diff --git a/src/gen/proxy/dbbase.py b/src/gen/proxy/dbbase.py
index f1f4c6e3b..863fc3ca6 100644
--- a/src/gen/proxy/dbbase.py
+++ b/src/gen/proxy/dbbase.py
@@ -36,8 +36,12 @@ from gen.lib import *
 
 class DbBase:
     """
-    A proxy to a Gramps database. This proxy will act like a Gramps database,
-    but all data marked private will be hidden from the user.
+    DbBase is intended to be an abstract base class for building classes that 
+    implement the Gramps database. All functions raise a NotImplementedError to 
+    remind the developer to implement those functions.
+
+    Real database classes can inherit from this class to make sure the
+    database interface is properly implemented.
     """
 
     def set_prefixes(self, person, media, family, source, place, event,
diff --git a/src/gen/proxy/filter.py b/src/gen/proxy/filter.py
index 36cd57be6..50b71b491 100644
--- a/src/gen/proxy/filter.py
+++ b/src/gen/proxy/filter.py
@@ -36,7 +36,8 @@ from proxybase import ProxyDbBase
 class FilterProxyDb(ProxyDbBase):
     """
     A proxy to a Gramps database. This proxy will act like a Gramps database,
-    but all data marked private will be hidden from the user.
+    but all data that does not match the provided filters will be hidden from
+    the user.
     """
 
     def __init__(self, db, person_filter=None, event_filter=None):
diff --git a/src/gen/proxy/proxybase.py b/src/gen/proxy/proxybase.py
index 0b56427a2..9b534d177 100644
--- a/src/gen/proxy/proxybase.py
+++ b/src/gen/proxy/proxybase.py
@@ -33,8 +33,13 @@ from dbbase import DbBase
 
 class ProxyDbBase(DbBase):
     """
-    A proxy to a Gramps database. This proxy will act like a Gramps database,
-    but all data marked private will be hidden from the user.
+    ProxyDbBase is a base class for building a proxy to a Gramps database. 
+    This class attempts to implement functions that are likely to be common 
+    among proxy classes. Functions that are not likely to be common raise a 
+    NotImplementedError to remind the developer to implement those functions.
+
+    Real database proxy classes can inherit from this class to make sure the
+    database interface is properly implemented.
     """
 
     def __init__(self, db):