diff --git a/documentation/ref-manual/technical-details.xml b/documentation/ref-manual/technical-details.xml
index d48e57cd8a..1e654506f0 100644
--- a/documentation/ref-manual/technical-details.xml
+++ b/documentation/ref-manual/technical-details.xml
@@ -1118,7 +1118,7 @@
             <para>
                 The build system uses the
                 <filename><link linkend='var-S'>S</link></filename> variable as
-                the default directory used when searching files listed in
+                the default directory when searching files listed in
                 <filename>LIC_FILES_CHKSUM</filename>.
                 The previous example employs the default directory.
             </para>