diff --git a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
index 040c386945..a07ce4a298 100644
--- a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
+++ b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
@@ -3676,9 +3676,10 @@ recipes-graphics/xorg-font/font-alias_1.0.3.bb:PR = "${INC_PR}.3"
             <glossdef>
                 <para>
                     the epoch of the recipe.
-                    The default value is "0".
-                    The field is used to make upgrades possible when the versioning scheme changes in
-                    some backwards incompatible way.
+                    By default, this variable is unset.
+                    The field is used to make upgrades possible when the
+                    versioning scheme changes in some backwards incompatible
+                    way.
                 </para>
             </glossdef>
         </glossentry>