diff --git a/job.sums b/job.sums
index 86f31efe..8d5ceda7 100644
--- a/job.sums
+++ b/job.sums
@@ -8,10 +8,10 @@ include/qpdf/auto_job_c_pages.hh b3cc0f21029f6d89efa043dcdbfa183cb59325b6506001c
 include/qpdf/auto_job_c_uo.hh ae21b69a1efa9333050f4833d465f6daff87e5b38e5106e49bbef5d4132e4ed1
 job.yml 1f5db325600a763692034835117ac6b1a4b6aba8e73faa13a004ddc086834545
 libqpdf/qpdf/auto_job_decl.hh 7844eba58edffb9494b19e8eca6fd59a24d6e152ca606c3b07da569f753df2da
-libqpdf/qpdf/auto_job_help.hh d4650c0d8ea4310ef2ee890a9cd1543ce55c9b6b1c6462e0398955fe68d0d407
+libqpdf/qpdf/auto_job_help.hh 6e59e9bbb86817d7c8c4b3900db3b61d6441a34af1b57d60fb60a8099b7bf4f1
 libqpdf/qpdf/auto_job_init.hh e6c09e94c92bd17e9c728b11437e3c98266c93c42c3efbce050c8d288e6b3473
 libqpdf/qpdf/auto_job_json_decl.hh 06caa46eaf71db8a50c046f91866baa8087745a9474319fb7c86d92634cc8297
 libqpdf/qpdf/auto_job_json_init.hh 85ac7e5c66f14c767419823eac84bdea4bd72d690bfe12b533321e5708e644b7
 libqpdf/qpdf/auto_job_schema.hh 5e0f5cb7d462716fe52548b2ae1a8eb6f3c900016e915140eea37f78cee45b2b
 manual/_ext/qpdf.py 6add6321666031d55ed4aedf7c00e5662bba856dfcd66ccb526563bffefbb580
-manual/cli.rst ab2b2feb3217151a7a7f67b1774bd7fb704d94a325282e691ea1fd0a7cbf11f0
+manual/cli.rst d4306dde514da597b245cc401261ed0813964bb41ec67ad1fb8885039420ae66
diff --git a/libqpdf/qpdf/auto_job_help.hh b/libqpdf/qpdf/auto_job_help.hh
index 71e49f3c..e3759115 100644
--- a/libqpdf/qpdf/auto_job_help.hh
+++ b/libqpdf/qpdf/auto_job_help.hh
@@ -397,8 +397,10 @@ ap.addHelpTopic("encryption", "create encrypted files", R"(Create encrypted file
 --encrypt user-password owner-password key-length [options] --
 
 Either or both of user-password and owner-password may be empty
-strings. key-length may be 40, 128, or 256. Encryption options are
-terminated by "--" by itself.
+strings, though setting either to the empty string enables the file
+to be opened and decrpyted without a password. key-length may be
+40, 128, or 256. Encryption options are terminated by "--" by
+itself.
 
 40-bit encryption is insecure, as is 128-bit encryption without
 AES. Use 256-bit encryption unless you have a specific reason to
diff --git a/manual/cli.rst b/manual/cli.rst
index ef80933e..50f72bb5 100644
--- a/manual/cli.rst
+++ b/manual/cli.rst
@@ -1735,8 +1735,10 @@ Encryption
    --encrypt user-password owner-password key-length [options] --
 
    Either or both of user-password and owner-password may be empty
-   strings. key-length may be 40, 128, or 256. Encryption options are
-   terminated by "--" by itself.
+   strings, though setting either to the empty string enables the file
+   to be opened and decrpyted without a password. key-length may be
+   40, 128, or 256. Encryption options are terminated by "--" by
+   itself.
 
    40-bit encryption is insecure, as is 128-bit encryption without
    AES. Use 256-bit encryption unless you have a specific reason to
@@ -1802,8 +1804,10 @@ To create an encrypted file, use
    --encrypt user-password owner-password key-length [options] --
 
 Either or both of :samp:`{user-password}` and :samp:`{owner-password}`
-may be empty strings. :samp:`{key-length}` may be ``40``, ``128``, or
-``256``. Encryption options are terminated by ``--`` by itself.
+may be empty strings, though setting either to the empty string
+enables the file to be opened and decrpyted without a password..
+:samp:`{key-length}` may be ``40``, ``128``, or ``256``. Encryption
+options are terminated by ``--`` by itself.
 
 40-bit encryption is insecure, as is 128-bit encryption without AES.
 Use 256-bit encryption unless you have a specific reason to use an