diff --git a/bin/cdist-build b/bin/cdist-build
index 8306242b..f5d5b870 100755
--- a/bin/cdist-build
+++ b/bin/cdist-build
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 
 . cdist-config
 
-[ $# -eq 1 ] || __cdist_usage "target_host"
+[ $# -eq 1 ] || __cdist_usage "<target host>"
 
 set -e
 
diff --git a/bin/cdist-compile b/bin/cdist-compile
index 2e5b7f8d..78b28263 100755
--- a/bin/cdist-compile
+++ b/bin/cdist-compile
@@ -21,6 +21,6 @@
 # Compile configuration - create cconfig from manifests
 #
 
-[ $# -eq 1 ] || __cdist_usage "target"
+[ $# -eq 1 ] || __cdist_usage "<target host>"
 
 echo This script should run the manifest file
diff --git a/bin/cdist-deploy-to b/bin/cdist-deploy-to
index 072c6925..0cd73fdb 100755
--- a/bin/cdist-deploy-to
+++ b/bin/cdist-deploy-to
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 
 . cdist-config
 
-[ $# -eq 1 ] || __cdist_usage "target"
+[ $# -eq 1 ] || __cdist_usage "target_host"
 
 set -e
 
diff --git a/bin/cdist-preprocess b/bin/cdist-preprocess
index 822b7008..5fdab20e 100755
--- a/bin/cdist-preprocess
+++ b/bin/cdist-preprocess
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 
 . cdist-config
 
-[ $# -eq 1 ] || __cdist_usage "target"
+[ $# -eq 1 ] || __cdist_usage "<target host>"
 
 set -e
 cdist-build-explorer | ssh "$1" > "${__cdist_tmp_file}"