diff --git a/Documentation/git-cherry.txt b/Documentation/git-cherry.txt
index 893baaa6f6..e1bf8ee255 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-cherry.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-cherry.txt
@@ -14,8 +14,9 @@ DESCRIPTION
The changeset (or "diff") of each commit between the fork-point and
is compared against each commit between the fork-point and .
-Every commit with a changeset that doesn't exist in the other branch
-has its id (sha1) reported, prefixed by a symbol. Those existing only
+Every commit that doesn't exist in the branch
+has its id (sha1) reported, prefixed by a symbol. The ones that have
+equivalent change already
in the branch are prefixed with a minus (-) sign, and those
that only exist in the branch are prefixed with a plus (+) symbol.
diff --git a/git-cherry.sh b/git-cherry.sh
index 8832573fee..cf7af5502c 100755
--- a/git-cherry.sh
+++ b/git-cherry.sh
@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@ LONG_USAGE=' __*__*__*__*__>
Each commit between the fork-point (or if given) and is
examined, and compared against the change each commit between the
fork-point and introduces. If the change seems to be in
-the upstream, it is shown on the standard output with prefix "+".
-Otherwise it is shown with prefix "-".'
+the upstream, it is shown on the standard output with prefix "-".
+Otherwise it is shown with prefix "+".'
. git-sh-setup
case "$1" in -v) verbose=t; shift ;; esac