diff --git a/tasks/benchmark.rake b/tasks/benchmark.rake
index b32d165bf..9b40f9b13 100644
--- a/tasks/benchmark.rake
+++ b/tasks/benchmark.rake
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ file plot_file => $dat_files do
   plot
 end
 
+desc "run benchmark tests"
 task :benchmark => plot_file do
   plot
 end