diff --git a/source/includes/options-mongo.yaml b/source/includes/options-mongo.yaml
index 7809f66941f..9a0f916dc13 100644
--- a/source/includes/options-mongo.yaml
+++ b/source/includes/options-mongo.yaml
@@ -188,6 +188,9 @@ inherit:
   name: authenticationDatabase
   program: _shared
   file: options-shared.yaml
+post: |
+  If you do not specify a value for {{role}}, {{program}} uses the database
+  specified in the connection string.
 ---
 program: mongo
 name: authenticationMechanism
diff --git a/source/includes/options-mongostat.yaml b/source/includes/options-mongostat.yaml
index d7dabdd733e..1568bd7aefb 100644
--- a/source/includes/options-mongostat.yaml
+++ b/source/includes/options-mongostat.yaml
@@ -112,6 +112,9 @@ inherit:
   name: authenticationDatabase
   program: _shared
   file: options-shared.yaml
+post: |
+  {{role}} is required for :program:`mongod`
+  and :program:`mongos` instances that use :ref:`authentication`.
 ---
 program: mongostat
 name: authenticationMechanism
diff --git a/source/includes/options-mongotop.yaml b/source/includes/options-mongotop.yaml
index 87d17e72a0e..8599eb652e9 100644
--- a/source/includes/options-mongotop.yaml
+++ b/source/includes/options-mongotop.yaml
@@ -120,6 +120,9 @@ inherit:
   name: authenticationDatabase
   program: _shared
   file: options-shared.yaml
+post: |
+  {{role}} is required for :program:`mongod`
+  and :program:`mongos` instances that use :ref:`authentication`.
 ---
 program: mongotop
 name: authenticationMechanism
diff --git a/source/includes/options-shared.yaml b/source/includes/options-shared.yaml
index ed07ee9fd6e..6fad9a46806 100644
--- a/source/includes/options-shared.yaml
+++ b/source/includes/options-shared.yaml
@@ -247,15 +247,10 @@ program: _shared
 name: authenticationDatabase
 args: <dbname>
 directive: option
-pre: | 
+description: | 
   .. versionadded:: 2.4
 
   Specifies the database that holds the user's credentials.   
-description: |
-  If you do not
-  specify an authentication database, {{program}} assumes that the
-  database specified as the argument to {{role}} holds
-  the user's credentials.
 optional: true
 ---
 program: _shared