diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/common/HdfsServerConstants.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/common/HdfsServerConstants.java
index 01d40ea173d..6a9f21547e6 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/common/HdfsServerConstants.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/common/HdfsServerConstants.java
@@ -150,6 +150,7 @@ public interface HdfsServerConstants {
     RECOVER  ("-recover"),
     FORCE("-force"),
     NONINTERACTIVE("-nonInteractive"),
+    SKIPSHAREDEDITSCHECK("-skipSharedEditsCheck"),
     RENAMERESERVED("-renameReserved"),
     METADATAVERSION("-metadataVersion"),
     UPGRADEONLY("-upgradeOnly"),
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/NameNode.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/NameNode.java
index 8dd519bd474..9fec319f469 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/NameNode.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/NameNode.java
@@ -282,7 +282,10 @@ public class NameNode implements NameNodeStatusMXBean {
       + StartupOption.FINALIZE.getName() + "] | \n\t["
       + StartupOption.IMPORT.getName() + "] | \n\t["
       + StartupOption.INITIALIZESHAREDEDITS.getName() + "] | \n\t["
-      + StartupOption.BOOTSTRAPSTANDBY.getName() + "] | \n\t["
+      + StartupOption.BOOTSTRAPSTANDBY.getName() + " ["
+      + StartupOption.FORCE.getName() + "] ["
+      + StartupOption.NONINTERACTIVE.getName() + "] ["
+      + StartupOption.SKIPSHAREDEDITSCHECK.getName() + "] ] | \n\t["
       + StartupOption.RECOVER.getName() + " [ "
       + StartupOption.FORCE.getName() + "] ] | \n\t["
       + StartupOption.METADATAVERSION.getName() + " ]";
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/ha/BootstrapStandby.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/ha/BootstrapStandby.java
index 5e192eaf94f..f509365c7c6 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/ha/BootstrapStandby.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/ha/BootstrapStandby.java
@@ -138,8 +138,14 @@ public class BootstrapStandby implements Tool, Configurable {
   }
 
   private void printUsage() {
-    System.err.println("Usage: " + this.getClass().getSimpleName() +
-        " [-force] [-nonInteractive] [-skipSharedEditsCheck]");
+    System.out.println("Usage: " + this.getClass().getSimpleName() +
+        " [-force] [-nonInteractive] [-skipSharedEditsCheck]\n"
+        + "\t-force: formats if the name directory exists.\n"
+        + "\t-nonInteractive: formats aborts if the name directory exists,\n"
+        + "\tunless -force option is specified.\n"
+        + "\t-skipSharedEditsCheck: skips edits check which ensures that\n"
+        + "\twe have enough edits already in the shared directory to start\n"
+        + "\tup from the last checkpoint on the active.");
   }
   
   private NamenodeProtocol createNNProtocolProxy()
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/site/markdown/HDFSCommands.md b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/site/markdown/HDFSCommands.md
index 89459a3a5a2..48917e217d6 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/site/markdown/HDFSCommands.md
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/site/markdown/HDFSCommands.md
@@ -446,7 +446,7 @@ Usage:
               [-finalize] |
               [-importCheckpoint] |
               [-initializeSharedEdits] |
-              [-bootstrapStandby] |
+              [-bootstrapStandby [-force] [-nonInteractive] [-skipSharedEditsCheck] ] |
               [-recover [-force] ] |
               [-metadataVersion ]
 
@@ -462,7 +462,7 @@ Usage:
 | `-finalize` | No longer supported. Use `dfsadmin -finalizeUpgrade` instead. |
 | `-importCheckpoint` | Loads image from a checkpoint directory and save it into the current one. Checkpoint dir is read from property dfs.namenode.checkpoint.dir |
 | `-initializeSharedEdits` | Format a new shared edits dir and copy in enough edit log segments so that the standby NameNode can start up. |
-| `-bootstrapStandby` | Allows the standby NameNode's storage directories to be bootstrapped by copying the latest namespace snapshot from the active NameNode. This is used when first configuring an HA cluster. |
+| `-bootstrapStandby` `[-force]` `[-nonInteractive]` `[-skipSharedEditsCheck]` | Allows the standby NameNode's storage directories to be bootstrapped by copying the latest namespace snapshot from the active NameNode. This is used when first configuring an HA cluster. The option -force or -nonInteractive has the same meaning as that described in namenode -format command. -skipSharedEditsCheck option skips edits check which ensures that we have enough edits already in the shared directory to start up from the last checkpoint on the active. |
 | `-recover` `[-force]` | Recover lost metadata on a corrupt filesystem. See [HDFS User Guide](./HdfsUserGuide.html#Recovery_Mode) for the detail. |
 | `-metadataVersion` | Verify that configured directories exist, then print the metadata versions of the software and the image. |