diff --git a/modules/system/system.admin.inc b/modules/system/system.admin.inc
index e9682e7..4855b04 100644
--- a/modules/system/system.admin.inc
+++ b/modules/system/system.admin.inc
@@ -459,15 +459,13 @@ function system_theme_settings($form, &$form_state, $key = '') {
     $form['logo'] = array(
       '#type' => 'fieldset',
       '#title' => t('Logo image settings'),
-      '#description' => t('If toggled on, the following logo will be displayed.'),
       '#attributes' => array('class' => array('theme-settings-bottom')),
     );
     $form['logo']['default_logo'] = array(
       '#type' => 'checkbox',
-      '#title' => t('Use the default logo'),
+      '#title' => t('Use the default logo supplied by the theme'),
       '#default_value' => theme_get_setting('default_logo', $key),
       '#tree' => FALSE,
-      '#description' => t('Check here if you want the theme to use the logo supplied with it.')
     );
     $form['logo']['settings'] = array(
       '#type' => 'container',
@@ -481,7 +479,6 @@ function system_theme_settings($form, &$form_state, $key = '') {
     $form['logo']['settings']['logo_path'] = array(
       '#type' => 'textfield',
       '#title' => t('Path to custom logo'),
-      '#description' => t('The path to the file you would like to use as your logo file instead of the default logo.'),
       '#default_value' => theme_get_setting('logo_path', $key),
     );
     $form['logo']['settings']['logo_upload'] = array(
@@ -500,9 +497,8 @@ function system_theme_settings($form, &$form_state, $key = '') {
     );
     $form['favicon']['default_favicon'] = array(
       '#type' => 'checkbox',
-      '#title' => t('Use the default shortcut icon.'),
+      '#title' => t('Use the default shortcut icon supplied by the theme'),
       '#default_value' => theme_get_setting('default_favicon', $key),
-      '#description' => t('Check here if you want the theme to use the default shortcut icon.')
     );
     $form['favicon']['settings'] = array(
       '#type' => 'container',
@@ -516,7 +512,6 @@ function system_theme_settings($form, &$form_state, $key = '') {
     $form['favicon']['settings']['favicon_path'] = array(
       '#type' => 'textfield',
       '#title' => t('Path to custom icon'),
-      '#description' => t('The path to the image file you would like to use as your custom shortcut icon.'),
       '#default_value' => theme_get_setting('favicon_path', $key),
     );
     $form['favicon']['settings']['favicon_upload'] = array(
@@ -526,7 +521,8 @@ function system_theme_settings($form, &$form_state, $key = '') {
     );
   }
 
-  // Inject human-friendly values for logo and favicon.
+  // Inject human-friendly values and form element descriptions for logo and
+  // favicon.
   foreach (array('logo' => 'logo.png', 'favicon' => 'favicon.ico') as $type => $default) {
     if (isset($form[$type]['settings'][$type . '_path'])) {
       $element = &$form[$type]['settings'][$type . '_path'];
@@ -539,6 +535,23 @@ function system_theme_settings($form, &$form_state, $key = '') {
         $friendly_path = file_uri_target($original_path);
         $element['#default_value'] = $friendly_path;
       }
+
+      // Prepare local file path for description.
+      if ($original_path && isset($friendly_path)) {
+        $local_file = strtr($original_path, array('public:/' => variable_get('file_public_path', conf_path() . '/files')));
+      }
+      elseif ($key) {
+        $local_file = drupal_get_path('theme', $key) . '/' . $default;
+      }
+      else {
+        $local_file = path_to_theme() . '/' . $default;
+      }
+
+      $element['#description'] = t('Examples: <code>@implicit-public-file</code> (for a file in the public filesystem), <code>@explicit-file</code>, or <code>@local-file</code>.', array(
+        '@implicit-public-file' => isset($friendly_path) ? $friendly_path : $default,
+        '@explicit-file' => file_uri_scheme($original_path) !== FALSE ? $original_path : 'public://' . $default,
+        '@local-file' => $local_file,
+      ));
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/modules/system/system.test b/modules/system/system.test
index abd21aa..055f284 100644
--- a/modules/system/system.test
+++ b/modules/system/system.test
@@ -1677,6 +1677,35 @@ class SystemThemeFunctionalTest extends DrupalWebTestCase {
       $this->assertNoText('The custom logo path is invalid.');
       $this->assertFieldByName('logo_path', $expected['form']);
 
+      // Verify logo path examples.
+      $elements = $this->xpath('//div[contains(@class, :item)]/div[@class=:description]/code', array(
+        ':item' => 'form-item-logo-path',
+        ':description' => 'description',
+      ));
+      // Expected default values (if all else fails).
+      $implicit_public_file = 'logo.png';
+      $explicit_file = 'public://logo.png';
+      $local_file = $default_theme_path . '/logo.png';
+      // Adjust for fully qualified stream wrapper URI in public filesystem.
+      if (file_uri_scheme($input) == 'public') {
+        $implicit_public_file = file_uri_target($input);
+        $explicit_file = $input;
+        $local_file = strtr($input, array('public:/' => variable_get('file_public_path', conf_path() . '/files')));
+      }
+      // Adjust for fully qualified stream wrapper URI elsewhere.
+      elseif (file_uri_scheme($input) !== FALSE) {
+        $explicit_file = $input;
+      }
+      // Adjust for relative path within public filesystem.
+      elseif ($input == file_uri_target($file->uri)) {
+        $implicit_public_file = $input;
+        $explicit_file = 'public://' . $input;
+        $local_file = variable_get('file_public_path', conf_path() . '/files') . '/' . $input;
+      }
+      $this->assertEqual((string) $elements[0], $implicit_public_file);
+      $this->assertEqual((string) $elements[1], $explicit_file);
+      $this->assertEqual((string) $elements[2], $local_file);
+
       // Verify the actual 'src' attribute of the logo being output.
       $this->drupalGet('');
       $elements = $this->xpath('//*[@id=:id]/img', array(':id' => 'logo'));