diff --git a/cli/cmdlineparser.cpp b/cli/cmdlineparser.cpp
index 91cad8735..80591a57c 100644
--- a/cli/cmdlineparser.cpp
+++ b/cli/cmdlineparser.cpp
@@ -702,12 +702,15 @@ void CmdLineParser::PrintHelp()
               "                         together with '--max-ifdefs=', the last option is the\n"
               "                         one that is effective.\n"
               "    -h, --help           Print this help.\n"
-              "    -I <dir>             Give include path. Give several '-I' parameters to give\n"
-              "                         several paths. First given path is checked first. If\n"
-              "                         paths are relative to source files, this is not needed.\n"
+              "    -I <dir>             Give path to search for include files. Give several\n"
+              "                         -I parameters to give several paths. First given path is\n"
+              "                         searched for contained header files first. If paths are\n"
+              "                         relative to source files, this is not needed.\n"
               "    --includes-file=<file>\n"
-              "                         Specify the include paths to check in a text file. Add\n"
-              "                         one include path per line.\n"
+              "                         Specify directory paths to search for included header files\n"
+              "                         in a text file. Add one include path per line.\n"
+              "                         First given path is searched for contained header files first.\n"
+              "                         If paths are relative to source files, this is not needed.\n"
               "    -i <dir or file>     Give a source file or source file directory to exclude\n"
               "                         from the check. This applies only to source files so\n"
               "                         header files included by source files are not matched.\n"
diff --git a/man/cppcheck.1.xml b/man/cppcheck.1.xml
index a1ef6d765..0bd7c5be3 100644
--- a/man/cppcheck.1.xml
+++ b/man/cppcheck.1.xml
@@ -268,14 +268,15 @@ default. If used together with --max-ifdefs=, the last option is the one that is
       <varlistentry>
         <term><option>-I &lt;dir&gt;</option></term>
         <listitem>
-          <para>Give include path. Give several -I parameters to give several paths. First given path is checked first. If paths are relative to source
-files, this is not needed.</para>
+          <para>Give path to search for include files. Give several -I parameters to give several paths. First given path is
+searched for contained header files first. If paths are relative to source files, this is not needed.</para>
         </listitem>
       </varlistentry>
       <varlistentry>
         <term><option>--includes-file=&lt;file&gt;</option></term>
         <listitem>
-          <para>Specify the include paths to check in a text file. Add one include path per line.</para>
+          <para>Specify directory paths to search for included header files in a text file. Add one include path per line.
+First given path is searched for contained header files first. If paths are relative to source files, this is not needed.</para>
         </listitem>
       </varlistentry>