diff --git a/pkgs/build-support/release/debian-build.nix b/pkgs/build-support/release/debian-build.nix
index feb15267f59..ba7be86a6c1 100644
--- a/pkgs/build-support/release/debian-build.nix
+++ b/pkgs/build-support/release/debian-build.nix
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ vmTools.runInLinuxImage (stdenv.mkDerivation (
     ''; # */
 
     meta = (if args ? meta then args.meta else {}) // {
-      description = "Build of a Deb package on ${diskImage.fullName} (${diskImage.name})";
+      description = "Deb package for ${diskImage.fullName}";
     };
   }
 
diff --git a/pkgs/build-support/release/nix-build.nix b/pkgs/build-support/release/nix-build.nix
index 84dd2986750..5e4f5dd9ee8 100644
--- a/pkgs/build-support/release/nix-build.nix
+++ b/pkgs/build-support/release/nix-build.nix
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation (
       (stdenv.lib.optional doCoverageAnalysis "coverageReportPhase") ++ ["finalPhase"];
 
     meta = (if args ? meta then args.meta else {}) // {
-      description = if doCoverageAnalysis then "Coverage analysis" else "Native Nix build on ${stdenv.system}";
+      description = if doCoverageAnalysis then "Coverage analysis" else "Nix package for ${stdenv.system}";
     };
 
   }
diff --git a/pkgs/build-support/release/rpm-build.nix b/pkgs/build-support/release/rpm-build.nix
index 708b62302d5..9a1c7eeee62 100644
--- a/pkgs/build-support/release/rpm-build.nix
+++ b/pkgs/build-support/release/rpm-build.nix
@@ -33,21 +33,21 @@ vmTools.buildRPM (
       rpm -Up ''${rpms[*]} --excludepath /nix/store
 
       eval "$postRPMInstall"
-      
+
       echo "uninstalling ''${rpmNames[*]}..."
       rpm -e ''${rpmNames[*]} --nodeps
 
       for i in $out/rpms/*/*.src.rpm; do
         echo "file srpm $i" >> $out/nix-support/hydra-build-products
       done
-      
+
       for rpmdir in $extraRPMs ; do
         echo "file rpm-extra $(ls $rpmdir/rpms/*/*.rpm | grep -v 'src\.rpm' | sort | head -1)" >> $out/nix-support/hydra-build-products
       done
     ''; # */
 
     meta = (if args ? meta then args.meta else {}) // {
-      description = "Build of an RPM package on ${diskImage.fullName} (${diskImage.name})";
+      description = "RPM package for ${diskImage.fullName}";
     };
   }
 
diff --git a/pkgs/build-support/release/source-tarball.nix b/pkgs/build-support/release/source-tarball.nix
index 887bfb3125c..5ba1356a17f 100644
--- a/pkgs/build-support/release/source-tarball.nix
+++ b/pkgs/build-support/release/source-tarball.nix
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation (
     };
 
     meta = (if args ? meta then args.meta else {}) // {
-      description = "Build of a source distribution from a checkout";
+      description = "Source distribution";
 
       # Tarball builds are generally important, so give them a high
       # default priority.