diff --git a/tools/FatesPFTIndexSwapper.py b/tools/FatesPFTIndexSwapper.py
index b582cccc..72c89107 100644
--- a/tools/FatesPFTIndexSwapper.py
+++ b/tools/FatesPFTIndexSwapper.py
@@ -51,18 +51,18 @@ def usage():
      print('     print this help message')
      print('')
      print('')
-     print(' --pft-indices=<integer positions ie 1,1,2,3,5,7>')
+     print(' --pft-indices <integer positions ie 1,1,2,3,5,7>')
      print('     This is a comma delimited list of integer positions of the PFTs')
      print('     to be copied into the new file. Note that first pft position')
      print('     is treated as 1 (not C or python like), and any order or multiples')
      print('     of indices can be chosen')
      print('')
      print('')
-     print(' --fin=<netcdf-file-in>')
+     print(' --fin <netcdf-file-in>')
      print('     This is the full path to the netcdf file you are basing off of')
      print('')
      print('')
-     print(' --fout=<netcdf-file-out>')
+     print(' --fout <netcdf-file-out>')
      print('     This is the full path to the netcdf file you are writing to.')
      print('')
      print('')