diff --git a/config-appview.example.yaml b/config-appview.example.yaml
index b25eac1..071d8d3 100644
--- a/config-appview.example.yaml
+++ b/config-appview.example.yaml
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ server:
     addr: :5000
     # Public-facing URL for OAuth callbacks and JWT realm. Auto-detected if empty.
     base_url: ""
-    # Allows HTTP (not HTTPS) for DID resolution and uses transition:generic OAuth scope.
+    # Local development only. Routes pushes to the default hold when the user's chosen hold is unreachable and quiets backfill warnings about external holds. Does not affect DID resolution: that needs a -tags testmode build.
     test_mode: false
     # Display name shown on OAuth authorization screens.
     client_name: AT Container Registry
diff --git a/config-hold.example.yaml b/config-hold.example.yaml
index 85b5985..76e8354 100644
--- a/config-hold.example.yaml
+++ b/config-hold.example.yaml
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ server:
     public: false
     # DID of successor hold for migration. Appview redirects all requests to the successor.
     successor: ""
-    # Use localhost for OAuth redirects during development.
+    # Local development only. Skips relay crawl requests (a local hold is not reachable by public relays) and tolerates an appview token issuer that differs from appview_did. Does not affect DID resolution: that needs a -tags testmode build.
     test_mode: false
     # Endpoints used for proactive scan discovery. MUST support com.atproto.sync.listReposByCollection. Also sent requestCrawl on startup (best-effort, in addition to built-in known relays).
     relay_endpoints:
diff --git a/pkg/appview/config.go b/pkg/appview/config.go
index 29209e4..d9bb37b 100644
--- a/pkg/appview/config.go
+++ b/pkg/appview/config.go
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ type ServerConfig struct {
 	BaseURL string `yaml:"base_url" comment:"Public-facing URL for OAuth callbacks and JWT realm. Auto-detected if empty."`
 
 	// Allows HTTP (not HTTPS) for DID resolution.
-	TestMode bool `yaml:"test_mode" comment:"Allows HTTP (not HTTPS) for DID resolution and uses transition:generic OAuth scope."`
+	TestMode bool `yaml:"test_mode" comment:"Local development only. Routes pushes to the default hold when the user's chosen hold is unreachable and quiets backfill warnings about external holds. Does not affect DID resolution: that needs a -tags testmode build."`
 
 	// Display name shown on OAuth authorization screens.
 	ClientName string `yaml:"client_name" comment:"Display name shown on OAuth authorization screens."`
diff --git a/pkg/hold/config.go b/pkg/hold/config.go
index cb98374..2b9763a 100644
--- a/pkg/hold/config.go
+++ b/pkg/hold/config.go
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ type ServerConfig struct {
 	Successor string `yaml:"successor" comment:"DID of successor hold for migration. Appview redirects all requests to the successor."`
 
 	// Use localhost for OAuth redirects during development.
-	TestMode bool `yaml:"test_mode" comment:"Use localhost for OAuth redirects during development."`
+	TestMode bool `yaml:"test_mode" comment:"Local development only. Skips relay crawl requests (a local hold is not reachable by public relays) and tolerates an appview token issuer that differs from appview_did. Does not affect DID resolution: that needs a -tags testmode build."`
 
 	// Relay endpoints used primarily for proactive scan discovery via
 	// com.atproto.sync.listReposByCollection. Endpoints listed here MUST