diff --git a/changelog/8655.doc.rst b/changelog/8655.doc.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..65051a743
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/8655.doc.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Help text for ``--pdbcls`` more accurately reflects the option's behavior.
diff --git a/src/_pytest/debugging.py b/src/_pytest/debugging.py
index d3a5c6173..cb9dd8660 100644
--- a/src/_pytest/debugging.py
+++ b/src/_pytest/debugging.py
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ def pytest_addoption(parser: Parser) -> None:
         dest="usepdb_cls",
         metavar="modulename:classname",
         type=_validate_usepdb_cls,
-        help="start a custom interactive Python debugger on errors. "
+        help="specify a custom interactive Python debugger for use with --pdb."
         "For example: --pdbcls=IPython.terminal.debugger:TerminalPdb",
     )
     group._addoption(