diff --git a/src/tools/sdktool/addkeysoperation.cpp b/src/tools/sdktool/addkeysoperation.cpp
index 3f9b476fc22..8fa6f465560 100644
--- a/src/tools/sdktool/addkeysoperation.cpp
+++ b/src/tools/sdktool/addkeysoperation.cpp
@@ -39,9 +39,8 @@ QString AddKeysOperation::helpText() const
 
 QString AddKeysOperation::argumentsHelpText() const
 {
-    return QLatin1String("A file (profiles, qtversions or toolchains) followed by one or more Tuples\n"
-                         "<KEY> <TYPE>:<VALUE> are required. KEY needs to start with\n"
-                         "the name of the file to insert data into (minus the .xml extension).");
+    return QLatin1String("A file (relative to top-level settings directory and without .xml extension)\n"
+                         "followed by one or more Tuples <KEY> <TYPE>:<VALUE> are required.\n");
 }
 
 bool AddKeysOperation::setArguments(const QStringList &args)
diff --git a/src/tools/sdktool/findkeyoperation.cpp b/src/tools/sdktool/findkeyoperation.cpp
index a96307acd8a..1085b20f343 100644
--- a/src/tools/sdktool/findkeyoperation.cpp
+++ b/src/tools/sdktool/findkeyoperation.cpp
@@ -39,7 +39,8 @@ QString FindKeyOperation::helpText() const
 
 QString FindKeyOperation::argumentsHelpText() const
 {
-    return QLatin1String("A file (profiles, qtversions or toolchains) followed by one or more keys to search for.\n");
+    return QLatin1String("A file (relative to top-level settings directory and without .xml extension)\n"
+                         "followed by one or more keys to search for.\n");
 }
 
 bool FindKeyOperation::setArguments(const QStringList &args)
diff --git a/src/tools/sdktool/findvalueoperation.cpp b/src/tools/sdktool/findvalueoperation.cpp
index 710d691c086..e7d31892f73 100644
--- a/src/tools/sdktool/findvalueoperation.cpp
+++ b/src/tools/sdktool/findvalueoperation.cpp
@@ -39,7 +39,8 @@ QString FindValueOperation::helpText() const
 
 QString FindValueOperation::argumentsHelpText() const
 {
-    return QLatin1String("A file (profiles, qtversions or toolchains) followed by one or more type:value tupels to search for.\n");
+    return QLatin1String("A file (relative to top-level settings directory and without .xml extension)\n"
+                         "followed by one or more type:value tupels to search for.\n");
 }
 
 bool FindValueOperation::setArguments(const QStringList &args)
diff --git a/src/tools/sdktool/getoperation.cpp b/src/tools/sdktool/getoperation.cpp
index dc542491a36..b43346dd6f4 100644
--- a/src/tools/sdktool/getoperation.cpp
+++ b/src/tools/sdktool/getoperation.cpp
@@ -39,7 +39,8 @@ QString GetOperation::helpText() const
 
 QString GetOperation::argumentsHelpText() const
 {
-    return QLatin1String("A file (profiles, qtversions or toolchains) followed by one or more keys to list.\n");
+    return QLatin1String("A file (relative to top-level settings directory and without .xml extension)\n"
+                         "followed by one or more keys to list.\n");
 }
 
 bool GetOperation::setArguments(const QStringList &args)
diff --git a/src/tools/sdktool/rmkeysoperation.cpp b/src/tools/sdktool/rmkeysoperation.cpp
index 2fb08dcd75f..138506bbb84 100644
--- a/src/tools/sdktool/rmkeysoperation.cpp
+++ b/src/tools/sdktool/rmkeysoperation.cpp
@@ -39,7 +39,8 @@ QString RmKeysOperation::helpText() const
 
 QString RmKeysOperation::argumentsHelpText() const
 {
-    return QLatin1String("A file (profiles, qtversions or toolchains) followed by one or more keys to remove.\n");
+    return QLatin1String("A file (relative to top-level settings directory and without .xml extension)\n"
+                         "followed by one or more keys to remove.\n");
 }
 
 bool RmKeysOperation::setArguments(const QStringList &args)
diff --git a/src/tools/sdktool/settings.cpp b/src/tools/sdktool/settings.cpp
index 92cb69d1342..a809a3b845f 100644
--- a/src/tools/sdktool/settings.cpp
+++ b/src/tools/sdktool/settings.cpp
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ Utils::FileName Settings::getPath(const QString &file)
     else if (identical.contains(lowerFile))
         result.appendPath(lowerFile);
     else
-        return Utils::FileName();
+        result.appendPath(file); // handle arbitrary file names not known yet
     result.appendString(".xml");
     return result;
 }