diff --git a/usr.bin/uuencode/uuencode.format.5 b/usr.bin/uuencode/uuencode.format.5
index ac9e1cba984e..30456791bdc3 100644
--- a/usr.bin/uuencode/uuencode.format.5
+++ b/usr.bin/uuencode/uuencode.format.5
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ of 4.
 The body is terminated by a line with a count of zero.
 This line consists of one
 .Tn ASCII
-space.
+backquote (octal 140) character.
 .Pp
 The trailer line consists of
 .Dq end