diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 32bff4f3..195e2306 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -987,9 +987,9 @@ use libexif to load/save JPEG metadata: $with_libexif
 
 if test x"$found_introspection" = xyes -a "$VIPS_LIBDIR/girepository-1.0" != "$INTROSPECTION_TYPELIBDIR"; then
   AC_MSG_RESULT([dnl
-Vips-8.0.typelib will install to $VIPS_LIBDIR/girepository-1.0, which is 
-not your system repository. You will need to add this directory to your 
-typelib path, for example:
+Vips-8.0.typelib will install to $VIPS_LIBDIR/girepository-1.0, but your
+system repository seems to be $INTROSPECTION_TYPELIBDIR. 
+You will need to add this directory to your typelib path, for example:
 
 	export GI_TYPELIB_PATH="$VIPS_LIBDIR/girepository-1.0"
   ])
@@ -1004,9 +1004,9 @@ syspygipath=`$PYTHON -c "import gi;print(gi.__path__@<:@-1@:>@)"`
 if test x"$enable_pyvips8" = xyes -a x"$inpath" != x"True"; then
   AC_MSG_RESULT([dnl
 The vips Python overrides file will install to 
-$VIPS_PYEXECDIR/overrides/Vips.py, 
-which is not in your package path. You will need to copy this file by hand
-before the vips8 Python interface will work, for example:
+$VIPS_PYEXECDIR/overrides/Vips.py, but your
+system gi area seems to be $syspygipath.
+You will need to copy this file, for example:
 
 	cp $VIPS_PYEXECDIR/overrides/Vips.* $syspygipath/overrides
   ])