diff --git a/docs/cmd_reference.md b/docs/cmd_reference.md
index 955fdc6b..f301b23d 100644
--- a/docs/cmd_reference.md
+++ b/docs/cmd_reference.md
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 ---
-version: v3.0.0-beta5
+version: v3.0.0-beta6
 ---
 
 # CMD reference
@@ -12,7 +12,10 @@ This lists available CMD options in Helmsman:
         apply the plan directly.
 
   `--debug`
-        show execution logs.
+        show the debug execution logs and actual helm/kubectl commands. This can log secrets and should only be used for debugging purposes.
+
+  `--verbose`
+        show verbose execution logs.   
 
   `--destroy`
         delete all deployed releases.
@@ -47,8 +50,8 @@ This lists available CMD options in Helmsman:
   `--no-env-subst`
         turn off environment substitution globally.
 
-  `--no-env-values-subst`
-        turn off environment substitution in values files only. (default true).
+  `--subst-env-values`
+        turn on environment substitution in values files.
 
   `--no-fancy`
         don't display the banner and don't use colors.
@@ -56,11 +59,11 @@ This lists available CMD options in Helmsman:
   `--no-ns`
         don't create namespaces.
 
-  `-no-ssm-subst`
+  `--no-ssm-subst`
         turn off SSM parameter substitution globally.
 
-  `-no-ssm-values-subst`
-        turn off SSM parameter substitution in values files only (default true).
+  `--subst-ssm-values`
+        turn on SSM parameter substitution in values files.
 
   `--ns-override string`
         override defined namespaces with this one.
@@ -71,9 +74,6 @@ This lists available CMD options in Helmsman:
   `--skip-validation`
         skip desired state validation.
 
-  `--suppress-diff-secrets`
-        don't show secrets in helm diff output. (default true).
-
   `--target`
         limit execution to specific app.
 
@@ -84,6 +84,3 @@ This lists available CMD options in Helmsman:
         run 'helm dep up' for local chart
 
   `--v`    show the version.
-
-  `--verbose`
-        show verbose execution logs.
diff --git a/internal/app/cli.go b/internal/app/cli.go
index 46749355..e372c572 100644
--- a/internal/app/cli.go
+++ b/internal/app/cli.go
@@ -53,12 +53,11 @@ type cli struct {
 	skipValidation        bool
 	keepUntrackedReleases bool
 	showDiff              bool
-	suppressDiffSecrets   bool
 	diffContext           int
 	noEnvSubst            bool
-	noEnvValuesSubst      bool
+	substEnvValues        bool
 	noSSMSubst            bool
-	noSSMValuesSubst      bool
+	substSSMValues        bool
 	updateDeps            bool
 	forceUpgrades         bool
 	version               bool
@@ -87,8 +86,8 @@ func (c *cli) parse() {
 	flag.BoolVar(&c.dryRun, "dry-run", false, "apply the dry-run option for helm commands.")
 	flag.BoolVar(&c.destroy, "destroy", false, "delete all deployed releases.")
 	flag.BoolVar(&c.version, "v", false, "show the version")
-	flag.BoolVar(&c.debug, "debug", false, "show the execution logs")
-	flag.BoolVar(&c.verbose, "verbose", false, "show verbose execution logs")
+	flag.BoolVar(&c.debug, "debug", false, "show the debug execution logs and actual helm/kubectl commands. This can log secrets and should only be used for debugging purposes.")
+	flag.BoolVar(&c.verbose, "verbose", false, "show verbose execution logs.")
 	flag.BoolVar(&c.noBanner, "no-banner", false, "don't show the banner")
 	flag.BoolVar(&c.noColors, "no-color", false, "don't use colors")
 	flag.BoolVar(&c.noFancy, "no-fancy", false, "don't display the banner and don't use colors")
@@ -96,11 +95,10 @@ func (c *cli) parse() {
 	flag.BoolVar(&c.skipValidation, "skip-validation", false, "skip desired state validation")
 	flag.BoolVar(&c.keepUntrackedReleases, "keep-untracked-releases", false, "keep releases that are managed by Helmsman from the used DSFs in the command, and are no longer tracked in your desired state.")
 	flag.BoolVar(&c.showDiff, "show-diff", false, "show helm diff results. Can expose sensitive information.")
-	flag.BoolVar(&c.suppressDiffSecrets, "suppress-diff-secrets", true, "don't show secrets in helm diff output. (default true).")
 	flag.BoolVar(&c.noEnvSubst, "no-env-subst", false, "turn off environment substitution globally")
-	flag.BoolVar(&c.noEnvValuesSubst, "no-env-values-subst", true, "turn off environment substitution in values files only. (default true).")
+	flag.BoolVar(&c.substEnvValues, "subst-env-values", false, "turn on environment substitution in values files.")
 	flag.BoolVar(&c.noSSMSubst, "no-ssm-subst", false, "turn off SSM parameter substitution globally")
-	flag.BoolVar(&c.noSSMValuesSubst, "no-ssm-values-subst", true, "turn off SSM parameter substitution in values files only")
+	flag.BoolVar(&c.substSSMValues, "subst-ssm-values", false, "turn on SSM parameter substitution in values files.")
 	flag.BoolVar(&c.updateDeps, "update-deps", false, "run 'helm dep up' for local chart")
 	flag.BoolVar(&c.forceUpgrades, "force-upgrades", false, "use --force when upgrading helm releases. May cause resources to be recreated.")
 	flag.Usage = printUsage
@@ -172,13 +170,13 @@ func (c *cli) parse() {
 
 	if !c.noEnvSubst {
 		log.Verbose("Substitution of env variables enabled")
-		if !c.noEnvValuesSubst {
+		if c.substEnvValues {
 			log.Verbose("Substitution of env variables in values enabled")
 		}
 	}
 	if !c.noSSMSubst {
 		log.Verbose("Substitution of SSM variables enabled")
-		if !c.noSSMValuesSubst {
+		if c.substSSMValues {
 			log.Verbose("Substitution of SSM variables in values enabled")
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/internal/app/release.go b/internal/app/release.go
index 6a30d2af..f926b26e 100644
--- a/internal/app/release.go
+++ b/internal/app/release.go
@@ -262,16 +262,13 @@ func (r *release) uninstall(p *plan) {
 func (r *release) diff() string {
 	colorFlag := ""
 	diffContextFlag := []string{}
-	suppressDiffSecretsFlag := ""
+	suppressDiffSecretsFlag := "--suppress-secrets"
 	if flags.noColors {
 		colorFlag = "--no-color"
 	}
 	if flags.diffContext != -1 {
 		diffContextFlag = []string{"--context", strconv.Itoa(flags.diffContext)}
 	}
-	if flags.suppressDiffSecrets {
-		suppressDiffSecretsFlag = "--suppress-secrets"
-	}
 
 	cmd := helmCmd(concat([]string{"diff", colorFlag, suppressDiffSecretsFlag}, diffContextFlag, r.getHelmArgsFor("upgrade")), "Diffing release [ "+r.Name+" ] in namespace [ "+r.Namespace+" ]")
 
diff --git a/internal/app/utils.go b/internal/app/utils.go
index e4d79b2b..4b78d058 100644
--- a/internal/app/utils.go
+++ b/internal/app/utils.go
@@ -166,10 +166,10 @@ func substituteVarsInYaml(file string) string {
 	}
 
 	yamlFile := string(rawYamlFile)
-	if !flags.noEnvSubst && !flags.noEnvValuesSubst {
+	if !flags.noEnvSubst && flags.substEnvValues {
 		yamlFile = substituteEnv(yamlFile)
 	}
-	if !flags.noSSMSubst && !flags.noSSMValuesSubst {
+	if !flags.noSSMSubst && flags.substSSMValues {
 		yamlFile = substituteSSM(yamlFile)
 	}
 
diff --git a/release-notes.md b/release-notes.md
index 771f5faf..6e2fc6fd 100644
--- a/release-notes.md
+++ b/release-notes.md
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# v3.0.0-beta5
+# v3.0.0-beta6
 
 This is a major release to support Helm v3.
 It is recommended you read the [Helm 3 migration guide](https://helm.sh/docs/topics/v2_v3_migration/) before using this release.
@@ -8,13 +8,13 @@ It is recommended you read the [Helm 3 migration guide](https://helm.sh/docs/top
 The following are the most important changes:
 - A new and improved logger.
 - Restructuring the code.
-- Parallelized decision making
+- Parallelized decision making.
 - Introducing the `context` stanza to define a context for each DSF. More details [here](docs/misc/merge_desired_state_files).
 - Deprecating all the DSF stanzas related to Tiller.
 - Deprecating the `purge` option for releases.
 - The default value for `storageBackend` is now `secret`.
 - The `stable` and `incubator` repos are no longer added by default and the `--no-default-repos` flag is deprecated.
-- The `--suppress-diff-secrets` cmd flag is enabled by default.
-- The `--no-env-values-subst` cmd flag is enabled by default.
-- The `--no-ssm-values-subst` cmd flag is enabled by default.
+- The `--suppress-diff-secrets` is deprecated. Diff secrets are suppressed by default.
+- The `--no-env-values-subst` cmd flag is deprecated. Env vars substitution in values files is disabled by default. `--subst-env-values` is introduced to enable it when needed. 
+- The `--no-ssm-values-subst` cmd flag is deprecated. SSM vars substitution in values files is disabled by default. `--subst-ssm-values` is introduced to enable it when needed.