diff --git a/src/config/oprc b/src/config/oprc
index 4ed2827fb5..ce86f32adf 100644
--- a/src/config/oprc
+++ b/src/config/oprc
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 # Configuration file for a typical tor client
 # (listen for applications only)
 
-# List of routers. Tor nodes only know about the directory servers
-# at the beginning, and from them they get a list of currently up nodes.
+# List of routers. Tor nodes start out knowing about the directory
+# servers, and from them they get a list of currently up nodes.
 RouterFile ../config/dirservers
 
 # Ports for various services. Comment out if you're not running that
diff --git a/src/config/torrc.in b/src/config/torrc.in
index eabdabe2e6..361840e4e5 100644
--- a/src/config/torrc.in
+++ b/src/config/torrc.in
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 # Configuration file for a typical tor client
 # (listen for applications only)
 
-# List of routers. Tor nodes only know about the directory servers
-# at the beginning, and from them they get a list of currently up nodes.
+# List of routers. Tor nodes start out knowing about the directory
+# servers, and from them they get a list of currently up nodes.
 RouterFile @CONFDIR@/dirservers
 
 # Ports for various services. Comment out if you're not running that