diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/ref/psql-ref.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/ref/psql-ref.sgml
index 8f7d8758ca0..2dfbdc9f740 100644
--- a/doc/src/sgml/ref/psql-ref.sgml
+++ b/doc/src/sgml/ref/psql-ref.sgml
@@ -4752,8 +4752,8 @@ bar
         <term><varname>WATCH_INTERVAL</varname></term>
         <listitem>
         <para>
-        This variable sets the default interval which <command>\watch</command>
-        waits between executing the query.  Specifying an interval in the
+        This variable sets the default interval, in seconds, which <command>\watch</command>
+        waits between executing the query. The default is 2 seconds.  Specifying an interval in the
         command overrides this variable.
         </para>
         </listitem>
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/help.c b/src/bin/psql/help.c
index 403b51325a7..907c7f78093 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/help.c
+++ b/src/bin/psql/help.c
@@ -464,7 +464,8 @@ helpVariables(unsigned short int pager)
 		  "  VERSION_NUM\n"
 		  "    psql's version (in verbose string, short string, or numeric format)\n");
 	HELP0("  WATCH_INTERVAL\n"
-		  "    if set to a number, overrides the default two second \\watch interval\n");
+		  "    number of seconds \\watch waits between executions (default %s seconds)\n",
+		  DEFAULT_WATCH_INTERVAL);
 
 	HELP0("\nDisplay settings:\n");
 	HELP0("Usage:\n");