diff --git a/hledger-web/Handlers.hs b/hledger-web/Handlers.hs
index 7aca9874d..802c54237 100644
--- a/hledger-web/Handlers.hs
+++ b/hledger-web/Handlers.hs
@@ -131,11 +131,11 @@ balanceReportAsHtml _ vd@VD{here=here,q=q,m=m,j=j} (items,total) = $(Settings.ha
    filtering = not $ null q
    inaccts = filter (m `matchesInAccount`) $ journalAccountNames j
    itemAsHtml :: ViewData -> BalanceReportItem -> Hamlet AppRoute
-   itemAsHtml VD{here=here,q=q} (acct, adisplay, adepth, abal) = $(Settings.hamletFile "balancereportitem")
+   itemAsHtml VD{here=here,q=q} (acct, adisplay, aindent, abal) = $(Settings.hamletFile "balancereportitem")
      where
-       depthclass = "depth"++show adepth
+       depthclass = "depth"++show aindent
        inclass = if acct `elem` inaccts then "inacct" else "notinacct" :: String
-       indent = preEscapedString $ concat $ replicate (2 * adepth) " "
+       indent = preEscapedString $ concat $ replicate (2 * aindent) " "
        accturl = (here, [("q", pack $ accountUrl acct)])
 
 -- | Render a journal report as HTML.
diff --git a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Balance.hs b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Balance.hs
index 9a2ea71ca..654fa81e1 100644
--- a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Balance.hs
+++ b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Balance.hs
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ type BalanceReport = ([BalanceReportItem] -- line items, one per account
 type BalanceReportItem = (AccountName  -- full account name
                          ,AccountName  -- account name elided for display: the leaf name,
                                        -- prefixed by any boring parents immediately above
-                         ,Int          -- account depth within this report, excludes boring parents
+                         ,Int          -- how many steps to indent this account (0-based account depth excluding boring parents)
                          ,MixedAmount) -- account balance, includes subs unless --flat is present
 
 -- | Print a balance report.
@@ -148,12 +148,12 @@ balanceReportAsText opts (items,total) =
 
 -- | Render one balance report line item as plain text.
 balanceReportItemAsText :: [Opt] -> BalanceReportItem -> String
-balanceReportItemAsText opts (a, adisplay, adepth, abal) = concatTopPadded [amt, "  ", name]
+balanceReportItemAsText opts (a, adisplay, aindent, abal) = concatTopPadded [amt, "  ", name]
     where
       amt = padleft 20 $ showMixedAmountWithoutPrice abal
       name | Flat `elem` opts = accountNameDrop (dropFromOpts opts) a
-           | otherwise        = depthspacer ++ adisplay
-      depthspacer = replicate (indentperlevel * adepth) ' '
+           | otherwise        = indentspacer ++ adisplay
+      indentspacer = replicate (indentperlevel * aindent) ' '
       indentperlevel = 2
 
 -- | Get a balance report with the specified options for this journal.