diff --git a/modules/lang/emacs-lisp/config.el b/modules/lang/emacs-lisp/config.el
index 33add8751..8ab3a2578 100644
--- a/modules/lang/emacs-lisp/config.el
+++ b/modules/lang/emacs-lisp/config.el
@@ -299,6 +299,12 @@ current buffer."
   :config
   (setq helpful-set-variable-function #'setq!)
 
+  (setq-hook! 'helpful-mode-hook
+    ;; Elisp code using tab indentation always use a tab-width of 8. C source
+    ;; code from Emacs also use a tab-width of 8. Therefore Helpful needs a
+    ;; tab-width of 8 to display tab indentation correctly.
+    tab-width 8)
+
   (cond ((modulep! :completion ivy)
          (setq counsel-describe-function-function #'helpful-callable
                counsel-describe-variable-function #'helpful-variable