diff --git a/code/client/makepkginfo b/code/client/makepkginfo
index 727906f2..f92d716a 100755
--- a/code/client/makepkginfo
+++ b/code/client/makepkginfo
@@ -193,6 +193,20 @@ def readfile(path):
         return ""
 
 
+def readFileOrString(option_value):
+    """
+    If option_value is a path to a file,
+    return contents of file.
+    
+    Otherwise, return the string.
+    """
+    if os.path.exists(os.path.expanduser(option_value)):
+        string = readfile(option_value)
+    else:
+        string = option_value
+    
+    return string
+
 def getiteminfo(itempath):
     """
     Gets info for filesystem items passed to makecatalog item, to be used for
@@ -311,9 +325,11 @@ def main():
                     String display name of the package.
                     Note: overrides any display_name in the package itself''')
     p.add_option('--description',
+                    metavar='STRING|PATH',
                     help='''Optional flag.
                     
                     String description of the package.
+                    Can be a PATH to a file (plain text or html).
                     Note: overrides any description in the package itself''')
     p.add_option('--autoremove', action='store_true',
                     help='''Optional flag.
@@ -380,7 +396,7 @@ def main():
                     Can be specified multiple times 
                     to build an array of blocking applications.''')
     p.add_option('--notes',
-                    metavar='[STRING|PATH]',
+                    metavar='STRING|PATH',
                     help='''Optional flag.
                     
                     Specifies administrator provided notes
@@ -558,19 +574,20 @@ def main():
                             itemsize += int(os.lstat(filename).st_size)
                     # convert to kbytes
                     itemsize = int(itemsize/1024)
-           
+            
             else:
                 print >> sys.stderr, "%s is not an installer package!" % item
                 exit(-1)
             
             if options.description:
-                catinfo['description'] = options.description
+                catinfo['description'] = readFileOrString(options.description)
+            
             if options.displayname:
                 catinfo['display_name'] = options.displayname
-
+            
             catinfo['installer_item_size'] = int(itemsize/1024)
             catinfo['installer_item_hash'] = itemhash
-
+            
             # try to generate the correct item location
             temppath = item
             location = ""
@@ -689,11 +706,7 @@ def main():
             catinfo['uninstall_script'] = scriptstring
             catinfo['uninstall_method'] = 'uninstall_script'
     if options.notes:
-        if os.path.exists(os.path.expanduser(options.notes)):
-            notesString = readfile(options.notes)
-        else:
-            notesString = options.notes
-        catinfo['notes'] = notesString
+        catinfo['notes'] = readFileOrString(options.notes)
     if options.autoremove:
         catinfo['autoremove'] = True
     if options.unattended_install: