diff --git a/docs/MANUAL b/docs/MANUAL
index 6dbfd24b59b15441ffff4edd417a6b20433a67c6..4ad2e135e3c46a283db27ec00fdc7c25c6cf4cd3 100644
--- a/docs/MANUAL
+++ b/docs/MANUAL
@@ -113,9 +113,10 @@ USING PASSWORDS
    ones out of the ones that the server accepts for the given URL, by using
    --anyauth.
 
-   NOTE! Since HTTP URLs don't support user and password, you can't use that
-   style when using Curl via a proxy. You _must_ use the -u style fetch
-   during such circumstances.
+   NOTE! According to the URL specification, HTTP URLs can not contain a user
+   and password, so that style will not work when using curl via a proxy, even
+   though curl allows it at other times. When using a proxy, you _must_ use
+   the -u style for user and password.
 
  HTTPS