diff --git a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/CliOptions.hs b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/CliOptions.hs
index 42d797b56..501673ee4 100644
--- a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/CliOptions.hs
+++ b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/CliOptions.hs
@@ -154,7 +154,14 @@ Right binaryinfo = parseHledgerVersion prognameandversion
 -- | Common input-related flags: --file, --rules, --conf, --alias...
 inputflags :: [Flag RawOpts]
 inputflags = [
-   flagReq  ["file","f"]      (\s opts -> Right $ setopt "file" s opts) "[FMT:]FILE" "Read data from FILE, or from stdin if FILE is -, inferring format from extension or a FMT: prefix. Can be specified more than once. If not specified, reads from $LEDGER_FILE or $HOME/.hledger.journal."
+   flagReq  ["file","f"]      (\s opts -> Right $ setopt "file" s opts) "[FMT:]FILE" $ unwords [
+     "Use this as the journal file (- means stdin)."
+    ,"If not specified, $LEDGER_FILE or ~/.hledger.journal will be used."
+    ,"If specified more than once, the files will be read in order."
+    ,"Each file's format (journal, csv, timeclock, timedot, rules..) is inferred from the file extension or a FMT: prefix."
+    ,"Some commands (add, import) write to the (first) file,"
+    ,"and expect it to be in journal format."
+    ]
   ,flagReq  ["rules"]         (\s opts -> Right $ setopt "rules" s opts) "RULESFILE" "Use rules defined in this rules file for converting subsequent CSV/SSV/TSV files. If not specified, uses FILE.csv.rules for each FILE.csv."  -- see also hiddenflags
 
   ,flagReq  ["alias"]         (\s opts -> Right $ setopt "alias" s opts)  "A=B|/RGX/=RPL" "transform account names from A to B, or by replacing regular expression matches"
diff --git a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Add.hs b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Add.hs
index 3c53051c6..4fb2861f5 100644
--- a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Add.hs
+++ b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Add.hs
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ addmode = hledgerCommandMode
   [flagNone ["no-new-accounts"]  (setboolopt "no-new-accounts") "don't allow creating new accounts"]
   [generalflagsgroup2]
   []
-  ([], Just $ argsFlag "[DATE [DESCRIPTION [ACCOUNT1 [AMOUNT1 [ACCOUNT2 [ETC...]]]]]]")
+  ([], Just $ argsFlag "[-f JOURNALFILE] [DATE [DESCRIPTION [ACCOUNT1 [ETC..]]]]]")
 
 -- | State used while entering transactions.
 data EntryState = EntryState {
diff --git a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Add.md b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Add.md
index f24fbbe62..24c20d7a9 100644
--- a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Add.md
+++ b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Add.md
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 ## add
 
-Add new transactions to a journal file, with interactive prompting in the console.
+Add new transactions to a journal file, with interactive prompting.
 
 ```flags
 Flags:
diff --git a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Import.hs b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Import.hs
index 18b46f0e2..0a4368a48 100644
--- a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Import.hs
+++ b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Commands/Import.hs
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ importmode = hledgerCommandMode
   ]
   cligeneralflagsgroups1
   hiddenflags
-  ([], Just $ argsFlag "FILE [...]")
+  ([], Just $ argsFlag "[-f JOURNALFILE] DATAFILES...")
 
 importcmd opts@CliOpts{rawopts_=rawopts,inputopts_=iopts} j = do
   -- XXX could be helpful to show the last-seen date, and number of old transactions, too
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ importcmd opts@CliOpts{rawopts_=rawopts,inputopts_=iopts} j = do
       }
 
   case inputfiles of
-    [] -> error' "please provide one or more input files as arguments"  -- PARTIAL:
+    [] -> error' "please provide one or more data files as arguments"  -- PARTIAL:
     fs -> do
       enewjandlatestdatesforfiles <- runExceptT $ readJournalFilesAndLatestDates iopts' fs
       case enewjandlatestdatesforfiles of