diff --git a/Documentation/aoe/mkdevs.sh b/Documentation/aoe/mkdevs.sh
index 6ce70703eb47..ec5a6de1cd7b 100644
--- a/Documentation/aoe/mkdevs.sh
+++ b/Documentation/aoe/mkdevs.sh
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ n_partitions=${n_partitions:-16}
 
 if test "$#" != "1"; then
 	echo "Usage: sh `basename $0` {dir}" 1>&2
+	echo "       n_partitions=16 sh `basename $0` {dir}" 1>&2
 	exit 1
 fi
 dir=$1
diff --git a/Documentation/aoe/mkshelf.sh b/Documentation/aoe/mkshelf.sh
index 40932836bb80..8bacf9f2c7cc 100644
--- a/Documentation/aoe/mkshelf.sh
+++ b/Documentation/aoe/mkshelf.sh
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 if test "$#" != "2"; then
 	echo "Usage: sh `basename $0` {dir} {shelfaddress}" 1>&2
+	echo "       n_partitions=16 sh `basename $0` {dir} {shelfaddress}" 1>&2
 	exit 1
 fi
 n_partitions=${n_partitions:-16}