diff --git a/scripts/supybot b/scripts/supybot
index 1a91a28e9..0803e9af1 100644
--- a/scripts/supybot
+++ b/scripts/supybot
@@ -178,14 +178,14 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
                       help='Determines whether the bot will allow its '
                            'defaultCapabilities not to include "-owner", thus '
                            'giving all users the owner capability by default. '
-                           ' This is dumb, hence we require a command-line '
-                           'option.  Don\'t do this.')
+                           'This is a security risk since it allows anyone to run '
+                           'any command on your bot, so we advise not to use this.')
     parser.add_option('', '--allow-root', action='store_true',
                       dest='allowRoot',
                       help='Determines whether the bot will be allowed to run '
-                           'as root.  You don\'t want this.  Don\'t do it.  '
-                           'Even if you think you want it, you don\'t.  '
-                           'You\'re probably dumb if you do this.')
+                           'as root. This should not be used except in special '
+                           'circumstances, such as running inside a containerized '
+                           'environment.')
     parser.add_option('', '--debug', action='store_true', dest='debug',
                       help='Determines whether some extra debugging stuff '
                       'will be logged in this script.')
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
 
     if os.name == 'posix':
         if (os.getuid() == 0 or os.geteuid() == 0) and not options.allowRoot:
-            sys.stderr.write('Don\'t even try to run this as root.')
+            sys.stderr.write('Running as root is not supported by default (see --allow-root).')
             sys.stderr.write(os.linesep)
             sys.exit(-1)
 
diff --git a/scripts/supybot-wizard b/scripts/supybot-wizard
index bb6bdcfd8..33158a2bd 100644
--- a/scripts/supybot-wizard
+++ b/scripts/supybot-wizard
@@ -175,9 +175,9 @@ def main():
     parser.add_option('', '--allow-root', action='store_true',
                       dest='allowRoot',
                       help='Determines whether the wizard will be allowed to '
-                           'run as root.  You don\'t want this.  Don\'t do it.'
-                           '  Even if you think you want it, you don\'t.  '
-                           'You\'re probably dumb if you do this.')
+                           'as root. This should not be used except in special '
+                           'circumstances, such as running inside a containerized '
+                           'environment.')
     parser.add_option('', '--allow-home', action='store_true',
                       dest='allowHome',
                       help='Determines whether the wizard will be allowed to '
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ def main():
     (options, args) = parser.parse_args()
     if os.name == 'posix':
         if (os.getuid() == 0 or os.geteuid() == 0) and not options.allowRoot:
-            error('Please, don\'t run this as root.')
+            error('Running as root is not supported by default (see --allow-root).')
     if os.name == 'posix':
         if (os.getcwd() == os.path.expanduser('~')) and not options.allowHome:
             error('Please, don\'t run this in your HOME directory.')