diff --git a/yadm.1 b/yadm.1
index c689eb6..746bb0e 100644
--- a/yadm.1
+++ b/yadm.1
@@ -595,7 +595,7 @@ If no "##default" version exists and no files have valid conditions, then no
 link will be created.
 
 Links are also created for directories named this way, as long as they have at
-least one yadm managed file within them (at the top level).
+least one yadm managed file as a descendant.
 
 yadm will automatically create these links by default. This can be disabled
 using the
diff --git a/yadm.md b/yadm.md
index 328e384..dfcc2aa 100644
--- a/yadm.md
+++ b/yadm.md
@@ -488,7 +488,7 @@
        then no link will be created.
 
        Links  are also created for directories named this way, as long as they
-       have at least one yadm managed file within them (at the top level).
+       have at least one yadm managed file as a descendant.
 
        yadm will automatically create these links by default. This can be dis‐
        abled  using  the yadm.auto-alt configuration.  Even if disabled, links