diff --git a/include/event2/event.h b/include/event2/event.h
index 700e8ca1..677471fe 100644
--- a/include/event2/event.h
+++ b/include/event2/event.h
@@ -351,14 +351,14 @@ int event_reinit(struct event_base *base);
 /**
    Event dispatching loop
 
-  This loop will run the event base until either there are no more added
-  events, or until something calls event_base_loopbreak() or
+  This loop will run the event base until either there are no more pending or
+  active, or until something calls event_base_loopbreak() or
   event_base_loopexit().
 
   @param base the event_base structure returned by event_base_new() or
      event_base_new_with_config()
-  @return 0 if successful, -1 if an error occurred, or 1 if no events were
-    registered.
+  @return 0 if successful, -1 if an error occurred, or 1 if we exited because
+     no events were pending or active.
   @see event_base_loop()
  */
 int event_base_dispatch(struct event_base *);
@@ -645,15 +645,15 @@ int event_base_set(struct event_base *, struct event *);
   This is a more flexible version of event_base_dispatch().
 
   By default, this loop will run the event base until either there are no more
-  added events, or until something calls event_base_loopbreak() or
+  pending or active, or until something calls event_base_loopbreak() or
   evenet_base_loopexit().  You can override this behavior with the 'flags'
   argument.
 
   @param eb the event_base structure returned by event_base_new() or
      event_base_new_with_config()
   @param flags any combination of EVLOOP_ONCE | EVLOOP_NONBLOCK
-  @return 0 if successful, -1 if an error occurred, or 1 if no events were
-    registered.
+  @return 0 if successful, -1 if an error occurred, or 1 if we exited because
+     no events were pending or active.
   @see event_base_loopexit(), event_base_dispatch(), EVLOOP_ONCE,
      EVLOOP_NONBLOCK
   */