diff --git a/doc/common.m4 b/doc/common.m4
index 144ad2b41..8c61e7792 100644
--- a/doc/common.m4
+++ b/doc/common.m4
@@ -123,7 +123,6 @@ General output/reporting flags (supported by some commands):
                             Eg: -c '$1000.' or -c '1.000,00 EUR'
      --color=YN --colour    Use ANSI color codes in text output? Can be
                             'y'/'yes'/'always', 'n'/'no'/'never' or 'auto'.
-                            (A NO_COLOR environment variable overrides this.)
      --pretty[=YN]          Use box-drawing characters in text output? Can be
                             'y'/'yes' or 'n'/'no'.
                             If YN is specified, the equals is required.
diff --git a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/CliOptions.hs b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/CliOptions.hs
index 5e55560d0..6bcd52567 100644
--- a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/CliOptions.hs
+++ b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/CliOptions.hs
@@ -230,7 +230,6 @@ reportflags = [
    (unlines
      ["Use ANSI color codes in text output? Can be"
      ,"'y'/'yes'/'always', 'n'/'no'/'never' or 'auto'."
-     ,"(A NO_COLOR environment variable overrides this.)"
      ])
  ,flagOpt "yes" ["pretty"] (\s opts -> Right $ setopt "pretty" s opts) "YN"
     "Use box-drawing characters in text output? Can be\n'y'/'yes' or 'n'/'no'.\nIf YN is specified, the equals is required."
diff --git a/hledger/hledger.m4.md b/hledger/hledger.m4.md
index 30a97ac27..98062c015 100644
--- a/hledger/hledger.m4.md
+++ b/hledger/hledger.m4.md
@@ -725,9 +725,9 @@ The main journal file to use when not specified with `-f/--file`.
 Default: `$HOME/.hledger.journal`.
 
 **NO_COLOR**
-If this environment variable is set (with any value),
+If this environment variable exists (with any value, including empty),
 hledger will not use ANSI color codes in terminal output,
-unless overridden by an explicit `--color/--colour` option.
+unless overridden by an explicit `--color=y`/`--colour=y` option.
 
 # PART 2: DATA FORMATS