diff --git a/doc/git-annex.mdwn b/doc/git-annex.mdwn
index 83bfc7e405..0d3aebe2be 100644
--- a/doc/git-annex.mdwn
+++ b/doc/git-annex.mdwn
@@ -76,9 +76,6 @@ Many git-annex commands will stage changes for later `git commit` by you.
   will involve copying them from another repository, or downloading them,
   or transferring them from some kind of key-value store.
 
-  When the --auto switch is used, only gets content of files if needed
-  to satisfy the setting of annex.numcopies
-
 * drop [path ...]
 
   Drops the content of annexed files from this repository. 
@@ -87,9 +84,6 @@ Many git-annex commands will stage changes for later `git commit` by you.
   safe to do so. At least one copy of content needs to exist in another
   remote. This can be overridden with the --force switch.
 
-  When the --auto switch is used, only tries to drop content if
-  more than annex.numcopies copies exist.
-
 * move [path ...]
   
   When used with the --from option, moves the content of annexed files
@@ -344,9 +338,8 @@ Many git-annex commands will stage changes for later `git commit` by you.
 
 * --auto
 
-  Enable automatic mode, in which git-annex decides whether to perform
-  actions on files. See descriptions of individual commands to see what
-  they do in automatic mode.
+  Enables automatic mode. Commands that get, drop, or move file contents
+  will only do so when needed to help satisfy the setting of annex.numcopies.
 
 * --quiet