diff --git a/doc/apps/verify.pod b/doc/apps/verify.pod
index bd399dc7723dc43363c777df162bb863b31b989d..336098f1e3b5ce535a6291431e9e9807dca97a7f 100644
--- a/doc/apps/verify.pod
+++ b/doc/apps/verify.pod
@@ -240,8 +240,8 @@ the operation was successful.
 
 =item B<2 X509_V_ERR_UNABLE_TO_GET_ISSUER_CERT: unable to get issuer certificate>
 
-the issuer certificate could not be found: this occurs if the issuer certificate
-of an untrusted certificate cannot be found.
+the issuer certificate of a looked up certificate could not be found. This
+normally means the list of trusted certificates is not complete.
 
 =item B<3 X509_V_ERR_UNABLE_TO_GET_CRL: unable to get certificate CRL>
 
@@ -318,8 +318,8 @@ be found locally.
 
 =item B<20 X509_V_ERR_UNABLE_TO_GET_ISSUER_CERT_LOCALLY: unable to get local issuer certificate>
 
-the issuer certificate of a locally looked up certificate could not be found. This normally means
-the list of trusted certificates is not complete.
+the issuer certificate could not be found: this occurs if the issuer
+certificate of an untrusted certificate cannot be found.
 
 =item B<21 X509_V_ERR_UNABLE_TO_VERIFY_LEAF_SIGNATURE: unable to verify the first certificate>
 
@@ -395,6 +395,10 @@ the certificates in the file will be recognised.
 Previous versions of OpenSSL assume certificates with matching subject name are identical and
 mishandled them.
 
+Previous versions of this documentation swapped the meaning of the
+B<X509_V_ERR_UNABLE_TO_GET_ISSUER_CERT> and
+B<20 X509_V_ERR_UNABLE_TO_GET_ISSUER_CERT_LOCALLY> error codes.
+
 =head1 SEE ALSO
 
 L<x509(1)|x509(1)>