diff --git a/man7/path_resolution.7 b/man7/path_resolution.7
index f24837ef9..749f6900b 100644
--- a/man7/path_resolution.7
+++ b/man7/path_resolution.7
@@ -177,10 +177,11 @@ with the
 flag set (though note that this also restricts bind mount traversal).
 .SS Trailing slashes
 If a pathname ends in a \(aq/\(aq, that forces resolution of the preceding
-component as in Step 2: it has to exist and resolve to a directory.
+component as in Step 2:
+the component preceding the slash either exists and resolves to a directory
+of it names a directory that is to be created immediately after the
+pathname is resolved.
 Otherwise, a trailing \(aq/\(aq is ignored.
-(Or, equivalently, a pathname with a trailing \(aq/\(aq is equivalent to
-the pathname obtained by appending \(aq.\(aq to it.)
 .SS Final symlink
 If the last component of a pathname is a symbolic link, then it
 depends on the system call whether the file referred to will be