diff --git a/docs/overview/changelog.md b/docs/overview/changelog.md
index fa6ffd9977..18daca9da6 100644
--- a/docs/overview/changelog.md
+++ b/docs/overview/changelog.md
@@ -790,7 +790,7 @@ and is enabled by default in that case. To disable it, set
   New authentication backends supported by python-social-auth can now be
   added with just a few dozen lines of code.
 - Added API documentation for user groups and custom emoji.
-- Administrators can now easily delete all messages in a topic.
+- Administrators can now easily delete a topic.
 - Added display of a user's role (administrator, guest, etc.) in
   various relevant places.
 - Added support for sending "topic" rather than the legacy "subject"
diff --git a/static/templates/delete_topic_modal.hbs b/static/templates/delete_topic_modal.hbs
index c6c6ddc4e1..27fc23ae95 100644
--- a/static/templates/delete_topic_modal.hbs
+++ b/static/templates/delete_topic_modal.hbs
@@ -7,13 +7,13 @@
         </h3>
     </div>
     <div class="modal-body">
-        <p>{{#tr this}}Are you sure you want to permanently delete all messages in <b>__topic_name__</b>?{{/tr}}</p>
+        <p>{{#tr this}}Are you sure you want to permanently delete <b>__topic_name__</b>?{{/tr}}</p>
         <p>{{t "Deleting a topic will immediately remove it and its messages for everyone. Other users may find this confusing, especially if they had received an email or push notification related to the deleted messages." }}</p>
     </div>
     <div class="modal-footer">
         <button class="button" data-dismiss="modal">{{t "Cancel" }}</button>
         <button class="button btn-danger rounded" id="do_delete_topic_button">
-            {{t "Delete messages" }}
+            {{t "Delete topic" }}
         </button>
     </div>
 </div>
diff --git a/static/templates/topic_sidebar_actions.hbs b/static/templates/topic_sidebar_actions.hbs
index 3a9f10b91f..ddaec3d826 100644
--- a/static/templates/topic_sidebar_actions.hbs
+++ b/static/templates/topic_sidebar_actions.hbs
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@
     <li>
         <a tabindex="0" class="sidebar-popover-delete-topic-messages" data-stream-id="{{ stream_id }}" data-topic-name="{{ topic_name }}">
             <i class="fa fa-trash" aria-hidden="true"></i>
-            {{t "Delete all messages in topic"}}
+            {{t "Delete topic"}}
         </a>
     </li>
     {{/if}}
diff --git a/templates/zerver/help/delete-a-topic.md b/templates/zerver/help/delete-a-topic.md
index 8e3b5b1bd3..f71194ba78 100644
--- a/templates/zerver/help/delete-a-topic.md
+++ b/templates/zerver/help/delete-a-topic.md
@@ -26,14 +26,15 @@ whereas [deleting a stream](/help/delete-a-stream) does not.
 
 1. Click the ellipsis (<i class="zulip-icon ellipsis-v-solid"></i>).
 
-1. Click **Delete all messages in `<topic>`**.
+1. Click **Delete topic**.
 
-1. Click **Delete messages**.
+1. Click **Delete topic** in the confirmation dialog.
 
 {end_tabs}
 
-Note that deleting the last message with a particular topic also deletes
-that topic.
+Note that deleting all of the individual messages within a particular
+topic also deletes that topic. Structurally, topics are simply an
+attribute of messages in Zulip.
 
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