diff --git a/cinderclient/v3/shell.py b/cinderclient/v3/shell.py
index 18f94d316..27f2c7fcc 100644
--- a/cinderclient/v3/shell.py
+++ b/cinderclient/v3/shell.py
@@ -649,7 +649,10 @@ def do_reset_state(cs, args):
 @utils.arg('--volume-type',
            metavar='<volume-type>',
            default=None,
-           help='Volume type. Default=None.')
+           help='Volume type. Default=None, that is, use the default '
+                'volume type configured for the Block Storage API.  You '
+                "can see what type this is by using the 'cinder type-default'"
+                ' command.')
 @utils.arg('--volume_type',
            help=argparse.SUPPRESS)
 @utils.arg('--availability-zone',
diff --git a/cinderclient/v3/shell_base.py b/cinderclient/v3/shell_base.py
index 0fc1b5d7e..0dee47eb9 100644
--- a/cinderclient/v3/shell_base.py
+++ b/cinderclient/v3/shell_base.py
@@ -693,7 +693,13 @@ def do_type_list(cs, args):
 
 
 def do_type_default(cs, args):
-    """List the default volume type."""
+    """List the default volume type.
+
+    The Block Storage service allows configuration of a default
+    type for each project, as well as the system default, so use
+    this command to determine what your effective default volume
+    type is.
+    """
     vtype = cs.volume_types.default()
     shell_utils.print_volume_type_list([vtype])