diff --git a/Documentation/btrfs-qgroup.rst b/Documentation/btrfs-qgroup.rst
index 0e47c336..b90cfbb5 100644
--- a/Documentation/btrfs-qgroup.rst
+++ b/Documentation/btrfs-qgroup.rst
@@ -162,7 +162,8 @@ strings:
 	The toplevel subvolume
 
 `<under deletion>`
-	The subvolume is unlinked, but not yet fully deleted.
+        The subvolume has been deleted (it's directory removed), but the
+        subvolume metadata not not yet fully cleaned.
 
 `<squota space holder>`
 	For simple quota mode only.
diff --git a/cmds/qgroup.c b/cmds/qgroup.c
index d9a13076..bffe942b 100644
--- a/cmds/qgroup.c
+++ b/cmds/qgroup.c
@@ -83,10 +83,11 @@ struct btrfs_qgroup {
 	u64 qgroupid;
 
 	/*
-	 * NULL for qgroups with level > 0 or the subvolume is unlinked.
+	 * NULL for qgroups with level > 0 or the subvolume is deleted but not
+	 * yet fully cleaned.
 	 *
-	 * An unlinked subvolume doesn't mean it has been fully dropped, so
-	 * callers should not rely on this to determine if a qgroup is stale.
+	 * A deleted subvolume means it hasn't been fully cleaned, so callers
+	 * should not rely on this to determine if a qgroup is stale.
 	 *
 	 * This member is only to help locating the path of the corresponding
 	 * subvolume.