diff --git a/HISTORY.rst b/HISTORY.rst
index 27d7c93..0c92d21 100644
--- a/HISTORY.rst
+++ b/HISTORY.rst
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ Release History
 ++++++
 
 * Declare support for Python 3.14 and drop support for Python 3.9 (#296)
+* Fix help text rendering for Python 3.14 argparse strict validation (#300)
 
 0.13.0
 ++++++
diff --git a/knack/help.py b/knack/help.py
index ead4bfb..043a857 100644
--- a/knack/help.py
+++ b/knack/help.py
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ def __init__(self, help_ctx, delimiters, parser):
                     'deprecate_info': getattr(action, 'deprecate_info', None),
                     'preview_info': getattr(action, 'preview_info', None),
                     'experimental_info': getattr(action, 'experimental_info', None),
-                    'description': action.help,
+                    'description': self._expand_action_help(action),
                     'choices': action.choices,
                     'required': False,
                     'default': None,
@@ -291,9 +291,28 @@ def __init__(self, help_ctx, delimiters, parser):
         help_param = next(p for p in self.parameters if p.name == '--help -h')
         help_param.group_name = 'Global Arguments'
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def _expand_action_help(action):
+        """Expand argparse-style help placeholders for Knack-rendered help."""
+        if not isinstance(action.help, str) or '%' not in action.help:
+            return action.help
+
+        parser = getattr(action.container, '_parser', None)
+        prog = getattr(parser, 'prog', '')
+        params = dict(vars(action), prog=prog)
+        for key in list(params):
+            if params[key] is argparse.SUPPRESS:
+                del params[key]
+
+        try:
+            return action.help % params
+        except (KeyError, TypeError, ValueError):
+            # Keep help resilient even when token expansion cannot be resolved.
+            return action.help.replace('%%', '%')
+
     def _add_parameter_help(self, param):
         param_kwargs = {
-            'description': param.help,
+            'description': self._expand_action_help(param),
             'choices': param.choices,
             'required': param.required,
             'default': param.default,
diff --git a/knack/parser.py b/knack/parser.py
index 4883b00..032e053 100644
--- a/knack/parser.py
+++ b/knack/parser.py
@@ -32,6 +32,21 @@
 
 class CLICommandParser(argparse.ArgumentParser):
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def _sanitize_help_for_argparse(help_text):
+        """Escape literal '%' for argparse unless the author already escaped.
+
+        If a help string already contains ``%(...)`` placeholders or ``%%``,
+        keep it as-is and rely on argparse's native formatting behavior.
+        Otherwise, escape ``%`` so literal percent tokens don't break help
+        processing in newer Python versions.
+        """
+        if not isinstance(help_text, str) or '%' not in help_text:
+            return help_text
+        if '%(' in help_text or '%%' in help_text:
+            return help_text
+        return help_text.replace('%', '%%')
+
     @staticmethod
     def create_global_parser(cli_ctx=None):
         global_parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(prog=cli_ctx.name, add_help=False)
@@ -43,6 +58,8 @@ def create_global_parser(cli_ctx=None):
     def _add_argument(obj, arg):
         """ Only pass valid argparse kwargs to argparse.ArgumentParser.add_argument """
         argparse_options = {name: value for name, value in arg.options.items() if name in ARGPARSE_SUPPORTED_KWARGS}
+        if 'help' in argparse_options:
+            argparse_options['help'] = CLICommandParser._sanitize_help_for_argparse(argparse_options['help'])
         if arg.options_list:
             scrubbed_options_list = []
             for item in arg.options_list:
diff --git a/tests/test_help.py b/tests/test_help.py
index c115b2d..c5c2946 100644
--- a/tests/test_help.py
+++ b/tests/test_help.py
@@ -69,6 +69,9 @@ def load_command_table(self, args):
                     g.command('n3', 'example_handler')
                     g.command('n4', 'example_handler')
                     g.command('n5', 'example_handler')
+                    g.command('n6', 'example_handler')
+                    g.command('n7', 'example_handler')
+                    g.command('n8', 'example_handler')
 
                 with CommandGroup(self, 'group alpha', '{}#{{}}'.format(__name__)) as g:
                     g.command('n1', 'example_handler')
@@ -90,6 +93,16 @@ def load_arguments(self, command):
                         c.argument('arg2', options_list=['--foobar2'], required=True)
                         c.argument('arg3', options_list=['--foobar3'], help='the foobar3')
 
+                with ArgumentsContext(self, 'n6') as c:
+                    c.argument('arg1', options_list=['--fmt'], default='my-default',
+                               help='default=%(default)s prog=%(prog)s')
+
+                with ArgumentsContext(self, 'n7') as c:
+                    c.argument('arg1', options_list=['--pct'], help='ratio 100%%')
+
+                with ArgumentsContext(self, 'n8') as c:
+                    c.argument('arg1', options_list=['--bad'], help='bad % token')
+
                 super().load_arguments(command)
 
         helps['n2'] = """
@@ -400,6 +413,39 @@ def test_help_group_help(self):
         expected = expected.format(self.cli_ctx.name)
         self.assertEqual(actual, expected)
 
+    @redirect_io
+    def test_help_argparse_default_and_prog_placeholders(self):
+        """Ensure argparse placeholders are expanded in help text."""
+
+        with self.assertRaises(SystemExit):
+            self.cli_ctx.invoke('n6 -h'.split())
+
+        actual = self.io.getvalue()
+        self.assertIn('Default=my-default prog=', actual)
+        self.assertNotIn('%(default)s', actual)
+        self.assertNotIn('%(prog)s', actual)
+
+    @redirect_io
+    def test_help_argparse_escaped_percent(self):
+        """Ensure escaped percent signs render as a single literal percent."""
+
+        with self.assertRaises(SystemExit):
+            self.cli_ctx.invoke('n7 -h'.split())
+
+        actual = self.io.getvalue()
+        self.assertIn('Ratio 100%.', actual)
+        self.assertNotIn('Ratio 100%%.', actual)
+
+    @redirect_io
+    def test_help_argparse_bad_percent_falls_back(self):
+        """Ensure malformed formatting falls back to the original help text."""
+
+        with self.assertRaises(SystemExit):
+            self.cli_ctx.invoke('n8 -h'.split())
+
+        actual = self.io.getvalue()
+        self.assertIn('Bad % token.', actual)
+
     @redirect_io
     @mock.patch('knack.cli.CLI.register_event')
     def test_help_global_params(self, _):
diff --git a/tests/test_parser.py b/tests/test_parser.py
index a491b97..bf5da2b 100644
--- a/tests/test_parser.py
+++ b/tests/test_parser.py
@@ -180,6 +180,22 @@ def remove_test_file(file):
 
         remove_test_file('test.json')
 
+    def test_help_string_with_literal_percent_does_not_crash(self):
+        def test_handler():
+            pass
+
+        command = CLICommand(self.mock_ctx, 'test command', test_handler)
+        command.add_argument('date_fmt', '--date-fmt', help='Expected format: %Y-%m-%d')
+        cmd_table = {'test command': command}
+        self.mock_ctx.commands_loader.command_table = cmd_table
+
+        parser = CLICommandParser()
+        parser.load_command_table(self.mock_ctx.commands_loader)
+
+    def test_help_string_preserves_argparse_placeholders(self):
+        sanitized = CLICommandParser._sanitize_help_for_argparse('default is %(default)s (100%% expected)')
+        self.assertEqual(sanitized, 'default is %(default)s (100%% expected)')
+
 
 class VerifyError(object):  # pylint: disable=too-few-public-methods