diff --git a/Documentation/git-cat-file.txt b/Documentation/git-cat-file.txt
index b191276d7a..58c8d65772 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-cat-file.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-cat-file.txt
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ git-cat-file - Provide content or type and size information for repository objec
 SYNOPSIS
 --------
 [verse]
-'git cat-file' [-t | -s | -e | -p | <type>] <object>
-'git cat-file' [--batch | --batch-check] < <list-of-objects>
+'git cat-file' (-t | -s | -e | -p | <type>) <object>
+'git cat-file' (--batch | --batch-check) < <list-of-objects>
 
 DESCRIPTION
 -----------
diff --git a/builtin-cat-file.c b/builtin-cat-file.c
index 8fad19daed..43ffe7ffae 100644
--- a/builtin-cat-file.c
+++ b/builtin-cat-file.c
@@ -201,8 +201,8 @@ static int batch_objects(int print_contents)
 }
 
 static const char * const cat_file_usage[] = {
-	"git cat-file [-t|-s|-e|-p|<type>] <sha1>",
-	"git cat-file [--batch|--batch-check] < <list_of_sha1s>",
+	"git cat-file (-t|-s|-e|-p|<type>) <object>",
+	"git cat-file (--batch|--batch-check) < <list_of_objects>",
 	NULL
 };