diff --git a/tests/README b/tests/README
index 3458f36a8..f2cd89bb9 100644
--- a/tests/README
+++ b/tests/README
@@ -13,6 +13,15 @@ condition a test. The run-tests script uses small scripts in the
 feature_check directory to check whether each such feature is present,
 and skips the relevant tests if not.
 
+Tests are generally verified by running the test both in MicroPython and
+in CPython and comparing the outputs. If the output differs the test fails
+and the outputs are saved in a .out and a .exp file respectively.
+For tests that cannot be run in CPython, for example because they use
+the machine module, a .exp file can be provided next to the test's .py
+file. A convenient way to generate that is to run the test, let it fail
+(because CPython cannot run it) and then copy the .out file (but not
+before checking it manually!)
+
 When creating new tests, anything that relies on float support should go in the
 float/ subdirectory.  Anything that relies on import x, where x is not a built-in
 module, should go in the import/ subdirectory.
diff --git a/tests/run-tests b/tests/run-tests
index b8f5b6b7a..f0fa83407 100755
--- a/tests/run-tests
+++ b/tests/run-tests
@@ -553,7 +553,14 @@ class append_filter(argparse.Action):
 def main():
     cmd_parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
         formatter_class=argparse.RawDescriptionHelpFormatter,
-        description='Run and manage tests for MicroPython.',
+        description='''Run and manage tests for MicroPython.
+
+When running tests, run-tests compares the MicroPython output of the test with the output
+produced by running the test through CPython unless a <test>.exp file is found, in which
+case it is used as comparison.
+If a test fails, run-tests produces a pair of <test>.out and <test>.exp files in the current
+directory with the MicroPython output and the expectations, respectively.
+''',
         epilog='''\
 Options -i and -e can be multiple and processed in the order given. Regex
 "search" (vs "match") operation is used. An action (include/exclude) of
@@ -570,7 +577,7 @@ the last matching regex is used:
     cmd_parser.add_argument('-d', '--test-dirs', nargs='*', help='input test directories (if no files given)')
     cmd_parser.add_argument('-e', '--exclude', action=append_filter, metavar='REGEX', dest='filters', help='exclude test by regex on path/name.py')
     cmd_parser.add_argument('-i', '--include', action=append_filter, metavar='REGEX', dest='filters', help='include test by regex on path/name.py')
-    cmd_parser.add_argument('--write-exp', action='store_true', help='save .exp files to run tests w/o CPython')
+    cmd_parser.add_argument('--write-exp', action='store_true', help='use CPython to generate .exp files to run tests w/o CPython')
     cmd_parser.add_argument('--list-tests', action='store_true', help='list tests instead of running them')
     cmd_parser.add_argument('--emit', default='bytecode', help='MicroPython emitter to use (bytecode or native)')
     cmd_parser.add_argument('--heapsize', help='heapsize to use (use default if not specified)')