diff --git a/Documentation/config/protocol.txt b/Documentation/config/protocol.txt
index 756591d77b..799389132f 100644
--- a/Documentation/config/protocol.txt
+++ b/Documentation/config/protocol.txt
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 protocol.allow::
 	If set, provide a user defined default policy for all protocols which
 	don't explicitly have a policy (`protocol.<name>.allow`).  By default,
-	if unset, known-safe protocols (http, https, git, ssh, file) have a
+	if unset, known-safe protocols (http, https, git, ssh) have a
 	default policy of `always`, known-dangerous protocols (ext) have a
-	default policy of `never`, and all other protocols have a default
-	policy of `user`.  Supported policies:
+	default policy of `never`, and all other protocols (including file)
+	have a default policy of `user`.  Supported policies:
 +
 --
 
diff --git a/transport.c b/transport.c
index 679a35e7c1..d2e3a90de1 100644
--- a/transport.c
+++ b/transport.c
@@ -964,8 +964,7 @@ static enum protocol_allow_config get_protocol_config(const char *type)
 	if (!strcmp(type, "http") ||
 	    !strcmp(type, "https") ||
 	    !strcmp(type, "git") ||
-	    !strcmp(type, "ssh") ||
-	    !strcmp(type, "file"))
+	    !strcmp(type, "ssh"))
 		return PROTOCOL_ALLOW_ALWAYS;
 
 	/* known scary; err on the side of caution */