diff --git a/config/ompi_check_bproc.m4 b/config/ompi_check_bproc.m4
index ed51e4d616..586b47bf6c 100644
--- a/config/ompi_check_bproc.m4
+++ b/config/ompi_check_bproc.m4
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 AC_DEFUN([OMPI_CHECK_BPROC],[
     AC_ARG_WITH([bproc],
                 [AC_HELP_STRING([--with-bproc(=DIR)],
-                                [Directory where the BProc software is installed])])
+                                [Build BProc support, optionally adding DIR/include, DIR/lib, and DIR/lib64 to the search path for headers and libraries])])
     OMPI_CHECK_WITHDIR([bproc], [$with_bproc], [include/sys/bproc.h])
 
     AS_IF([test ! -z "$with_bproc" -a "$with_bproc" = "no"],[$4], [ 
diff --git a/config/ompi_check_gm.m4 b/config/ompi_check_gm.m4
index ecc33e7ad7..6fc3d9731f 100644
--- a/config/ompi_check_gm.m4
+++ b/config/ompi_check_gm.m4
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ AC_DEFUN([_OMPI_CHECK_GM_CONFIG],[
 AC_DEFUN([OMPI_CHECK_GM],[
     AC_ARG_WITH([gm],
         [AC_HELP_STRING([--with-gm(=DIR)],
-             [Build GM (Myrinet) support, searching for libraries in DIR])])
+             [Build GM (Myrinet) support, optionally adding DIR/include, DIR/lib, and DIR/lib64 to the search path for headers and libraries])])
     OMPI_CHECK_WITHDIR([gm], [$with_gm], [include/gm.h])
     AC_ARG_WITH([gm-libdir],
         [AC_HELP_STRING([--with-gm-libdir=DIR],
diff --git a/config/ompi_check_loadleveler.m4 b/config/ompi_check_loadleveler.m4
index 83f96598ed..03cffcd187 100644
--- a/config/ompi_check_loadleveler.m4
+++ b/config/ompi_check_loadleveler.m4
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 AC_DEFUN([OMPI_CHECK_LOADLEVELER],[
     AC_ARG_WITH([loadleveler],
                 [AC_HELP_STRING([--with-loadleveler(=DIR)],
-                                [Directory where the loadleveler software is installed])])
+                                [Build LoadLeveler support, optionally adding DIR/include, DIR/lib, and DIR/lib64 to the search path for headers and libraries])])
     OMPI_CHECK_WITHDIR([loadleveler], [$with_loadleveler], [include/llapi.h])
 
     AS_IF([test "$with_loadleveler" = "no"],
diff --git a/config/ompi_check_mx.m4 b/config/ompi_check_mx.m4
index 9d59ce1059..ac7d6e7d52 100644
--- a/config/ompi_check_mx.m4
+++ b/config/ompi_check_mx.m4
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ mx__get_mapper_state(NULL, NULL);
 AC_DEFUN([OMPI_CHECK_MX],[
     AC_ARG_WITH([mx],
         [AC_HELP_STRING([--with-mx(=DIR)],
-             [Build MX (Myrinet Express) support, searching for libraries in DIR])])
+             [Build MX (Myrinet Express) support, optionally adding DIR/include, DIR/lib, and DIR/lib64 to the search path for headers and libraries])])
     OMPI_CHECK_WITHDIR([mx], [$with_mx], [include/myriexpress.h])
     AC_ARG_WITH([mx-libdir],
         [AC_HELP_STRING([--with-mx-libdir=DIR],
diff --git a/config/ompi_check_portals.m4 b/config/ompi_check_portals.m4
index 865344879b..17b92ac0a5 100644
--- a/config/ompi_check_portals.m4
+++ b/config/ompi_check_portals.m4
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ AC_DEFUN([OMPI_CHECK_PORTALS],[
     # Get some configuration information
     AC_ARG_WITH([portals],
         [AC_HELP_STRING([--with-portals(=DIR)],
-             [Build Portals support, searching for installation in DIR])])
+             [Build Portals support, optionally adding DIR/include, DIR/lib, and DIR/lib64 to the search path for headers and libraries])])
     OMPI_CHECK_WITHDIR([portals], [$with_portals], [include/portals3.h])
     AC_ARG_WITH([portals-config],
             AC_HELP_STRING([--with-portals-config],
diff --git a/config/ompi_check_psm.m4 b/config/ompi_check_psm.m4
index dcd4086bb2..de52441c03 100644
--- a/config/ompi_check_psm.m4
+++ b/config/ompi_check_psm.m4
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 AC_DEFUN([OMPI_CHECK_PSM],[
     AC_ARG_WITH([psm],
         [AC_HELP_STRING([--with-psm(=DIR)],
-             [Build PSM (QLogic InfiniPath PSM) support, searching for libraries in DIR])])
+             [Build PSM (Qlogic InfiniPath) support, optionally adding DIR/include, DIR/lib, and DIR/lib64 to the search path for headers and libraries])])
     OMPI_CHECK_WITHDIR([psm], [$with_psm], [include/psm.h])
     AC_ARG_WITH([psm-libdir],
         [AC_HELP_STRING([--with-psm-libdir=DIR],
diff --git a/config/ompi_check_tm.m4 b/config/ompi_check_tm.m4
index 6da44eb8c9..6be81d637e 100644
--- a/config/ompi_check_tm.m4
+++ b/config/ompi_check_tm.m4
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ AC_DEFUN([OMPI_CHECK_TM_LIBS_FLAGS],[
 AC_DEFUN([OMPI_CHECK_TM],[
     AC_ARG_WITH([tm],
                 [AC_HELP_STRING([--with-tm(=DIR)],
-                                [Directory where the tm software is installed])])
+                                [Build TM (Torque, PBSPro, and compatible) support, optionally adding DIR/include, DIR/lib, and DIR/lib64 to the search path for headers and libraries])])
     OMPI_CHECK_WITHDIR([tm], [$with_tm], [include/tm.h])
 
     ompi_check_tm_found=no
diff --git a/config/ompi_check_udapl.m4 b/config/ompi_check_udapl.m4
index 12d4216810..2badc87616 100644
--- a/config/ompi_check_udapl.m4
+++ b/config/ompi_check_udapl.m4
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 AC_DEFUN([OMPI_CHECK_UDAPL],[
     AC_ARG_WITH([udapl],
         [AC_HELP_STRING([--with-udapl(=DIR)],
-             [Build uDAPL support, searching for libraries in DIR])])
+             [Build uDAPL support, optionally adding DIR/include, DIR/lib, and DIR/lib64 to the search path for headers and libraries])])
     OMPI_CHECK_WITHDIR([udapl], [$with_udapl], [include/dat/udat.h])
     AC_ARG_WITH([udapl-libdir],
        [AC_HELP_STRING([--with-udapl-libdir=DIR],