diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/files/copy.py b/lib/ansible/modules/files/copy.py
index 3b2c79be799..9ec8c659525 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/files/copy.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/files/copy.py
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ md5sum:
     type: string
     sample: "2a5aeecc61dc98c4d780b14b330e3282"
 checksum:
-    description: checksum of the file after running copy
+    description: sha1 checksum of the file after running copy
     returned: success
     type: string
     sample: "6e642bb8dd5c2e027bf21dd923337cbb4214f827"
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/windows/win_copy.py b/lib/ansible/modules/windows/win_copy.py
index a222a928f09..4f65d6827c7 100755
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/windows/win_copy.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/windows/win_copy.py
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ src:
     type: string
     sample: "/home/httpd/.ansible/tmp/ansible-tmp-1423796390.97-147729857856000/source"
 checksum:
-    description: checksum of the file after running copy
+    description: sha1 checksum of the file after running copy
     returned: success
     type: string
     sample: "6e642bb8dd5c2e027bf21dd923337cbb4214f827"