diff --git a/lisp/ChangeLog b/lisp/ChangeLog
index 99db8f7962c..282035af2b9 100644
--- a/lisp/ChangeLog
+++ b/lisp/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+2011-07-07  Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen  <larsi@gnus.org>
+
+	* mail/smtpmail.el (smtpmail-stream-type): Note that `plain' can
+	be used.
+
 2011-07-07  Richard Stallman  <rms@gnu.org>
 
 	* mail/rmail.el (rmail-next-error-move): Use `compilation-message'
diff --git a/lisp/mail/smtpmail.el b/lisp/mail/smtpmail.el
index 1b53b47499b..073e2fa4a3c 100644
--- a/lisp/mail/smtpmail.el
+++ b/lisp/mail/smtpmail.el
@@ -98,13 +98,14 @@ don't define this value."
 
 (defcustom smtpmail-stream-type nil
   "Connection type SMTP connections.
-This may be either nil (plain connection) or `starttls' (use the
-starttls mechanism to turn on TLS security after opening the
-stream)."
+This may be either nil (possibly upgraded to STARTTLS if
+possible), or `starttls' (refuse to send if STARTTLS isn't
+available), or `plain' (never use STARTTLS).."
   :version "24.1"
   :group 'smtpmail
-  :type '(choice (const :tag "Plain" nil)
-		 (const starttls)))
+  :type '(choice (const :tag "Possibly upgrade to STARTTLS" nil)
+		 (const :tag "Always use STARTTLS" starttls)
+		 (const :tag "Never use STARTTLS" plain)))
 
 (defcustom smtpmail-sendto-domain nil
   "Local domain name without a host name.