diff --git a/conda/conda-bootstrap.py b/conda/conda-bootstrap.py
index a97fc2956373ed9550255c716688dd7c92eec34b..9fe628617f7bcf4491ada4a4b100147a34a8fd71 100755
--- a/conda/conda-bootstrap.py
+++ b/conda/conda-bootstrap.py
@@ -96,8 +96,8 @@ def main():
 
   parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description='Creates a new conda environment with the build/run/test dependencies of a package')
   parser.add_argument('name', help='name of the target environment to create')
-  parser.add_argument('python', help='version of python to build the environment for', nargs='?', default='3.6')
-  parser.add_argument('path', help='path to the directory containing the conda recipe', nargs='?', default='conda')
+  parser.add_argument('python', help='version of python to build the environment for [default: %(default)s]', nargs='?', default='3.6')
+  parser.add_argument('path', help='path to the directory containing the conda recipe [default: %(default)s]', nargs='?', default='conda')
 
   args = parser.parse_args()