diff --git a/guix/scripts/build.scm b/guix/scripts/build.scm
index 72a24f91ac..35cb888c3b 100644
--- a/guix/scripts/build.scm
+++ b/guix/scripts/build.scm
@@ -452,8 +452,10 @@ (define (show-help)
   -r, --root=FILE        make FILE a symlink to the result, and register it
                          as a garbage collector root"))
   (display (G_ "
-  -v, --verbosity=LEVEL  use the given verbosity LEVEL"))
-  (display (G_ "
+  -v, --verbosity=LEVEL  use the given verbosity LEVEL, range 0-3
+                         0 = no output, 1 = quiet, 2 = 1 + download URLs,
+                         3 = all on standard error"))
+    (display (G_ "
   -q, --quiet            do not show the build log"))
   (display (G_ "
       --log-file         return the log file names for the given derivations"))