diff --git a/docs/tools/tools-cli.rst b/docs/tools/tools-cli.rst
index 4280671c..04bc4667 100644
--- a/docs/tools/tools-cli.rst
+++ b/docs/tools/tools-cli.rst
@@ -117,7 +117,8 @@ Options:
         Set the API key value.
 
     \ - -instance-name <instance-id>
-        Set the instance name
+        Specify which instance configuration to use from your :file:`~/.rhoderc` file.
+        Must match an existing instance name from the config.
 
     \-I, - -install-dir <DIR>
         Location of application instances
@@ -155,7 +156,8 @@ Use this to delete gists within |RCE|. Options:
         Show help messages. current configuration values.
 
     \ - -instance-name <instance-id>
-        Set the instance name.
+        Specify which instance configuration to use from your :file:`~/.rhoderc` file.
+        Must match an existing instance name from the config.
 
     \-R, - -repo-dir
         Set the repository file path.
@@ -205,7 +207,8 @@ Use this to manage |repos| and |repo| groups within |RCE|. Options:
         Remove repository groups.
 
     \ - -instance-name <instance-id>
-        Set the instance name.
+        Specify which instance configuration to use from your :file:`~/.rhoderc` file.
+        Must match an existing instance name from the config.
 
     \ - -list-only
         Display repositories selected for deletion.
@@ -359,7 +362,8 @@ Use this to create, list, show, or delete gists within |RCE|. Options:
         Location of application instances
 
     \ - -instance-name <instance-id>
-        Set the instance name.
+        Specify which instance configuration to use from your :file:`~/.rhoderc` file.
+        Must match an existing instance name from the config.
 
     \ - -list
         Display instance gists.
@@ -514,7 +518,8 @@ the :ref:`indexing-ref` section. Options:
          Show help messages.
 
     \ - -instance-name <instance-id>
-        Set the instance name
+        Specify which instance configuration to use from your :file:`~/.rhoderc` file.
+        Must match an existing instance name from the config.
 
     \-I, - -install-dir <DIR>
         Location of application instances
@@ -569,7 +574,8 @@ remote instances.
 .. rst-class:: dl-horizontal
 
     \- -instance-name <name>
-        Specify the instance name in the :file:`~/.rhoderc`
+        Set the instance name to create in the :file:`~/.rhoderc` file. 
+        This is a string you create to identify your RhodeCode instance configuration.
 
     \api_host <hostname>
         Create a configuration file. The default file is created