diff --git a/sched/assimilate_handler.h b/sched/assimilate_handler.h
index 56a15cde12..7286c86145 100644
--- a/sched/assimilate_handler.h
+++ b/sched/assimilate_handler.h
@@ -35,3 +35,4 @@ extern int assimilate_handler(
 );
 
 extern int assimilate_handler_init(int argc, char** argv);
+extern void assimilate_handler_usage();
diff --git a/sched/assimilator.cpp b/sched/assimilator.cpp
index b98db705da..5822be8ee8 100644
--- a/sched/assimilator.cpp
+++ b/sched/assimilator.cpp
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ void usage(char* name) {
         "    [-v | --version]      Show version information\n",
         name
     );
+    assimilate_handler_usage();
 }
 
 // assimilate all WUs that need it
diff --git a/sched/sample_assimilator.cpp b/sched/sample_assimilator.cpp
index 67d4240d32..f3ac3652a9 100644
--- a/sched/sample_assimilator.cpp
+++ b/sched/sample_assimilator.cpp
@@ -50,6 +50,14 @@ int assimilate_handler_init(int argc, char** argv) {
     return 0;
 }
 
+void assimilate_handler_usage() {
+    // describe the project specific arguments here
+    //fprintf(stderr,
+    //    "    custom options:\n"
+    //    "    [--project_option X]  a project specific option\n"
+    //);
+}
+
 int assimilate_handler(
     WORKUNIT& wu, vector<RESULT>& /*results*/, RESULT& canonical_result
 ) {
diff --git a/sched/sample_dummy_assimilator.cpp b/sched/sample_dummy_assimilator.cpp
index 72491f3134..02014ead21 100644
--- a/sched/sample_dummy_assimilator.cpp
+++ b/sched/sample_dummy_assimilator.cpp
@@ -36,6 +36,14 @@ int assimilate_handler_init(int argc, char** argv) {
     return 0;
 }
 
+void assimilate_handler_usage() {
+    // describe the project specific arguments here
+    //fprintf(stderr,
+    //    "    custom options:\n"
+    //    "    [--project_option X]  a project specific option\n"
+    //);
+}
+
 int assimilate_handler(
     WORKUNIT& wu, vector<RESULT>& /*results*/, RESULT& canonical_result
 ) {
diff --git a/sched/script_assimilator.cpp b/sched/script_assimilator.cpp
index 91f55ac620..bd7083196c 100644
--- a/sched/script_assimilator.cpp
+++ b/sched/script_assimilator.cpp
@@ -77,6 +77,15 @@ int assimilate_handler_init(int argc, char** argv) {
     return 0;
 }
 
+void assimilate_handler_usage() {
+    // describe the project specific arguments here
+    fprintf(stderr,
+        "    custom options:\n"
+        "    --script \"X\"  call script to assimilate job\n"
+        "                    see comment in script_assimilator.cpp for details\n"
+    );
+}
+
 int assimilate_handler(
     WORKUNIT& wu, vector<RESULT>& /*results*/, RESULT& canonical_result
 ) {
diff --git a/sched/single_job_assimilator.cpp b/sched/single_job_assimilator.cpp
index 198799bbe9..7959159672 100644
--- a/sched/single_job_assimilator.cpp
+++ b/sched/single_job_assimilator.cpp
@@ -44,6 +44,14 @@ int assimilate_handler_init(int argc, char** argv) {
     return 0;
 }
 
+void assimilate_handler_usage() {
+    // describe the project specific arguments here
+    //fprintf(stderr,
+    //    "    custom options:\n"
+    //    "    [--project_option X]  a project specific option\n"
+    //);
+}
+
 int assimilate_handler(
     WORKUNIT& wu, vector<RESULT>& /*results*/, RESULT& canonical_result
 ) {