diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/cmd/update.sh b/Library/Homebrew/cmd/update.sh
index cc8d626088..29206b37f8 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/cmd/update.sh
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/cmd/update.sh
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
-#:  * `update` [`--rebase`]:
+#:  * `update` [`--merge`]:
 #:    Fetch the newest version of Homebrew and all formulae from GitHub using
 #:     `git`(1).
 #:
-#:    If `--rebase` is specified then `git pull --rebase` is used.
+#:    If `--merge` is specified then `git merge` is used to include updates
+#:      (rather than `git rebase`).
 
 brew() {
   "$HOMEBREW_BREW_FILE" "$@"
@@ -199,7 +200,7 @@ pull() {
   # ensure we don't munge line endings on checkout
   git config core.autocrlf false
 
-  if [[ -n "$HOMEBREW_REBASE" ]]
+  if [[ -z "$HOMEBREW_MERGE" ]]
   then
     git rebase "${QUIET_ARGS[@]}" "origin/$UPSTREAM_BRANCH"
   else
@@ -236,7 +237,7 @@ homebrew-update() {
       --help) brew help update; exit $? ;;
       --verbose) HOMEBREW_VERBOSE=1 ;;
       --debug) HOMEBREW_DEBUG=1;;
-      --rebase) HOMEBREW_REBASE=1 ;;
+      --merge) HOMEBREW_MERGE=1 ;;
       --simulate-from-current-branch) HOMEBREW_SIMULATE_FROM_CURRENT_BRANCH=1 ;;
       --preinstall) HOMEBREW_UPDATE_PREINSTALL=1 ;;
       --*) ;;
diff --git a/share/doc/homebrew/brew.1.html b/share/doc/homebrew/brew.1.html
index 2a790aaf6d..4356cf24a4 100644
--- a/share/doc/homebrew/brew.1.html
+++ b/share/doc/homebrew/brew.1.html
@@ -390,10 +390,11 @@ source. This is useful for creating patches for the software.</p></dd>
 <dt><code>unpin</code> <var>formulae</var></dt><dd><p>Unpin <var>formulae</var>, allowing them to be upgraded by <code>brew upgrade</code>. See also
 <code>pin</code>.</p></dd>
 <dt><code>untap</code> <var>tap</var></dt><dd><p>Remove a tapped repository.</p></dd>
-<dt><code>update</code> [<code>--rebase</code>]</dt><dd><p>Fetch the newest version of Homebrew and all formulae from GitHub using
+<dt><code>update</code> [<code>--merge</code>]</dt><dd><p>Fetch the newest version of Homebrew and all formulae from GitHub using
  <code>git</code>(1).</p>
 
-<p>If <code>--rebase</code> is specified then <code>git pull --rebase</code> is used.</p></dd>
+<p>If <code>--merge</code> is specified then <code>git merge</code> is used to include updates
+  (rather than <code>git rebase</code>).</p></dd>
 <dt><code>upgrade</code> [<var>install-options</var>] [<code>--cleanup</code>] [<var>formulae</var>]</dt><dd><p>Upgrade outdated, unpinned brews.</p>
 
 <p>Options for the <code>install</code> command are also valid here.</p>
diff --git a/share/man/man1/brew.1 b/share/man/man1/brew.1
index a0462b58ea..5743824a3e 100644
--- a/share/man/man1/brew.1
+++ b/share/man/man1/brew.1
@@ -538,11 +538,11 @@ Unpin \fIformulae\fR, allowing them to be upgraded by \fBbrew upgrade\fR\. See a
 Remove a tapped repository\.
 .
 .TP
-\fBupdate\fR [\fB\-\-rebase\fR]
+\fBupdate\fR [\fB\-\-merge\fR]
 Fetch the newest version of Homebrew and all formulae from GitHub using \fBgit\fR(1)\.
 .
 .IP
-If \fB\-\-rebase\fR is specified then \fBgit pull \-\-rebase\fR is used\.
+If \fB\-\-merge\fR is specified then \fBgit merge\fR is used to include updates (rather than \fBgit rebase\fR)\.
 .
 .TP
 \fBupgrade\fR [\fIinstall\-options\fR] [\fB\-\-cleanup\fR] [\fIformulae\fR]