diff --git a/easybuild/tools/options.py b/easybuild/tools/options.py
index a55cea4bbf..61d75cb656 100644
--- a/easybuild/tools/options.py
+++ b/easybuild/tools/options.py
@@ -276,8 +276,8 @@ def basic_options(self):
             'only-blocks': ("Only build listed blocks", 'strlist', 'extend', None, 'b', {'metavar': 'BLOCKS'}),
             'rebuild': ("Rebuild software, even if module already exists (don't skip OS dependencies checks)",
                         None, 'store_true', False),
-            'robot': ("Enable dependency resolution, using easyconfigs in specified paths",
-                      'pathlist', 'store_or_None', [], 'r', {'metavar': 'PATH[%sPATH]' % os.pathsep}),
+            'robot': ("Enable dependency resolution, optionally consider additional paths to search for easyconfigs",
+                      'pathlist', 'store_or_None', [], 'r', {'metavar': '[PATH[%sPATH]]' % os.pathsep}),
             'robot-paths': ("Additional paths to consider by robot for easyconfigs (--robot paths get priority)",
                             'pathlist', 'add_flex', self.default_robot_paths, {'metavar': 'PATH[%sPATH]' % os.pathsep}),
             'search-paths': ("Additional locations to consider in --search (next to --robot and --robot-paths paths)",