diff --git a/tailbone/templates/forms/util.mako b/tailbone/templates/forms/util.mako
index cc3a5d2d..0b4f4012 100644
--- a/tailbone/templates/forms/util.mako
+++ b/tailbone/templates/forms/util.mako
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@
                % if isinstance(field.schema.typ, deform.FileData):
                class="file"
                % endif
+               % if form.has_helptext(field.name):
+               message="${form.render_helptext(field.name)}"
+               % endif
                % if error_messages:
                type="is-danger"
                :message='${form.messages_json(error_messages)|n}'
diff --git a/tailbone/views/reports.py b/tailbone/views/reports.py
index 2839c5b5..c9a14be7 100644
--- a/tailbone/views/reports.py
+++ b/tailbone/views/reports.py
@@ -401,6 +401,7 @@ class GenerateReport(View):
         }
 
         schema = colander.Schema()
+        helptext = {}
         for param in report_params:
 
             # make a new node of appropriate schema type
@@ -420,10 +421,13 @@ class GenerateReport(View):
             if hasattr(param, 'default'):
                 node.default = param.default
 
+            # set docstring
+            helptext[param.name] = param.helptext
+
             schema.add(node)
 
         form = forms.Form(schema=schema, request=self.request,
-                          use_buefy=use_buefy)
+                          use_buefy=use_buefy, helptext=helptext)
         form.submit_label = "Generate this Report"
         form.cancel_url = self.request.route_url('generate_report')