diff --git a/doc/source/cli/nova-manage.rst b/doc/source/cli/nova-manage.rst
index 950bb16cda..25d988ef1d 100644
--- a/doc/source/cli/nova-manage.rst
+++ b/doc/source/cli/nova-manage.rst
@@ -60,15 +60,17 @@ Nova Database
 
 ``nova-manage db archive_deleted_rows [--max_rows <number>] [--verbose] [--until-complete] [--purge]``
     Move deleted rows from production tables to shadow tables. Note that the
-    corresponding rows in the ``instance_mappings`` and ``request_specs`` tables of the
-    API database are purged when instance records are archived and thus,
-    ``CONF.api_database.connection`` is required in the config file. Specifying
-    ``--verbose`` will print the results of the archive operation for any tables that
-    were changed. Specifying ``--until-complete`` will make the command run
-    continuously until all deleted rows are archived. Use the ``--max_rows`` option,
-    which defaults to 1000, as a batch size for each iteration. Specifying ``--purge``
-    will cause a `full` DB purge to be completed after archival. If a date range
-    is desired for the purge, then run ``nova-manage db purge --before
+    corresponding rows in the ``instance_mappings``, ``request_specs`` and
+    ``instance_group_member`` tables of the API database are purged when
+    instance records are archived and thus, ``CONF.api_database.connection`` is
+    required in the config file. Specifying ``--verbose`` will print the results
+    of the archive operation for any tables that were changed. Specifying
+    ``--until-complete`` will make the command run continuously until all
+    deleted rows are archived. Use the ``--max_rows`` option, which defaults to
+    1000, as a batch size for each iteration (note that the purged API database
+    table records are not included in this batch size). Specifying ``--purge``
+    will cause a `full` DB purge to be completed after archival. If a date
+    range is desired for the purge, then run ``nova-manage db purge --before
     <date>`` manually after archiving is complete.
 
 ``nova-manage db purge [--all] [--before <date>] [--verbose] [--all-cells]``
diff --git a/nova/cmd/manage.py b/nova/cmd/manage.py
index 425fe0534b..4c18816c5b 100644
--- a/nova/cmd/manage.py
+++ b/nova/cmd/manage.py
@@ -497,7 +497,10 @@ Error: %s""") % six.text_type(e))
         print(migration.db_version())
 
     @args('--max_rows', type=int, metavar='<number>', dest='max_rows',
-          help='Maximum number of deleted rows to archive. Defaults to 1000.')
+          help='Maximum number of deleted rows to archive. Defaults to 1000. '
+               'Note that this number does not include the corresponding '
+               'rows, if any, that are removed from the API database for '
+               'deleted instances.')
     @args('--verbose', action='store_true', dest='verbose', default=False,
           help='Print how many rows were archived per table.')
     @args('--until-complete', action='store_true', dest='until_complete',
@@ -528,7 +531,7 @@ Error: %s""") % six.text_type(e))
         try:
             # NOTE(tssurya): This check has been added to validate if the API
             # DB is reachable or not as this is essential for purging the
-            # instance_mappings and request_specs of the deleted instances.
+            # related API database records of the deleted instances.
             objects.CellMappingList.get_all(ctxt)
         except db_exc.CantStartEngineError:
             print(_('Failed to connect to API DB so aborting this archival '
diff --git a/nova/db/sqlalchemy/api.py b/nova/db/sqlalchemy/api.py
index 3bf4591881..af747ffebc 100644
--- a/nova/db/sqlalchemy/api.py
+++ b/nova/db/sqlalchemy/api.py
@@ -5546,10 +5546,10 @@ def _archive_deleted_rows_for_table(tablename, max_rows):
                 from_select(columns, sql.select([table], column.in_(records)))
         delete = table.delete().where(column.in_(records))
         # NOTE(tssurya): In order to facilitate the deletion of records from
-        # instance_mappings and request_specs tables in the nova_api DB, the
-        # rows of deleted instances from the instances table are stored prior
-        # to their deletion. Basically the uuids of the archived instances
-        # are queried and returned.
+        # instance_mappings, request_specs and instance_group_member tables in
+        # the nova_api DB, the rows of deleted instances from the instances
+        # table are stored prior to their deletion. Basically the uuids of the
+        # archived instances are queried and returned.
         if tablename == "instances":
             query_select = sql.select([table.c.uuid], table.c.id.in_(records))
             rows = conn.execute(query_select).fetchall()