diff --git a/cmd/podman/machine/init.go b/cmd/podman/machine/init.go
index c0cfe6ceae..57cb909437 100644
--- a/cmd/podman/machine/init.go
+++ b/cmd/podman/machine/init.go
@@ -89,11 +89,11 @@ func init() {
 	_ = flags.MarkHidden("reexec")
 
 	UsernameFlagName := "username"
-	flags.StringVar(&initOpts.Username, UsernameFlagName, cfg.ContainersConfDefaultsRO.Machine.User, "Username used in qcow image")
+	flags.StringVar(&initOpts.Username, UsernameFlagName, cfg.ContainersConfDefaultsRO.Machine.User, "Username used in image")
 	_ = initCmd.RegisterFlagCompletionFunc(UsernameFlagName, completion.AutocompleteDefault)
 
 	ImagePathFlagName := "image-path"
-	flags.StringVar(&initOpts.ImagePath, ImagePathFlagName, cfg.ContainersConfDefaultsRO.Machine.Image, "Path to qcow image")
+	flags.StringVar(&initOpts.ImagePath, ImagePathFlagName, cfg.ContainersConfDefaultsRO.Machine.Image, "Path to bootable image")
 	_ = initCmd.RegisterFlagCompletionFunc(ImagePathFlagName, completion.AutocompleteDefault)
 
 	VolumeFlagName := "volume"
diff --git a/pkg/machine/e2e/config_init_test.go b/pkg/machine/e2e/config_init_test.go
index 43313ad2f9..47657c8d4f 100644
--- a/pkg/machine/e2e/config_init_test.go
+++ b/pkg/machine/e2e/config_init_test.go
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ type initMachine struct {
 	      --disk-size uint         Disk size in GB (default 100)
 	      --ignition-path string   Path to ignition file
 	      --username string        Username of the remote user (default "core" for FCOS, "user" for Fedora)
-	      --image-path string      Path to qcow image (default "testing")
+	      --image-path string      Path to bootable image (default "testing")
 	  -m, --memory uint            Memory in MB (default 2048)
 	      --now                    Start machine now
 	      --rootful                Whether this machine should prefer rootful container execution