diff --git a/tools/commands.js b/tools/commands.js
index cfb5c3b8c9..e1a358d1eb 100644
--- a/tools/commands.js
+++ b/tools/commands.js
@@ -664,7 +664,9 @@ var buildCommand = function (options) {
     return 1;
   }
 
-  // XXX 'mobile-settings' is an alias for 'settings' for the build command
+  // options['mobile-settings'] is used to set the initial value of
+  // `Meteor.settings` on mobile apps. Pass it on to options.settings,
+  // which is used in this command.
   if (options['mobile-settings']) {
     options.settings = options['mobile-settings'];
   }
diff --git a/tools/help.txt b/tools/help.txt
index 6d9b4454f9..12a8cdd918 100644
--- a/tools/help.txt
+++ b/tools/help.txt
@@ -265,8 +265,10 @@ Options:
   --directory         Output a directory (rather than a tarball) for the
                       application server bundle. If the output location exists,
                       it will be recursively deleted first.
-  --mobile-settings   Set optional data for Meteor.settings available on mobile
-                      applications' first launch.
+  --mobile-settings   Set optional data for the initial value of Meteor.settings
+                      in your mobile application. A new value for
+                      Meteor.settings can be set later by the server as part of
+                      hot code push.
   --server            Location where mobile builds connect to the Meteor server.
                       Defaults to localhost:3000. Can include a URL scheme
                       (for example, --server=https://example.com:443).