diff --git a/lib/parse-args.js b/lib/parse-args.js
index 84ff8e3e..033d72d6 100644
--- a/lib/parse-args.js
+++ b/lib/parse-args.js
@@ -13,7 +13,10 @@ function buildYargs (withCommands = false) {
     .options('config', {
       alias: 'c',
       config: true,
-      describe: 'path to JSON configuration file',
+      describe: 'path to JSON configuration file. By default, c8 searches for ' +
+        'files named .c8rc, .c8rc.json, .nycrc, or .nycrc.json, ' +
+        'starting from cwd and walking up the filesystem tree.',
+      defaultDescription: 'as described',
       configParser: (path) => {
         const config = JSON.parse(readFileSync(path))
         return applyExtends(config, process.cwd(), true)
@@ -41,10 +44,12 @@ function buildYargs (withCommands = false) {
     })
     .options('src', {
       default: undefined,
+      defaultDescription: 'cwd',
       type: 'string',
       group: 'Reporting options',
       describe: 'supplying --src will override cwd as the default location where --all looks for src files. --src can be ' +
-        'supplied multiple times and each directory will be included. This allows for workspaces spanning multiple projects'
+        'supplied multiple times and each directory will be included. This allows for workspaces spanning multiple projects. ' +
+        'Respects include/exclude.'
     })
     .option('exclude-node-modules', {
       default: true,
@@ -55,13 +60,18 @@ function buildYargs (withCommands = false) {
       alias: 'n',
       default: [],
       group: 'Reporting options',
-      describe: 'a list of specific files that should be covered (glob patterns are supported)'
+      describe: 'a list of specific files that should be covered (glob patterns are supported). ' +
+        'Use multiple times on command line for multiple values. ' +
+        'Respects exclude.'
     })
     .option('exclude', {
       alias: 'x',
       default: defaultExclude,
+      defaultDescription: JSON.stringify(defaultExclude, undefined, '  '),
       group: 'Reporting options',
-      describe: 'a list of specific files and directories that should be excluded from coverage (glob patterns are supported)'
+      describe: 'a list of specific files and directories that should be excluded from coverage (glob patterns are supported). ' +
+        'Use multiple times on command line for multiple values. ' +
+        'Overrides include.'
     })
     .option('extension', {
       alias: 'e',
diff --git a/test/integration.js.snap b/test/integration.js.snap
index fdbce704..2a449a32 100644
--- a/test/integration.js.snap
+++ b/test/integration.js.snap
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ hey
 ---------------------------------------|---------|----------|---------|---------|------------------------
 File                                   | % Stmts | % Branch | % Funcs | % Lines | Uncovered Line #s      
 ---------------------------------------|---------|----------|---------|---------|------------------------
-All files                              |    3.21 |    12.24 |    6.38 |    3.21 |                        
+All files                              |    3.19 |    12.24 |    6.38 |    3.19 |                        
  c8                                    |       0 |        0 |       0 |       0 |                        
   index.js                             |       0 |        0 |       0 |       0 | 1                      
  c8/bin                                |       0 |        0 |       0 |       0 |                        
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ All files                              |    3.21 |    12.24 |    6.38 |    3.21
   prettify.js                          |       0 |        0 |       0 |       0 | 1-2                    
   sorter.js                            |       0 |        0 |       0 |       0 | 1-196                  
  c8/lib                                |       0 |        0 |       0 |       0 |                        
-  parse-args.js                        |       0 |        0 |       0 |       0 | 1-229                  
+  parse-args.js                        |       0 |        0 |       0 |       0 | 1-239                  
   report.js                            |       0 |        0 |       0 |       0 | 1-542                  
   source-map-from-file.js              |       0 |        0 |       0 |       0 | 1-100                  
  c8/lib/commands                       |       0 |        0 |       0 |       0 |                        
@@ -522,7 +522,7 @@ hey
 ---------------------------------------|---------|----------|---------|---------|------------------------
 File                                   | % Stmts | % Branch | % Funcs | % Lines | Uncovered Line #s      
 ---------------------------------------|---------|----------|---------|---------|------------------------
-All files                              |    3.21 |    12.24 |    6.38 |    3.21 |                        
+All files                              |    3.19 |    12.24 |    6.38 |    3.19 |                        
  c8                                    |       0 |        0 |       0 |       0 |                        
   index.js                             |       0 |        0 |       0 |       0 | 1                      
  c8/bin                                |       0 |        0 |       0 |       0 |                        
@@ -532,7 +532,7 @@ All files                              |    3.21 |    12.24 |    6.38 |    3.21
   prettify.js                          |       0 |        0 |       0 |       0 | 1-2                    
   sorter.js                            |       0 |        0 |       0 |       0 | 1-196                  
  c8/lib                                |       0 |        0 |       0 |       0 |                        
-  parse-args.js                        |       0 |        0 |       0 |       0 | 1-229                  
+  parse-args.js                        |       0 |        0 |       0 |       0 | 1-239                  
   report.js                            |       0 |        0 |       0 |       0 | 1-542                  
   source-map-from-file.js              |       0 |        0 |       0 |       0 | 1-100                  
  c8/lib/commands                       |       0 |        0 |       0 |       0 |