diff --git a/src/makeBaseApp/top/configure/RELEASE b/src/makeBaseApp/top/configure/RELEASE
index c27a3794f..476001827 100644
--- a/src/makeBaseApp/top/configure/RELEASE
+++ b/src/makeBaseApp/top/configure/RELEASE
@@ -1,12 +1,15 @@
 #RELEASE Location of external products
-# Run "gnumake clean uninstall install" in the application
-# top directory each time this file is changed.
 #
-# NOTE: The build does not check dependancies on files
-# external to this application. Thus you should run
-# "gnumake clean uninstall install" in the top directory
-# each time EPICS_BASE, SNCSEQ, or any other external
-# module defined in the RELEASE file is rebuilt.
+# IF YOU MAKE ANY CHANGES to this file you MUST at least run
+# "gnumake" in this directory afterwards; you usually need
+# to run "gnumake rebuild" in the application's top level
+# directory each time this file is changed.
+#
+# NOTE: The build does not check dependencies against files
+# that are outside this application, thus you should run
+# "gnumake distclean install" in the top directory each time
+# EPICS_BASE, SNCSEQ, or any other external module defined
+# in the RELEASE file is rebuilt.
 #
 # Host/target specific settings can be specified in files named
 #  RELEASE.$(EPICS_HOST_ARCH).Common