diff --git a/src/init.cpp b/src/init.cpp
--- a/src/init.cpp
+++ b/src/init.cpp
@@ -551,14 +551,14 @@
                  "open (see the `addnode` RPC command help for more info)",
                  ArgsManager::ALLOW_ANY | ArgsManager::NETWORK_ONLY,
                  OptionsCategory::CONNECTION);
-    gArgs.AddArg(
-        "-banscore=<n>",
-        strprintf("Threshold for disconnecting misbehaving peers (default: %u)",
-                  DEFAULT_BANSCORE_THRESHOLD),
-        ArgsManager::ALLOW_ANY, OptionsCategory::CONNECTION);
+    gArgs.AddArg("-banscore=<n>",
+                 strprintf("Threshold for disconnecting and discouraging "
+                           "misbehaving peers (default: %u)",
+                           DEFAULT_BANSCORE_THRESHOLD),
+                 ArgsManager::ALLOW_ANY, OptionsCategory::CONNECTION);
     gArgs.AddArg("-bantime=<n>",
-                 strprintf("Number of seconds to keep misbehaving peers from "
-                           "reconnecting (default: %u)",
+                 strprintf("Default duration (in seconds) of manually "
+                           "configured bans (default: %u)",
                            DEFAULT_MISBEHAVING_BANTIME),
                  ArgsManager::ALLOW_ANY, OptionsCategory::CONNECTION);
     gArgs.AddArg("-bind=<addr>",