diff --git a/qa/smoke-test-client/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/smoketest/ESSmokeClientTestCase.java b/qa/smoke-test-client/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/smoketest/ESSmokeClientTestCase.java
index e9a6ee0fdd8..7f287f8a58d 100644
--- a/qa/smoke-test-client/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/smoketest/ESSmokeClientTestCase.java
+++ b/qa/smoke-test-client/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/smoketest/ESSmokeClientTestCase.java
@@ -48,17 +48,14 @@ import static com.carrotsearch.randomizedtesting.RandomizedTest.randomAsciiOfLen
 import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.notNullValue;
 
 /**
- * {@link ESSmokeClientTestCase} is an abstract base class to run integration
- * tests against an external Elasticsearch Cluster.
+ * An abstract base class to run integration tests against an Elasticsearch cluster running outside of the test process.
  * <p>
- * You can define a list of transport addresses from where you can reach your cluster
- * by setting "tests.cluster" system property. It defaults to "localhost:9300".
+ * You can define a list of transport addresses from where you can reach your cluster by setting "tests.cluster" system
+ * property. It defaults to "localhost:9300". If you run this from `gradle integTest` then it will start the clsuter for
+ * you and set up the property.
  * <p>
- * All tests can be run from maven using mvn install as maven will start an external cluster first.
- * <p>
- * If you want to debug this module from your IDE, then start an external cluster by yourself
- * then run JUnit. If you changed the default port, set "tests.cluster=localhost:PORT" when running
- * your test.
+ * If you want to debug this module from your IDE, then start an external cluster by yourself, maybe with `gradle run`,
+ * then run JUnit. If you changed the default port, set "-Dtests.cluster=localhost:PORT" when running your test.
  */
 @LuceneTestCase.SuppressSysoutChecks(bugUrl = "we log a lot on purpose")
 public abstract class ESSmokeClientTestCase extends LuceneTestCase {
diff --git a/test/framework/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/test/junit/listeners/ReproduceInfoPrinter.java b/test/framework/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/test/junit/listeners/ReproduceInfoPrinter.java
index 2347fc47672..6142edb9394 100644
--- a/test/framework/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/test/junit/listeners/ReproduceInfoPrinter.java
+++ b/test/framework/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/test/junit/listeners/ReproduceInfoPrinter.java
@@ -42,8 +42,8 @@ import static org.elasticsearch.test.rest.ESRestTestCase.REST_TESTS_SPEC;
 import static org.elasticsearch.test.rest.ESRestTestCase.REST_TESTS_SUITE;
 
 /**
- * A {@link RunListener} that emits to {@link System#err} a string with command
- * line parameters allowing quick test re-run under MVN command line.
+ * A {@link RunListener} that emits a command you can use to re-run a failing test with the failing random seed to
+ * {@link System#err}.
  */
 public class ReproduceInfoPrinter extends RunListener {
 
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ public class ReproduceInfoPrinter extends RunListener {
     }
 
     /**
-     * true if we are running maven integration tests (mvn verify)
+     * Are we in the integ test phase?
      */
     static boolean inVerifyPhase() {
         return Boolean.parseBoolean(System.getProperty("tests.verify.phase"));
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ public class ReproduceInfoPrinter extends RunListener {
 
         final StringBuilder b = new StringBuilder("REPRODUCE WITH: gradle ");
         String task = System.getProperty("tests.task");
-        // TODO: enforce (intellij still runs the runner?) or use default "test" but that wont' work for integ
+        // TODO: enforce (intellij still runs the runner?) or use default "test" but that won't work for integ
         b.append(task);
 
         GradleMessageBuilder gradleMessageBuilder = new GradleMessageBuilder(b);
@@ -140,7 +140,8 @@ public class ReproduceInfoPrinter extends RunListener {
             appendProperties("es.logger.level");
             if (inVerifyPhase()) {
                 // these properties only make sense for integration tests
-                appendProperties("es.node.mode", "es.node.local", TESTS_CLUSTER, ESIntegTestCase.TESTS_ENABLE_MOCK_MODULES);
+                appendProperties("es.node.mode", "es.node.local", TESTS_CLUSTER,
+                    ESIntegTestCase.TESTS_ENABLE_MOCK_MODULES);
             }
             appendProperties("tests.assertion.disabled", "tests.security.manager", "tests.nightly", "tests.jvms",
                              "tests.client.ratio", "tests.heap.size", "tests.bwc", "tests.bwc.version");