diff --git a/lib/event/app.c b/lib/event/app.c
index 97fe117ac..4ccc61bef 100644
--- a/lib/event/app.c
+++ b/lib/event/app.c
@@ -934,7 +934,7 @@ spdk_app_parse_args(int argc, char **argv, struct spdk_app_opts *opts,
 			break;
 		case LOGFLAG_OPT_IDX:
 #ifndef DEBUG
-			fprintf(stderr, "%s must be built with CONFIG_DEBUG=y for -L flag\n",
+			fprintf(stderr, "%s must be configured with --enable-debug for -L flag\n",
 				argv[0]);
 			usage(app_usage);
 			goto out;
diff --git a/lib/log/log_flags.c b/lib/log/log_flags.c
index d83722d27..a8cbae9d7 100644
--- a/lib/log/log_flags.c
+++ b/lib/log/log_flags.c
@@ -197,6 +197,6 @@ spdk_log_usage(FILE *f, const char *log_arg)
 	fprintf(f, ")\n");
 #else
 	fprintf(f, " %s, --logflag <flag>    enable debug log flag (not supported"
-		" - must rebuild with --enable-debug)\n", log_arg);
+		" - must reconfigure with --enable-debug)\n", log_arg);
 #endif
 }