diff --git a/src/chown.c b/src/chown.c
index 61f4dabd6..7e2d7d4ae 100644
--- a/src/chown.c
+++ b/src/chown.c
@@ -241,7 +241,8 @@ Change the owner and/or group of each FILE to OWNER and/or GROUP.\n\
 \n\
   -c, --changes          be verbose whenever change occurs\n\
   -h, --no-dereference   affect symbolic links instead of any referenced file\n\
-                         (available only on systems with lchown system call)\n\
+                         (available only on systems that can change the\n\
+                         ownership of a symlink)\n\
   -f, --silent, --quiet  suppress most error messages\n\
   -R, --recursive        operate on files and directories recursively\n\
   -v, --verbose          explain what is being done\n\