diff --git a/swh/scanner/cli.py b/swh/scanner/cli.py
--- a/swh/scanner/cli.py
+++ b/swh/scanner/cli.py
@@ -35,21 +35,31 @@
     return url
 
 
-@swh_cli_group.group(name="scanner", context_settings=CONTEXT_SETTINGS)
+CONFIG_FILE_HELP = f"""Configuration file:
+
+The CLI option or the environment variable will fail if invalid.
+CLI option is checked first.
+Then, environment variable {CONFIG_ENVVAR} is checked.
+Then, if cannot load the default path, a set of default values are used.
+Default config path is {DEFAULT_CONFIG_PATH}.
+Default config values are {DEFAULT_CONFIG}"""
+SCANNER_HELP = f"""Software Heritage Scanner tools.
+
+{CONFIG_FILE_HELP}"""
+
+
+@swh_cli_group.group(
+    name="scanner", context_settings=CONTEXT_SETTINGS, help=SCANNER_HELP,
+)
 @click.option(
     "-C",
     "--config-file",
     default=None,
     type=click.Path(exists=False, dir_okay=False, path_type=str),
-    help=f"""YAML configuration file. If absent and cannot load the default one,
-    default parameters are used.
-    Default config path is {DEFAULT_CONFIG_PATH}.
-    Default config values are {DEFAULT_CONFIG}
-    """,
+    help="""YAML configuration file""",
 )
 @click.pass_context
 def scanner(ctx, config_file: Optional[str]):
-    """Software Heritage Scanner tools."""
     env_path = os.environ.get("SWH_CONFIG_FILE")
     def_path = DEFAULT_CONFIG_PATH