diff --git a/cmd/ipfs/init.go b/cmd/ipfs/init.go
index ec8025bc0..a5fbbf6d3 100644
--- a/cmd/ipfs/init.go
+++ b/cmd/ipfs/init.go
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ func identityConfig(nbits int) (config.Identity, error) {
 		return ident, debugerror.New("Bitsize less than 1024 is considered unsafe.")
 	}
 
-	fmt.Printf("generating key pair...")
+	fmt.Printf("generating %v-bit RSA keypair...", nbits)
 	sk, pk, err := ci.GenerateKeyPair(ci.RSA, nbits)
 	if err != nil {
 		return ident, err
diff --git a/test/sharness/t0020-init.sh b/test/sharness/t0020-init.sh
index 5e6995b83..29cd70063 100755
--- a/test/sharness/t0020-init.sh
+++ b/test/sharness/t0020-init.sh
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ test_expect_success "ipfs peer id looks good" '
 test_expect_success "ipfs init output looks good" '
 	STARTHASH="QmYpv2VEsxzTTXRYX3PjDg961cnJE3kY1YDXLycHGQ3zZB" &&
 	echo "initializing ipfs node at $IPFS_PATH" >expected &&
-	echo "generating key pair...done" >>expected &&
+	echo "generating 4096-bit RSA keypair...done" >>expected &&
 	echo "peer identity: $PEERID" >>expected &&
 	printf "\\n%s\\n" "to get started, enter: ipfs cat $STARTHASH" >>expected &&
 	test_cmp expected actual_init