diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/config.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/config.sgml
index 5d723f3921..f64402adbe 100644
--- a/doc/src/sgml/config.sgml
+++ b/doc/src/sgml/config.sgml
@@ -3350,9 +3350,11 @@ restore_command = 'copy "C:\\server\\archivedir\\%f" "%p"'  # Windows
       </term>
       <listitem>
        <para>
-        Specifies recovering into a particular timeline.  The default is
-        to recover along the same timeline that was current when the
-        base backup was taken. Setting this to <literal>latest</literal> recovers
+        Specifies recovering into a particular timeline.  The value can be a
+        numeric timeline ID or a special value.  The value
+        <literal>current</literal> recovers along the same timeline that was
+        current when the base backup was taken.  That is the default.  The
+        value <literal>latest</literal> recovers
         to the latest timeline found in the archive, which is useful in
         a standby server. Other than that you only need to set this parameter
         in complex re-recovery situations, where you need to return to
diff --git a/src/backend/utils/misc/guc.c b/src/backend/utils/misc/guc.c
index f81e0424e7..7eda7fdef9 100644
--- a/src/backend/utils/misc/guc.c
+++ b/src/backend/utils/misc/guc.c
@@ -3387,7 +3387,7 @@ static struct config_string ConfigureNamesString[] =
 			NULL
 		},
 		&recovery_target_timeline_string,
-		"",
+		"current",
 		check_recovery_target_timeline, assign_recovery_target_timeline, NULL
 	},
 
@@ -11031,7 +11031,7 @@ check_recovery_target_timeline(char **newval, void **extra, GucSource source)
 	RecoveryTargetTimeLineGoal rttg = RECOVERY_TARGET_TIMELINE_CONTROLFILE;
 	RecoveryTargetTimeLineGoal *myextra;
 
-	if (strcmp(*newval, "") == 0)
+	if (strcmp(*newval, "current") == 0)
 		rttg = RECOVERY_TARGET_TIMELINE_CONTROLFILE;
 	else if (strcmp(*newval, "latest") == 0)
 		rttg = RECOVERY_TARGET_TIMELINE_LATEST;
diff --git a/src/backend/utils/misc/postgresql.conf.sample b/src/backend/utils/misc/postgresql.conf.sample
index 1fa02d2c93..f7c1dee240 100644
--- a/src/backend/utils/misc/postgresql.conf.sample
+++ b/src/backend/utils/misc/postgresql.conf.sample
@@ -261,8 +261,7 @@
 				# just after the specified recovery target (on)
 				# just before the recovery target (off)
 				# (change requires restart)
-#recovery_target_timeline = ''	# unset means read from control file (default),
-				# or set to 'latest' or timeline ID
+#recovery_target_timeline = 'current'	# 'current', 'latest', or timeline ID
 				# (change requires restart)
 #recovery_target_action = 'pause'	# 'pause', 'promote', 'shutdown'
 				# (change requires restart)