diff --git a/src/sbbs3/echocfg.c b/src/sbbs3/echocfg.c
index 222587c68acd18dffc8d446bdd046d74c716fa66..9f343124868ed9a744ab7879dcee182e4cd7de23 100644
--- a/src/sbbs3/echocfg.c
+++ b/src/sbbs3/echocfg.c
@@ -1650,41 +1650,75 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 
 						case 3:
 	uifc.helpbuf=
-	"~ Area File ~\n\n"
-	"This is the path of the file SBBSecho will use as your primary\n"
-	"list of FidoNet-style message areas (default is `data/areas.bbs`).\n"
-	"\n"
-	"Each line in the file defines an FTN message area (echo) of the format:\n"
-	"\n"
-	"   <`code`> <`tag`> [[`link`] [`link`] [...]]\n"
-	"\n"
-	"Each field is separated by one or more white-space characters:\n"
-	"\n"
-	"   `<code>` is the Synchronet `internal code` for the local sub-board\n"
-	"   `<tag>`  is the network's agreed-upon `echo tag` for the message area\n"
-	"   `[link]` is an `FTN address` to send and receive messages for this area\n"
-	"          (there may be many linked nodes for each area)\n"
-	"          (often your FTN uplink/hub may be the only linked node)\n"
-	"\n"
-	"Example Area Line:\n"
-	"\n"
-	"   `FIDO_BBS_CARN    BBS_CARNIVAL                        1:218/700`\n"
-	"\n"
-	"Notes:\n"
-	"\n"
-	" `*` Only the `<code>` and `<tag>` fields are required\n"
-	" `*` The `<code>` and `<tag>` fields are case in-sensitive\n"
-	" `*` The `[link]` fields must be 2D, 3D, or 4D FidoNet-style node addresses\n"
-	" `*` The '`<`' and '`>`', '`[`' and '`]`' characters are not part of the syntax\n"
-	" `*` Lines beginning with a semicolon (`;`) are ignored (i.e. comments)\n"
-	" `*` Leading white-space characters are ignored\n"
-	" `*` Blank lines are ignored\n"
-	" `*` A `<tag>` value of `*` indicates a `bad echo` (unknown) area\n"
-	" `*` A `<code>` value of `P` indicates a pass-through message area\n"
-	" `*` This file may be import/exported to/from your `Message Areas` in `SCFG`\n"
-	" `*` This file may be remotely modified by authorized nodes using `AreaMgr`\n"
-	"\n"
-	"Default value is `" DEFAULT_AREA_FILE "`."
+		"~ Area File ~\n\n"
+		"This is the path of the file SBBSecho will use as your primary\n"
+		"list of FidoNet-style message areas.  This file is only required\n"
+		"to exist if you need SBBSecho to support Area Manager operations.\n"
+		"\n"
+		"Two area file formats are supported by SBBSecho (pick one):\n"
+		" * `areas.bbs` - historic/legacy style, one echo/area per line\n"
+		" * `areas.ini` - more modern style, one echo/area per [section]\n"
+		"\n"
+		"~ areas.bbs format ~\n"
+		"\n"
+		"Each line in the file defines an FTN message area (echo) of the format:\n"
+		"\n"
+		"   `code` `tag` `link` [`link` ...]\n"
+		"\n"
+		"Each field is separated by one or more white-space characters:\n"
+		"\n"
+		"   `code` is the Synchronet `internal code` for the local sub-board\n"
+		"   `tag`  is the network's agreed-upon `echo tag` for the message area\n"
+		"   `link` is an `FTN address` to send and receive messages for this area\n"
+		"        There may be many linked nodes for each area\n"
+		"        or your FTN uplink/hub may be the only linked node.\n"
+		"\n"
+		"Example areas.bbs Area Line:\n"
+		"\n"
+		"   `FIDO_BBS_CARN    BBS_CARNIVAL     1:218/700`\n"
+		"\n"
+		"Notes:\n"
+		"\n"
+		" `*` Only the `code` and `tag` fields are required\n"
+		" `*` The `code` and `tag` fields are case in-sensitive\n"
+		" `*` The `link` fields must be 2D, 3D, or 4D FidoNet-style node addresses\n"
+		" `*` The '`[`' and '`]`' characters are not part of the link syntax\n"
+		" `*` Lines beginning with a semicolon (`;`) are ignored (i.e. comments)\n"
+		" `*` Leading white-space characters are ignored\n"
+		" `*` Blank lines are ignored\n"
+		" `*` A `tag` value of '`*`' indicates a `bad echo` (unknown) area\n"
+		" `*` A `code` value of '`P`' indicates a `pass-through` message area\n"
+		" `*` This file may be import/exported to/from your `Message Areas` in `SCFG`\n"
+		" `*` This file may be remotely modified by authorized nodes using `AreaMgr`\n"
+		"\n"
+		"~ areas.ini format ~\n"
+		"\n"
+		"[`tag`]\n"
+		"sub = `code`\n"
+		"links = `link` [`link` ...]\n"
+		"pass-through = `true` or `false` (default: `false`)\n"
+		"\n"
+		"Example areas.ini Area Section:\n"
+		"\n"
+		"   `[BBS_CARNIVAL]\n"
+		"   sub = FIDO_BBS_CARN\n"
+		"   links = 1:218/700`\n"
+		"\n"
+		"Notes:\n"
+		"\n"
+		" `*` Each area definition begins with the `[tag]` line\n"
+		"   (the '`[`' and '`]`' characters are required)\n"
+		" `*` The `code` and `tag` values are case in-sensitive\n"
+		" `*` The `link` values must be 2D, 3D, or 4D FidoNet-style node addresses\n"
+		" `*` The '`[`' and '`]`' characters are not part of the link syntax\n"
+		" `*` Lines beginning with a semicolon (`;`) are ignored (i.e. comments)\n"
+		" `*` Leading white-space characters are ignored\n"
+		" `*` Blank lines are ignored\n"
+		" `*` A `tag` value (section name) of '`*`' indicates a `bad echo` (unknown) area\n"
+		" `*` This file may be import/exported to/from your `Message Areas` in `SCFG`\n"
+		" `*` This file may be remotely modified by authorized nodes using `AreaMgr`\n"
+		"\n"
+		"Default value is: `" DEFAULT_AREA_FILE "`"
 	;
 							uifc.input(WIN_L2R|WIN_SAV,0,0,"Area File"
 								,cfg.areafile,sizeof(cfg.areafile)-1