diff -u b/core/includes/common.inc b/core/includes/common.inc
--- b/core/includes/common.inc
+++ b/core/includes/common.inc
@@ -2390,29 +2390,6 @@
 }
 
 /**
- * Build a structured text element to be rendered later.
- *
- * @param $name
- *   Unique text name
- * @param $text
- *   HTML text
- * @param $variables
- *   Optional variables for text replacement
- *
- * @return
- *   Text array
- */
-function text($name, $text, $variables = array(), $options = array()) {
-  return array(
-    '#type' => 'text',
-    '#name' => $name,
-    '#text' => $text,
-    '#variables' => $variables,
-    '#options' => $options,
-  );
-}
-
-/**
  * Delivers a page callback result to the browser in the appropriate format.
  *
  * This function is most commonly called by menu_execute_active_handler(), but
@@ -2526,6 +2503,46 @@
 }
 
 /**
+ * Process a text element.
+ */
+function drupal_pre_render_text($elements) {
+  $text = $elements['#text'];
+  if ($elements['#localize']) {
+    $function = isset($elements['#localize_function']) ? $elements['#localize_function'] : get_t();
+    $text = call_user_func($function, $text, $elements['#variables'], $elements['#options']);
+  }
+  elseif ($elements['#replace'] && !empty($elements['#variables'])) {
+    $text = format_string($text, $elements['#variables']);
+  }
+  $elements['#children'] = $text;
+  return $elements;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Build a structured text element to be rendered later.
+ * @param $name
+ *   Unique text name
+ * @param $text
+ *   HTML text
+ * @param array $variables
+ *   Optional variables for text replacement
+ * @param array $options
+ *   Optional options for text replacement
+ *
+ * @return array
+ *   Text array
+ */
+function text($name, $text, $variables = array(), $options = array()) {
+  return array(
+    '#type' => 'text',
+    '#name' => $name,
+    '#text' => $text,
+    '#variables' => $variables,
+    '#options' => $options,
+  );
+}
+
+/**
  * Deletes old cached JavaScript files and variables.
  */
 function drupal_clear_js_cache() {
@@ -5704,23 +5721,6 @@
 }
 
 /**
- * Process a text element.
- */
-function drupal_pre_render_text($elements) {
-  $text = $elements['#text'];
-  if ($elements['#localize']) {
-    $function = isset($elements['#localize_function']) ? $elements['#localize_function'] : get_t();
-    $text = call_user_func($function, $text, $elements['#variables'], $elements['#options']);
-  }
-  elseif ($elements['#replace'] && !empty($elements['#variables'])) {
-    $text = format_string($text, $elements['#variables']);
-  }
-  $elements['#children'] = $text;
-  return $elements;
-}
-
-
-/**
  * Renders the page, including all theming.
  *
  * @param $page
reverted:
--- b/core/includes/menu.inc
+++ a/core/includes/menu.inc
@@ -1690,6 +1690,7 @@
  * Returns the help associated with the active menu item.
  */
 function menu_get_active_help() {
+  $output = '';
   $router_path = menu_tab_root_path();
   // We will always have a path unless we are on a 403 or 404.
   if (!$router_path) {
@@ -1698,21 +1699,14 @@
 
   $arg = drupal_help_arg(arg(NULL));
 
-  $build = array();
   foreach (module_implements('help') as $module) {
     $function = $module . '_help';
     // Lookup help for this path.
     if ($help = $function($router_path, $arg)) {
+      $output .= $help . "\n";
-      if (is_array($help)) {
-        $build[$module] = $help;
-      }
-      else {
-        $build[$module]['#markup'] = $help . "\n";
-      }
     }
   }
+  return $output;
-
-  return $build;
 }
 
 /**
diff -u b/core/includes/theme.inc b/core/includes/theme.inc
--- b/core/includes/theme.inc
+++ b/core/includes/theme.inc
@@ -2305,16 +2305,16 @@
 }
 
 /**
- * Returns HTML for a text element
+ * @} End of "ingroup themeable".
  */
-function theme_text($variables) {
-  $element = $variables['element'];
+
 }
 
 /**
- * @} End of "ingroup themeable".
+ * Returns HTML for a text element
  */
-
+function theme_text($variables) {
+  $element = $variables['element'];
 }
 
 /**
reverted:
--- b/core/modules/help/help.admin.inc
+++ a/core/modules/help/help.admin.inc
@@ -30,17 +30,17 @@
  * @see help_menu()
  */
 function help_page($name) {
+  $output = '';
-  $build = array();
   if (module_hook($name, 'help')) {
     $info = system_get_info('module');
     drupal_set_title($info[$name]['name']);
 
     $temp = module_invoke($name, 'help', "admin/help#$name", drupal_help_arg());
     if (empty($temp)) {
+      $output .= t("No help is available for module %module.", array('%module' => $info[$name]['name']));
-      $build['nohelp']['#markup'] = t("No help is available for module %module.", array('%module' => $info[$name]['name']));
     }
     else {
+      $output .= $temp;
-      $build['help'] = $temp;
     }
 
     // Only print list of administration pages if the module in question has
@@ -51,14 +51,10 @@
       foreach ($admin_tasks as $task) {
         $links[] = l($task['title'], $task['link_path'], $task['localized_options']);
       }
+      $output .= theme('item_list', array('items' => $links, 'title' => t('@module administration pages', array('@module' => $info[$name]['name']))));
-      $build['admin'] = array(
-        '#theme' => 'item_list',
-      	'#items' => $links,
-      	'#title' => t('@module administration pages', array('@module' => $info[$name]['name']))
-      );
     }
   }
+  return $output;
-  return $build;
 }
 
 /**