diff --git a/tools/tcg_rim_tool/src/main/java/hirs/swid/Main.java b/tools/tcg_rim_tool/src/main/java/hirs/swid/Main.java
index 9a55ac55..e36f842f 100644
--- a/tools/tcg_rim_tool/src/main/java/hirs/swid/Main.java
+++ b/tools/tcg_rim_tool/src/main/java/hirs/swid/Main.java
@@ -82,11 +82,14 @@ public class Main {
                     case "BASE":
                         if (!attributesFile.isEmpty()) {
                             gateway.setAttributesFile(attributesFile);
+                        } else {
+                            System.out.println("An attribute file is required.");
+                            System.exit(1);
                         }
                         if (!rimEventLog.isEmpty()) {
                             gateway.setRimEventLog(rimEventLog);
                         } else {
-                            System.out.println("Error: a support RIM is required!");
+                            System.out.println("A support RIM is required.");
                             System.exit(1);
                         }
                         credValidator = new CredentialArgumentValidator("" ,
diff --git a/tools/tcg_rim_tool/src/main/java/hirs/swid/SwidTagGateway.java b/tools/tcg_rim_tool/src/main/java/hirs/swid/SwidTagGateway.java
index b9027b27..aa9b23d2 100644
--- a/tools/tcg_rim_tool/src/main/java/hirs/swid/SwidTagGateway.java
+++ b/tools/tcg_rim_tool/src/main/java/hirs/swid/SwidTagGateway.java
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ public class SwidTagGateway {
         try {
             JAXBContext jaxbContext = JAXBContext.newInstance(SwidTagConstants.SCHEMA_PACKAGE);
             marshaller = jaxbContext.createMarshaller();
-            attributesFile = SwidTagConstants.DEFAULT_ATTRIBUTES_FILE;
+            attributesFile = "";
             defaultCredentials = true;
             pemCertificateFile = "";
             embeddedCert = false;
diff --git a/tools/tcg_rim_tool/src/main/java/hirs/swid/utils/Commander.java b/tools/tcg_rim_tool/src/main/java/hirs/swid/utils/Commander.java
index 855d9625..1b77c7c7 100644
--- a/tools/tcg_rim_tool/src/main/java/hirs/swid/utils/Commander.java
+++ b/tools/tcg_rim_tool/src/main/java/hirs/swid/utils/Commander.java
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ public class Commander {
     private boolean version = false;
     @Parameter(names = {"-a", "--attributes <path>"}, order = 1,
             description = "The configuration file holding attributes "
-            + "to populate the base RIM with.")
+            + "to populate the base RIM with.  An example file can be found in /opt/rimtool/data.")
     private String attributesFile = "";
     @Parameter(names = {"-o", "--out <path>"}, order = 2,
             description = "The file to write the RIM out to. "
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ public class Commander {
             description = "Embed the provided certificate in the signed swidtag.")
     private boolean embedded = false;
     @Parameter(names = {"-d", "--default-key"}, order = 8,
-            description = "Use default signing credentials.")
+            description = "Use the JKS keystore installed in /opt/rimtool/data.")
     private boolean defaultKey = false;
     @Parameter(names = {"-l", "--rimel <path>"}, order = 9,
             description = "The TCG eventlog file to use as a support RIM.")