diff --git a/Documentation/git-ls-tree.txt b/Documentation/git-ls-tree.txt
index 4c7262f1cd..69c7dee1b9 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-ls-tree.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-ls-tree.txt
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ Output Format
 -------------
         <mode> SP <type> SP <object> TAB <file>
 
-When the `-z` option is not used, TAB, LF, and backslash characters
+Unless the `-z` option is used, TAB, LF, and backslash characters
 in pathnames are represented as `\t`, `\n`, and `\\`, respectively.
 
 When the `-l` option is used, format changes to