diff --git a/src/compiler/tsc.ts b/src/compiler/tsc.ts
index fbe596ee0f7..b9e5b5710b4 100644
--- a/src/compiler/tsc.ts
+++ b/src/compiler/tsc.ts
@@ -447,12 +447,12 @@ module ts {
             var usageText = " ";
             if (option.shortName) {
                 usageText += "-" + option.shortName;
-                usageText += getParamName(option);
+                usageText += getParamType(option);
                 usageText += ", ";
             }
 
             usageText += "--" + option.name;
-            usageText += getParamName(option);
+            usageText += getParamType(option);
 
             usageColumn.push(usageText);
             descriptionColumn.push(getDiagnosticText(option.description));
@@ -477,9 +477,9 @@ module ts {
         sys.write(output);
         return;
 
-        function getParamName(option: CommandLineOption) {
-            if (option.paramName !== undefined) {
-                return " " + getDiagnosticText(option.paramName);
+        function getParamType(option: CommandLineOption) {
+            if (option.paramType !== undefined) {
+                return " " + getDiagnosticText(option.paramType);
             }
             return "";
         }
diff --git a/src/compiler/types.ts b/src/compiler/types.ts
index ecfb266f088..7868c4e970a 100644
--- a/src/compiler/types.ts
+++ b/src/compiler/types.ts
@@ -1418,7 +1418,7 @@ module ts {
         type: string | Map<number>;         // "string", "number", "boolean", or an object literal mapping named values to actual values
         shortName?: string;                 // A short mnemonic for convenience - for instance, 'h' can be used in place of 'help'.
         description?: DiagnosticMessage;    // The message describing what the command line switch does
-        paramName?: DiagnosticMessage;      // The name to be used for a non-boolean option's parameter.
+        paramType?: DiagnosticMessage;      // The name to be used for a non-boolean option's parameter.
         error?: DiagnosticMessage;          // The error given when the argument does not fit a customized 'type'.
     }