+            return
         LOG.debug("Running command: %s", cmdline)
         with ignore_ctrl_c():
             # We can't rely on the KeyboardInterrupt from
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_help.py b/tests/unit/test_help.py
index dff4c8f19419..718b6820b641 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_help.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_help.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 
 import mock
 
+from awscli.compat import six
 from awscli.help import PosixHelpRenderer, ExecutableNotFoundError
 from awscli.help import WindowsHelpRenderer, ProviderHelpCommand, HelpCommand
 from awscli.help import TopicListerCommand, TopicHelpCommand
@@ -40,11 +41,15 @@ def _popen(self, *args, **kwargs):
 
 
 class FakePosixHelpRenderer(HelpSpyMixin, PosixHelpRenderer):
-    pass
+    def __init__(self, output_stream=sys.stdout):
+        HelpSpyMixin.__init__(self)
+        PosixHelpRenderer.__init__(self, output_stream)
 
 
 class FakeWindowsHelpRenderer(HelpSpyMixin, WindowsHelpRenderer):
-    pass
+    def __init__(self, output_stream=sys.stdout):
+        HelpSpyMixin.__init__(self)
+        WindowsHelpRenderer.__init__(self, output_stream)
 
 
 class TestHelpPager(unittest.TestCase):
@@ -96,10 +101,23 @@ def test_pager_with_args(self):
     def test_no_groff_exists(self):
         renderer = FakePosixHelpRenderer()
         renderer.exists_on_path['groff'] = False
-        with self.assertRaisesRegexp(ExecutableNotFoundError,
-                                     'Could not find executable named "groff"'):
+        expected_error = 'Could not find executable named "groff"'
+        with self.assertRaisesRegexp(ExecutableNotFoundError, expected_error):
             renderer.render('foo')
 
+    @skip_if_windows('Requires POSIX system.')
+    def test_no_pager_exists(self):
+        fake_pager = 'foobar'
+        os.environ['MANPAGER'] = fake_pager
+        stdout = six.StringIO()
+        renderer = FakePosixHelpRenderer(output_stream=stdout)
+        renderer.exists_on_path[fake_pager] = False
+
+        renderer.exists_on_path['groff'] = True
+        renderer.mock_popen.communicate.return_value = (b'foo', '')
+        renderer.render('foo')
+        self.assertEqual(stdout.getvalue(), 'foo\n')
+
     def test_shlex_split_for_pager_var(self):
         pager_cmd = '/bin/sh -c "col -bx | vim -c \'set ft=man\' -"'
         os.environ['PAGER'] = pager_cmd
@@ -109,6 +127,7 @@ def test_shlex_split_for_pager_var(self):
     def test_can_render_contents(self):
         renderer = FakePosixHelpRenderer()
         renderer.exists_on_path['groff'] = True
+        renderer.exists_on_path['less'] = True
         renderer.mock_popen.communicate.return_value = ('rendered', '')
         renderer.render('foo')
         self.assertEqual(renderer.popen_calls[-1][0], (['less', '-R'],))
@@ -133,6 +152,7 @@ def _is_pager_call(self, args):
         renderer = CtrlCRenderer()
         renderer.mock_popen.communicate.return_value = ('send to pager', '')
         renderer.exists_on_path['groff'] = True
+        renderer.exists_on_path['less'] = True
         renderer.render('foo')
         last_call = renderer.mock_popen.communicate.call_args_list[-1]
         self.assertEqual(last_call, mock.call(input='send to pager'))