diff --git a/doc/communicate.html b/doc/communicate.html
index 8eeb707ebf..77f4601d67 100644
--- a/doc/communicate.html
+++ b/doc/communicate.html
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ I,J interaction.
 <P><B>Default:</B>
 </P>
 <P>The default settings are style = single, group = all, cutoff = 0.0,
-ghost = no.  The cutoff default of 0.0 means that ghost cutoff =
+vel = no.  The cutoff default of 0.0 means that ghost cutoff =
 neighbor cutoff = pairwise force cutoff + neighbor skin.
 </P>
 </HTML>
diff --git a/doc/communicate.txt b/doc/communicate.txt
index b24ff976f3..56f6276c74 100644
--- a/doc/communicate.txt
+++ b/doc/communicate.txt
@@ -111,5 +111,5 @@ I,J interaction.
 [Default:]
 
 The default settings are style = single, group = all, cutoff = 0.0,
-ghost = no.  The cutoff default of 0.0 means that ghost cutoff =
+vel = no.  The cutoff default of 0.0 means that ghost cutoff =
 neighbor cutoff = pairwise force cutoff + neighbor skin.