diff --git a/maven-embedder/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/cli/CLIManager.java b/maven-embedder/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/cli/CLIManager.java
index b175031760..1018e29efa 100644
--- a/maven-embedder/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/cli/CLIManager.java
+++ b/maven-embedder/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/cli/CLIManager.java
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ public class CLIManager
         options.addOption( OptionBuilder.withLongOpt( "debug" ).withDescription( "Produce execution debug output" ).create( DEBUG ) );
         options.addOption( OptionBuilder.withLongOpt( "errors" ).withDescription( "Produce execution error messages" ).create( ERRORS ) );
         options.addOption( OptionBuilder.withLongOpt( "non-recursive" ).withDescription( "Do not recurse into sub-projects" ).create( NON_RECURSIVE ) );
-        options.addOption( OptionBuilder.withLongOpt( "update-snapshots" ).withDescription( "Forces a check for updated releases and snapshots on remote repositories" ).create( UPDATE_SNAPSHOTS ) );
+        options.addOption( OptionBuilder.withLongOpt( "update-snapshots" ).withDescription( "Forces a check for missing releases and updated snapshots on remote repositories" ).create( UPDATE_SNAPSHOTS ) );
         options.addOption( OptionBuilder.withLongOpt( "activate-profiles" ).withDescription( "Comma-delimited list of profiles to activate" ).hasArg().create( ACTIVATE_PROFILES ) );
         options.addOption( OptionBuilder.withLongOpt( "batch-mode" ).withDescription( "Run in non-interactive (batch) mode" ).create( BATCH_MODE ) );
         options.addOption( OptionBuilder.withLongOpt( "no-snapshot-updates" ).withDescription( "Suppress SNAPSHOT updates" ).create( SUPRESS_SNAPSHOT_UPDATES ) );