diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index 43a2ab5de..b2989d501 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -2,13 +2,14 @@
 
 Merlin is open source software, and we welcome contribution!
 
-### Branches
-* `master` -- our default branch. It's the stable branch, for users.
-
-* `develop` -- the branch you want to fork from, and make pull requests into.
+We follow a gitflow - like [this](http://www.dalescott.net/using-gitflow-with-githubs-fork-pull-model/).
+To contribute, fork your own copy.
+All changes are done via pull requests from your fork into the appropriate main repository branch.
+Features and additions into `develop`, hot fixes into `master`.
 
 ### Squash
-Before issuing a pull request, please [squash your commits](https://github.com/LLNL/merlin/wiki/Squash-commits) down to one concise commit message.
+Before merging a pull request, please [squash your commits](https://github.com/LLNL/merlin/wiki/Squash-commits) down to a single concise commit message.
 
 ### More...
 Complete developer documentation is [here](https://merlin.readthedocs.io/en/latest/merlin_developer.html).
+