diff --git a/html/user/prefs.php b/html/user/prefs.php
index 5825d6ea9a..e66f0c727f 100644
--- a/html/user/prefs.php
+++ b/html/user/prefs.php
@@ -10,7 +10,14 @@
     $subset = $_GET["subset"];
     page_head(subset_name($subset)." preferences");
 	if ($_GET['updated']) {
-	    echo '<p style="color: red">Your preference has been updated and will take effect the next time BOINC starts, or you may manually retrieve the preference in the BOINC software.</p>';
+	    echo '<p style="color: red">
+            Your preferences have been updated
+            and will take effect the next time your computer communicates
+            with the project.
+            You may manually retrieve the preferences
+            using the BOINC client's "Get Preferences" command.
+            </p>
+        ';
 	}
     if ($subset == "global") {
         print_prefs_display_global($user);