diff --git a/man5/utmp.5 b/man5/utmp.5
index bdc9da9c0..7d74306d3 100644
--- a/man5/utmp.5
+++ b/man5/utmp.5
@@ -171,9 +171,9 @@ clears \fIut_user\fP, \fIut_host\fP and \fIut_time\fP with null bytes.
 .PP
 .BR xterm (1)
 and other terminal emulators directly create a
-\fBUSER_PROCESS\fP record and generate the \fIut_id\fP by using the last
-two letters of \fI/dev/ttyp\fP\fI%c\fP or by using \fIp\fP\fI%d\fP for
-\fI/dev/pts/\fP\fI%d\fP.
+\fBUSER_PROCESS\fP record and generate the \fIut_id\fP by using the
+string that suffix part of the terminal name (the characters
+following \fI/dev/[pt]ty\fP.
 If they find a \fBDEAD_PROCESS\fP for this ID,
 they recycle it, otherwise they create a new entry.
 If they can, they