diff --git a/go/cmd/vtbackup/cli/vtbackup.go b/go/cmd/vtbackup/cli/vtbackup.go
index 560e9d21b2a..d55cf643de4 100644
--- a/go/cmd/vtbackup/cli/vtbackup.go
+++ b/go/cmd/vtbackup/cli/vtbackup.go
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ func init() {
 	Main.Flags().IntVar(&mysqlPort, "mysql_port", mysqlPort, "mysql port")
 	Main.Flags().StringVar(&mysqlSocket, "mysql_socket", mysqlSocket, "path to the mysql socket")
 	Main.Flags().DurationVar(&mysqlTimeout, "mysql_timeout", mysqlTimeout, "how long to wait for mysqld startup")
-	Main.Flags().DurationVar(&mysqlShutdownTimeout, "mysql-shutdown-timeout", mysqlShutdownTimeout, "how long to wait for mysqld startup")
+	Main.Flags().DurationVar(&mysqlShutdownTimeout, "mysql-shutdown-timeout", mysqlShutdownTimeout, "how long to wait for mysqld shutdown")
 	Main.Flags().StringVar(&initDBSQLFile, "init_db_sql_file", initDBSQLFile, "path to .sql file to run after mysql_install_db")
 	Main.Flags().BoolVar(&detachedMode, "detach", detachedMode, "detached mode - run backups detached from the terminal")
 	Main.Flags().DurationVar(&keepAliveTimeout, "keep-alive-timeout", keepAliveTimeout, "Wait until timeout elapses after a successful backup before shutting down.")
diff --git a/go/flags/endtoend/vtbackup.txt b/go/flags/endtoend/vtbackup.txt
index 3971472b74b..5fedbde91c6 100644
--- a/go/flags/endtoend/vtbackup.txt
+++ b/go/flags/endtoend/vtbackup.txt
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ Flags:
       --mycnf_slow_log_path string                                  mysql slow query log path
       --mycnf_socket_file string                                    mysql socket file
       --mycnf_tmp_dir string                                        mysql tmp directory
-      --mysql-shutdown-timeout duration                             how long to wait for mysqld startup (default 5m0s)
+      --mysql-shutdown-timeout duration                             how long to wait for mysqld shutdown (default 5m0s)
       --mysql_port int                                              mysql port (default 3306)
       --mysql_server_version string                                 MySQL server version to advertise. (default "8.0.30-Vitess")
       --mysql_socket string                                         path to the mysql socket