diff --git a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/commandline/Input.java b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/commandline/Input.java
index 3e9f607d6..c4441ab60 100644
--- a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/commandline/Input.java
+++ b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/commandline/Input.java
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ public @interface Input {
      * --help argument is specified.
      * @return Doc string associated with this command-line argument.
      */
-    String doc();
+    String doc() default "Undocumented option";
 
     /**
      * Is this argument required.  If true, the command-line argument system will