diff --git a/Documentation/git-clone.txt b/Documentation/git-clone.txt
index 86eb4c93682..b093e454972 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-clone.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-clone.txt
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ SYNOPSIS
 'git clone' [--template=<template_directory>]
 	  [-l] [-s] [--no-hardlinks] [-q] [-n] [--bare] [--mirror]
 	  [-o <name>] [-b <name>] [-u <upload-pack>] [--reference <repository>]
-	  [--separate-git-dir|-L <git dir>]
+	  [--separate-git-dir <git dir>]
 	  [--depth <depth>] [--recursive|--recurse-submodules] [--] <repository>
 	  [<directory>]
 
@@ -177,7 +177,6 @@ objects from the source repository into a pack in the cloned repository.
 	repository does not have a worktree/checkout (i.e. if any of
 	`--no-checkout`/`-n`, `--bare`, or `--mirror` is given)
 
--L=<git dir>::
 --separate-git-dir=<git dir>::
 	Instead of placing the cloned repository where it is supposed
 	to be, place the cloned repository at the specified directory,
diff --git a/Documentation/git-init-db.txt b/Documentation/git-init-db.txt
index 2c4c716f33f..9f97f5a9158 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-init-db.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-init-db.txt
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ git-init-db - Creates an empty git repository
 
 SYNOPSIS
 --------
-'git init-db' [-q | --quiet] [--bare] [--template=<template_directory>] [--shared[=<permissions>]]
+'git init-db' [-q | --quiet] [--bare] [--template=<template_directory>] [--separate-git-dir <git dir>] [--shared[=<permissions>]]
 
 
 DESCRIPTION
diff --git a/Documentation/git-init.txt b/Documentation/git-init.txt
index 58cd01145ab..f2777a7786e 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-init.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-init.txt
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ git-init - Create an empty git repository or reinitialize an existing one
 SYNOPSIS
 --------
 'git init' [-q | --quiet] [--bare] [--template=<template_directory>]
-	  [--separate-git-dir|-L <git dir>]
+	  [--separate-git-dir <git dir>]
 	  [--shared[=<permissions>]] [directory]
 
 
@@ -54,7 +54,6 @@ current working directory.
 Specify the directory from which templates will be used.  (See the "TEMPLATE
 DIRECTORY" section below.)
 
--L=<git dir>::
 --separate-git-dir=<git dir>::
 
 Instead of initializing the repository where it is supposed to be,
diff --git a/builtin/clone.c b/builtin/clone.c
index 4144bcf5ca3..8560cf8572a 100644
--- a/builtin/clone.c
+++ b/builtin/clone.c
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ static struct option builtin_clone_options[] = {
 		   "path to git-upload-pack on the remote"),
 	OPT_STRING(0, "depth", &option_depth, "depth",
 		    "create a shallow clone of that depth"),
-	OPT_STRING('L', "separate-git-dir", &real_git_dir, "gitdir",
+	OPT_STRING(0, "separate-git-dir", &real_git_dir, "gitdir",
 		   "separate git dir from working tree"),
 
 	OPT_END()
diff --git a/builtin/init-db.c b/builtin/init-db.c
index b7370d9bb8f..7d8ff096e9f 100644
--- a/builtin/init-db.c
+++ b/builtin/init-db.c
@@ -490,7 +490,7 @@ int cmd_init_db(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 			"specify that the git repository is to be shared amongst several users",
 			PARSE_OPT_OPTARG | PARSE_OPT_NONEG, shared_callback, 0},
 		OPT_BIT('q', "quiet", &flags, "be quiet", INIT_DB_QUIET),
-		OPT_STRING('L', "separate-git-dir", &real_git_dir, "gitdir",
+		OPT_STRING(0, "separate-git-dir", &real_git_dir, "gitdir",
 			   "separate git dir from working tree"),
 		OPT_END()
 	};
diff --git a/t/t0001-init.sh b/t/t0001-init.sh
index 54520f6fa69..37c22516ffa 100755
--- a/t/t0001-init.sh
+++ b/t/t0001-init.sh
@@ -409,7 +409,7 @@ test_expect_success SYMLINKS 're-init to move gitdir symlink' '
 	cd newdir &&
 	mv .git here &&
 	ln -s here .git &&
-	git init -L ../realgitdir
+	git init --separate-git-dir ../realgitdir
 	) &&
 	echo "gitdir: `pwd`/realgitdir" >expected &&
 	test_cmp expected newdir/.git &&