diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 7cf70f3e9..d5725f53a 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -229,7 +229,9 @@ class RunWithPythonPath(Command):
         sys.exit(rc)
 
 class TestMacDiskImage(Command):
+    description = "test the Mac disk image in dmg format (unmaintained)"
     user_options = []
+
     def initialize_options(self):
         pass
     def finalize_options(self):
@@ -287,7 +289,9 @@ class CheckAutoDeps(Command):
 
 
 class MakeExecutable(Command):
+    description = "make the 'bin%stahoe' scripts" % (os.sep,)
     user_options = []
+
     def initialize_options(self):
         pass
     def finalize_options(self):
@@ -379,6 +383,7 @@ class MySdist(sdist.sdist):
 
         return sdist.sdist.make_distribution(self)
 
+
 setup_args = {}
 if version:
     setup_args["version"] = version