diff --git a/us.c b/us.c
index 42f91ec..e2d507c 100644
--- a/us.c
+++ b/us.c
@@ -759,9 +759,9 @@ static int get_config(struct config **conf, int *num)
 				break;
 			switch (n) {
 			case 0:
-				if (!strcmp(t, "+"))
+				if (!strcmp(t, "permit"))
 					c.type = 1;
-				else if (!strcmp(t, "-"))
+				else if (!strcmp(t, "deny"))
 					c.type = 0;
 				else
 					die("non valid config line %d", i);
diff --git a/us.conf.5 b/us.conf.5
index 4021339..91ee04e 100644
--- a/us.conf.5
+++ b/us.conf.5
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ configuration file.
 .PP
 The rules have the following format:
 .IP
-.BR "+|\-"
+.BR "permit|deny"
 .BR user
 as
 .BR target
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ The following example will allow root to execute commands as itself without
 requiring a password and without logging:
 .PP
 .EX
-+ root as root nopass nolog
+permit root as root nopass nolog
 .EE
 .PP
 This next example allows users in the wheel group to execute commands as
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ root including a new environment variable IS_WHEEL set to 'yes' and the variable
 EDITOR will be set to ed, the standard unix editor:
 .PP
 .EX
-+ :wheel as root IS_WHEEL=yes,EDITOR=ed
+permit :wheel as root IS_WHEEL=yes,EDITOR=ed
 .EE
 .PP
 In this example the user maria is allowed to execute commands as a member of
@@ -83,14 +83,14 @@ the group wheel and the session is remembered so that in the next five
 minutes the password won't be needed:
 .PP
 .EX
-+ maria as :wheel persist
+permit maria as :wheel persist
 .EE
 .PP
 This time the user joe is denied to execute commands as anyone who's member of
 the group 'coolppl' because joe is uncool
 .PP
 .EX
-- joe as :coolppl
+deny joe as :coolppl
 .EE
 
 .SH LIMITATIONS