diff --git a/src/common/container.c b/src/common/container.c
index da44b7fe68a3a453c1f21f763d80436ea03b4113..1515c387ad70ae4d8189b8bb878dc30e76203510 100644
--- a/src/common/container.c
+++ b/src/common/container.c
@@ -338,7 +338,8 @@ smartlist_insert(smartlist_t *sl, int idx, void *val)
 
 /**
  * Split a string <b>str</b> along all occurrences of <b>sep</b>,
- * adding the split strings, in order, to <b>sl</b>.
+ * appending the (newly allocated) split strings, in order, to
+ * <b>sl</b>.  Return the number of strings added to <b>sl</b>.
  *
  * If <b>flags</b>&amp;SPLIT_SKIP_SPACE is true, remove initial and
  * trailing space from each entry.
@@ -347,7 +348,7 @@ smartlist_insert(smartlist_t *sl, int idx, void *val)
  * If <b>flags</b>&amp;SPLIT_STRIP_SPACE is true, strip spaces from each
  * split string.
  *
- * If max>0, divide the string into no more than <b>max</b> pieces. If
+ * If <b>max</b>\>0, divide the string into no more than <b>max</b> pieces. If
  * <b>sep</b> is NULL, split on any sequence of horizontal space.
  */
 int