diff --git a/parm/config/gefs/config.stage_ic b/parm/config/gefs/config.stage_ic
index a7c57591d2..7cf64648bc 100644
--- a/parm/config/gefs/config.stage_ic
+++ b/parm/config/gefs/config.stage_ic
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@ echo "BEGIN: config.stage_ic"
 # Get task specific resources
 source "${EXPDIR}/config.resources" stage_ic
 
-export ICSDIR="@ICSDIR@"
-export BASE_IC="@BASE_IC@"
+export ICSDIR="@ICSDIR@" # User provided ICSDIR; blank if not provided
+export BASE_IC="@BASE_IC@" # Platform home for staged ICs
 
 export STAGE_IC_YAML_TMPL="${PARMgfs}/stage/stage.yaml.j2"
 
diff --git a/parm/config/gfs/config.stage_ic b/parm/config/gfs/config.stage_ic
index d81bbf3ac6..78eba84962 100644
--- a/parm/config/gfs/config.stage_ic
+++ b/parm/config/gfs/config.stage_ic
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@ echo "BEGIN: config.stage_ic"
 # Get task specific resources
 source "${EXPDIR}/config.resources" stage_ic
 
-export ICSDIR="@ICSDIR@"
-export BASE_IC="@BASE_IC@"
+export ICSDIR="@ICSDIR@" # User provided ICSDIR; blank if not provided
+export BASE_IC="@BASE_IC@" # Platform home for staged ICs
 
 export STAGE_IC_YAML_TMPL="${PARMgfs}/stage/stage.yaml.j2"