--- a/src/octave.cc
+++ b/src/octave.cc
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@
 static bool read_site_files = true;
 
 // TRUE means we set the initial path to configured defaults.
-// (--no-initial-path)
+// (--no-init-path)
 static bool set_initial_path = true;
 
 // TRUE means we don't print the usual startup message.
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@
 #define NO_INIT_FILE_OPTION 7
 #define NO_LINE_EDITING_OPTION 8
 #define NO_SITE_FILE_OPTION 9
-#define NO_INITIAL_PATH_OPTION 10
+#define NO_INIT_PATH_OPTION 10
 #define PERSIST_OPTION 11
 #define TRADITIONAL_OPTION 12
 #define LINE_EDITING_OPTION 13
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@
     { "no-init-file",     prog_args::no_arg,       0, NO_INIT_FILE_OPTION },
     { "no-line-editing",  prog_args::no_arg,       0, NO_LINE_EDITING_OPTION },
     { "no-site-file",     prog_args::no_arg,       0, NO_SITE_FILE_OPTION },
-    { "no-initial-path",  prog_args::no_arg,       0, NO_INITIAL_PATH_OPTION },
+    { "no-init-path",     prog_args::no_arg,       0, NO_INIT_PATH_OPTION },
     { "norc",             prog_args::no_arg,       0, 'f' },
     { "path",             prog_args::required_arg, 0, 'p' },
     { "persist",          prog_args::no_arg,       0, PERSIST_OPTION },
@@ -509,20 +509,21 @@
   --eval CODE             Evaluate CODE.  Exit when done unless --persist.\n\
   --exec-path PATH        Set path for executing subprograms.\n\
   --help, -h, -?          Print short help message and exit.\n\
-  --image-path PATH       Set initial IMAGE_PATH to PATH.\n\
+  --image-path PATH       Add PATH to head of image search path.\n\
   --info-file FILE        Use top-level info file FILE.\n\
   --info-program PROGRAM  Use PROGRAM for reading info files.\n\
   --interactive, -i       Force interactive behavior.\n\
   --line-editing          Force readline use for command-line editing.\n\
   --no-history, -H        Don't save commands to the history list\n\
   --no-init-file          Don't read the ~/.octaverc or .octaverc files.\n\
+  --no-init-path          Don't initialize function search path.\n\
   --no-line-editing       Don't use readline for command-line editing.\n\
   --no-site-file          Don't read the site-wide octaverc file.\n\
   --norc, -f              Don't read any initialization files.\n\
-  --path PATH, -p PATH    Set initial function search path to PATH.\n\
+  --path PATH, -p PATH    Add PATH to head of function search path.\n\
   --persist               Go interactive after --eval or reading from FILE.\n\
   --silent, -q            Don't print message at startup.\n\
-  --traditional           Set compatibility variables.\n\
+  --traditional           Set variables for closer MATLAB compatibility.\n\
   --verbose, -V           Enable verbose output in some cases.\n\
   --version, -v           Print version number and exit.\n\
 \n\
@@ -739,9 +740,9 @@
 	    bind_internal_variable ("info_program", args.optarg ());
 	  break;
 
-        case LINE_EDITING_OPTION:
-          forced_line_editing = true;
-          break;
+	case LINE_EDITING_OPTION:
+	  forced_line_editing = true;
+	  break;
 
 	case NO_INIT_FILE_OPTION:
 	  read_init_files = false;
@@ -755,7 +756,7 @@
 	  read_site_files = 0;
 	  break;
 
-	case NO_INITIAL_PATH_OPTION:
+	case NO_INIT_PATH_OPTION:
 	  set_initial_path = false;
 	  break;