diff --git a/cylc/flow/scripts/pause.py b/cylc/flow/scripts/pause.py
index ee969251bb..b44cbdac79 100644
--- a/cylc/flow/scripts/pause.py
+++ b/cylc/flow/scripts/pause.py
@@ -18,10 +18,9 @@
 
 """cylc pause [OPTIONS] ARGS
 
-Pause a workflow.
+Suspend all automatic job submission until the workflow is resumed.
 
-This suspends submission of all tasks until the workflow is resumed, except
-for tasks manually triggered "now" with `cylc trigger --now`.
+Manually triggering can still run tasks immediately, if the workflow is paused.
 
 Examples:
   # pause my_workflow
diff --git a/cylc/flow/scripts/trigger.py b/cylc/flow/scripts/trigger.py
index 1e110c5dc5..1392958f92 100755
--- a/cylc/flow/scripts/trigger.py
+++ b/cylc/flow/scripts/trigger.py
@@ -21,7 +21,11 @@
 
 Triggering an unqueued task queues it, to run when released by the queue.
 Triggering a queued task runs it immediately regardless of queue limiting.
-So you may need to trigger a task twice if queue limiting is in effect.
+So you may need to trigger tasks twice if queue limiting is in effect.
+
+If the workflow is paused queued waiting tasks will not run (unless manually
+triggered) until the workflow is resumed, even if the queue empties out. This
+includes tasks queued by manual triggering, when queue limits are in effect.
 
 Attempts to trigger active tasks (submitted or running) will be ignored.