diff --git a/cinder/common/config.py b/cinder/common/config.py
index 028f2fef306..9b59760d506 100644
--- a/cinder/common/config.py
+++ b/cinder/common/config.py
@@ -155,7 +155,8 @@ global_opts = [
                help='The full class name of the volume backup API class'),
     cfg.StrOpt('auth_strategy',
                default='keystone',
-               choices=['noauth', 'keystone'],
+               choices=[('noauth', 'Do not perform authentication'),
+                        ('keystone', 'Authenticate using keystone')],
                help='The strategy to use for auth. Supports noauth or '
                     'keystone.'),
     cfg.ListOpt('enabled_backends',