diff --git a/builtin/clone.c b/builtin/clone.c
index efe8b6cce5..86db954730 100644
--- a/builtin/clone.c
+++ b/builtin/clone.c
@@ -84,8 +84,8 @@ static struct option builtin_clone_options[] = {
 		   "directory from which templates will be used"),
 	OPT_CALLBACK(0 , "reference", &option_reference, "repo",
 		     "reference repository", &opt_parse_reference),
-	OPT_STRING('o', "origin", &option_origin, "branch",
-		   "use <branch> instead of 'origin' to track upstream"),
+	OPT_STRING('o', "origin", &option_origin, "name",
+		   "use <name> instead of 'origin' to track upstream"),
 	OPT_STRING('b', "branch", &option_branch, "branch",
 		   "checkout <branch> instead of the remote's HEAD"),
 	OPT_STRING('u', "upload-pack", &option_upload_pack, "path",