diff --git a/pmd-java/src/main/resources/category/java/bestpractices.xml b/pmd-java/src/main/resources/category/java/bestpractices.xml
index e8c1f71d4c..bf2711c373 100644
--- a/pmd-java/src/main/resources/category/java/bestpractices.xml
+++ b/pmd-java/src/main/resources/category/java/bestpractices.xml
@@ -1287,12 +1287,15 @@ public class Foo {
     <rule name="SwitchStmtsShouldHaveDefault"
           language="java"
           since="1.0"
-          message="Switch statements should have a default label"
+          message="Switch statements should be exhaustive, add a default case (or missing enum branches)"
           typeResolution="true"
           class="net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.rule.XPathRule"
           externalInfoUrl="${pmd.website.baseurl}/pmd_rules_java_bestpractices.html#switchstmtsshouldhavedefault">
         <description>
-All switch statements should include a default option to catch any unspecified values.
+            Switch statements should be exhaustive, to make their control flow
+            easier to follow. This can be achieved by addinga `default` case, or,
+            if the switch is on an enum type, by ensuring there is one switch branch
+            for each enum constant.
         </description>
         <priority>3</priority>
         <properties>
@@ -1305,14 +1308,14 @@ All switch statements should include a default option to catch any unspecified v
         </properties>
         <example>
 <![CDATA[
-public void bar() {
+class Foo {{
     int x = 2;
     switch (x) {
       case 1: int j = 6;
       case 2: int j = 8;
-          // missing default: here
+      // missing default: here
     }
-}
+}}
 ]]>
         </example>
     </rule>