diff --git a/docs/curl.1 b/docs/curl.1
index 0a3629e8f65a8f8fdd3e908a554495d97c2615ec..cb53855dd9bfc78d8bb7029f96d6b8a02820433b 100644
--- a/docs/curl.1
+++ b/docs/curl.1
@@ -827,7 +827,8 @@ FTP couldn't set binary. Couldn't change transfer method to binary.
 .IP 18
 Partial file. Only a part of the file was transfered.
 .IP 19
-FTP couldn't RETR file. The RETR command failed.
+FTP couldn't download/access the given file, the RETR (or similar) command
+failed.
 .IP 20
 FTP write error. The transfer was reported bad by the server.
 .IP 21