diff --git a/core/commands/files.go b/core/commands/files.go
index dcf2bbd6e..132598428 100644
--- a/core/commands/files.go
+++ b/core/commands/files.go
@@ -321,10 +321,10 @@ func walkBlock(ctx context.Context, dagserv ipld.DAGService, nd ipld.Node) (bool
 
 var filesCpCmd = &cmds.Command{
 	Helptext: cmds.HelpText{
-		Tagline: "Copy any IPFS objects into mfs (or copy within MFS).",
+		Tagline: "Copy any IPFS files and directories into MFS (or copy within MFS).",
 		ShortDescription: `
-"ipfs files cp" can be used to copy any IPFS object (usually in the form
-/ipfs/<CID>, but also any resolvable path), into the Mutable File System
+"ipfs files cp" can be used to copy any IPFS file or directory (usually in the
+form /ipfs/<CID>, but also any resolvable path), into the Mutable File System
 (MFS).
 
 It can also be used to copy files within MFS, but in the case when an
@@ -333,15 +333,15 @@ IPFS-path matches an existing MFS path, the IPFS path wins.
 In order to add content to MFS from disk, you can use "ipfs add" to obtain the
 IPFS Content Identifier and then "ipfs files cp" to copy it into MFS:
 
-$ ipfs add --pin=false <your file>
+$ ipfs add --quieter --pin=false <your file>
 # ...
 # ... outputs the root CID at the end
 $ ipfs cp /ipfs/<CID> /your/desired/mfs/path
 `,
 	},
 	Arguments: []cmds.Argument{
-		cmds.StringArg("source", true, false, "Source object to copy."),
-		cmds.StringArg("dest", true, false, "Destination to copy object to."),
+		cmds.StringArg("source", true, false, "Source IPFS or MFS path to copy."),
+		cmds.StringArg("dest", true, false, "Destination within MFS."),
 	},
 	Run: func(req *cmds.Request, res cmds.ResponseEmitter, env cmds.Environment) error {
 		nd, err := cmdenv.GetNode(env)