diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d1b66e8..5d60f1b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ cp gitprompt.fish ~/.config/fish/functions/fish_prompt.fish
    # GIT_PROMPT_IGNORE_SUBMODULES=1 # uncomment to avoid searching for changed files in submodules
 
    # GIT_PROMPT_SHOW_UPSTREAM=1 # uncomment to show upstream tracking branch
-   # GIT_PROMPT_SHOW_UNTRACKED_FILES=all # can be no, normal or all; determines counting of untracked files
+   # GIT_PROMPT_SHOW_UNTRACKED_FILES=normal # can be no, normal or all; determines counting of untracked files
 
    # GIT_PROMPT_SHOW_CHANGED_FILES_COUNT=0 # uncomment to avoid printing the number of changed files
 
@@ -169,7 +169,8 @@ cp gitprompt.fish ~/.config/fish/functions/fish_prompt.fish
 
 You can set the `GIT_PROMPT_SHOW_UNTRACKED_FILES` variable to `no` or `normal` to speed things up if you have lots of
 untracked files in your repository. This can be the case for build systems that put their build artifacts in
-the subdirectory structure of the git repository.
+the subdirectory structure of the git repository. Setting it to `all` will count all untracked files, including files
+listed in .gitignore.
 
 - `cd` to a git repository and test it!
 
diff --git a/gitprompt.sh b/gitprompt.sh
index 0617867..9d90ec4 100755
--- a/gitprompt.sh
+++ b/gitprompt.sh
@@ -488,7 +488,7 @@ function updatePrompt() {
   export __GIT_PROMPT_IGNORE_SUBMODULES=${GIT_PROMPT_IGNORE_SUBMODULES}
 
   if [ -z "${GIT_PROMPT_SHOW_UNTRACKED_FILES}" ]; then
-    export __GIT_PROMPT_SHOW_UNTRACKED_FILES=all
+    export __GIT_PROMPT_SHOW_UNTRACKED_FILES=normal
   else
     export __GIT_PROMPT_SHOW_UNTRACKED_FILES=${GIT_PROMPT_SHOW_UNTRACKED_FILES}
   fi
diff --git a/gitstatus.sh b/gitstatus.sh
index ce7d39f..07b6b6c 100755
--- a/gitstatus.sh
+++ b/gitstatus.sh
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ else
   _ignore_submodules=
 fi
 
-gitstatus=$( LC_ALL=C git status ${_ignore_submodules} --untracked-files=${__GIT_PROMPT_SHOW_UNTRACKED_FILES:-all} --porcelain --branch )
+gitstatus=$( LC_ALL=C git status ${_ignore_submodules} --untracked-files=${__GIT_PROMPT_SHOW_UNTRACKED_FILES:-normal} --porcelain --branch )
 
 # if the status is fatal, exit now
 [[ "$?" -ne 0 ]] && exit 0