diff --git a/src/cmd/go/alldocs.go b/src/cmd/go/alldocs.go
index 20d76de0c7..830bac2b2f 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/alldocs.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/alldocs.go
@@ -2338,8 +2338,9 @@
 //		external go command build cache.
 //		See 'go doc cmd/go/internal/cacheprog'.
 //	GODEBUG
-//		Enable various debugging facilities. See https://go.dev/doc/godebug
-//		for details.
+//		Enable various debugging facilities for programs built with Go,
+//		including the go command. Cannot be set using 'go env -w'.
+//		See https://go.dev/doc/godebug for details.
 //	GOENV
 //		The location of the Go environment configuration file.
 //		Cannot be set using 'go env -w'.
diff --git a/src/cmd/go/internal/help/helpdoc.go b/src/cmd/go/internal/help/helpdoc.go
index 65d0f1a45c..23459ef154 100644
--- a/src/cmd/go/internal/help/helpdoc.go
+++ b/src/cmd/go/internal/help/helpdoc.go
@@ -511,8 +511,9 @@ General-purpose environment variables:
 		external go command build cache.
 		See 'go doc cmd/go/internal/cacheprog'.
 	GODEBUG
-		Enable various debugging facilities. See https://go.dev/doc/godebug
-		for details.
+		Enable various debugging facilities for programs built with Go,
+		including the go command. Cannot be set using 'go env -w'.
+		See https://go.dev/doc/godebug for details.
 	GOENV
 		The location of the Go environment configuration file.
 		Cannot be set using 'go env -w'.