diff --git a/Documentation/config/format.adoc b/Documentation/config/format.adoc
index ef1ed1d250..dbd186290b 100644
--- a/Documentation/config/format.adoc
+++ b/Documentation/config/format.adoc
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ format.coverLetter::
 
 format.commitListFormat::
 	When the `--cover-letter-format` option is not given, `format-patch`
-	uses the value of this variable to decide how to format the title of
+	uses the value of this variable to decide how to format the entry of
 	each commit. Defaults to `shortlog`.
 
 format.outputDirectory::
diff --git a/Documentation/git-format-patch.adoc b/Documentation/git-format-patch.adoc
index c52dbcc170..5662382450 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-format-patch.adoc
+++ b/Documentation/git-format-patch.adoc
@@ -319,21 +319,21 @@ feeding the result to `git send-email`.
 
 --cover-letter::
 --no-cover-letter::
-	In addition to the patches, generate a cover letter file
-	containing the branch description, shortlog and the overall diffstat.  You can
-	fill in a description in the file before sending it out.
+	In addition to the patches, generate a cover letter file containing the
+	branch description, commit list and the overall diffstat.  You can fill
+	in a description in the file before sending it out.
 
 --commit-list-format=<format-spec>::
 	Specify the format in which to generate the commit list of the patch
-	series. The accepted values for format-spec are `shortlog`, `modern` or a
-	format-string prefixed with `log:`.
-	e.g. `log: %s (%an)`
-	The user is allowed to drop the prefix if the format-string contains a
-	`%<placeholder>`.
-	If not given, defaults to the `format.commitListFormat` configuration
-	variable.
-	This option implies the use of `--cover-letter` unless
-	`--no-cover-letter` is given.
+	series. The accepted values for format-spec are `shortlog`, `modern` or
+	a format-string prefixed with `log:`. E.g. `log: %s (%an)`.
+	`modern` is the same as `log:%w(72)[%(count)/%(total)] %s`.
+	The `log:` prefix can be omitted if the format-string has a `%` in it
+	(expecting that it is part of `%<placeholder>`).
+	Defaults to the `format.commitListFormat` configuration variable, if
+	set, or `shortlog`.
+	This option given from the command-line implies the use of
+	`--cover-letter` unless `--no-cover-letter` is given.
 
 --encode-email-headers::
 --no-encode-email-headers::
diff --git a/builtin/log.c b/builtin/log.c
index ad7b7215fe..8c0939dd42 100644
--- a/builtin/log.c
+++ b/builtin/log.c
@@ -1365,7 +1365,6 @@ static void generate_commit_list_cover(FILE *cover_file, const char *format,
 				       struct commit **list, int n)
 {
 	struct strbuf commit_line = STRBUF_INIT;
-	struct strbuf wrapped_line = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct pretty_print_context ctx = {0};
 	struct rev_info rev = REV_INFO_INIT;
 
@@ -1375,16 +1374,12 @@ static void generate_commit_list_cover(FILE *cover_file, const char *format,
 		rev.nr = i;
 		repo_format_commit_message(the_repository, list[n - i], format,
 				&commit_line, &ctx);
-		strbuf_add_wrapped_text(&wrapped_line, commit_line.buf, 0, 0,
-					MAIL_DEFAULT_WRAP);
-		fprintf(cover_file, "%s\n", wrapped_line.buf);
+		fprintf(cover_file, "%s\n", commit_line.buf);
 		strbuf_reset(&commit_line);
-		strbuf_reset(&wrapped_line);
 	}
 	fprintf(cover_file, "\n");
 
 	strbuf_release(&commit_line);
-	strbuf_release(&wrapped_line);
 }
 
 static void make_cover_letter(struct rev_info *rev, int use_separate_file,
@@ -1446,7 +1441,7 @@ static void make_cover_letter(struct rev_info *rev, int use_separate_file,
 	else if (!strcmp(format, "shortlog"))
 		generate_shortlog_cover_letter(&log, rev, list, nr);
 	else if (!strcmp(format, "modern"))
-		generate_commit_list_cover(rev->diffopt.file, "[%(count)/%(total)] %s",
+		generate_commit_list_cover(rev->diffopt.file, "%w(72)[%(count)/%(total)] %s",
 					   list, nr);
 	else if (strchr(format, '%'))
 		generate_commit_list_cover(rev->diffopt.file, format, list, nr);