diff --git a/src/main/plugins/org.dita.base/build_preprocess2_template.xml b/src/main/plugins/org.dita.base/build_preprocess2_template.xml
index 54d505332d..3db5b8a896 100644
--- a/src/main/plugins/org.dita.base/build_preprocess2_template.xml
+++ b/src/main/plugins/org.dita.base/build_preprocess2_template.xml
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ See the accompanying LICENSE file for applicable license.
 
   <target name="preprocess2"
     dita:extension="depends org.dita.dost.platform.InsertDependsAction"
-    description="Preprocess"
+    description="Map-first preprocessing"
     dita:depends="{depend.preprocess.pre},
                   preprocess2.init,
                   ditaval-merge,
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ See the accompanying LICENSE file for applicable license.
                   {depend.preprocess.post}"/>
 
   <target name="preprocess2.maps"
+          description="Map-first preprocessing map steps"
           depends="map-reader,
                   map-mapref,
                   map-reader-profile,
@@ -38,6 +39,7 @@ See the accompanying LICENSE file for applicable license.
                   map-profile"/>
 
   <target name="preprocess2.topics"
+          description="Map-first preprocessing topic steps"
           depends="topic-reader,
                   topic-branch-filter,
                   topic-map-conref,
@@ -54,7 +56,7 @@ See the accompanying LICENSE file for applicable license.
 
   <target name="preprocess2-topic"
           dita:extension="depends org.dita.dost.platform.InsertDependsAction"
-          description="Preprocess topic"
+          description="Map-first preprocess for topic input"
           dita:depends="{depend.preprocess.pre},
                   preprocess2.init,
                   ditaval-merge,
@@ -72,7 +74,8 @@ See the accompanying LICENSE file for applicable license.
                   copy-files2,
                   {depend.preprocess.post}"/>
   
-  <target name="preprocess2.init">
+  <target name="preprocess2.init"
+          description="Initialize map-first preprocessing">
     <dita-ot-fail id="DOTA002F">
       <condition>
         <not><isset property="args.input"/></not>
@@ -130,7 +133,7 @@ See the accompanying LICENSE file for applicable license.
   </target>
   
   <target name="map-reader"
-    description="Generate lists, debug, and filter input map files">
+    description="Read input map files to temporary store">
     <pipeline message="Generate maps" taskname="map-reader"
               inputmap="${args.input}">
       <module class="org.dita.dost.module.reader.MapReaderModule">
@@ -260,7 +263,7 @@ See the accompanying LICENSE file for applicable license.
   </target>
 
   <target name="topic-reader"
-    description="Generate file list">
+    description="Read topic files to temporary store">
     <pipeline message="Generate topics" taskname="topic-reader"
               inputmap="${args.input}">
       <module class="org.dita.dost.module.reader.TopicReaderModule">