diff --git a/src/avrdude.1 b/src/avrdude.1
index 753fb84a..7f186c35 100644
--- a/src/avrdude.1
+++ b/src/avrdude.1
@@ -44,9 +44,7 @@
 .Op Fl O
 .Op Fl P Ar port
 .Op Fl q
-.Op Fl s
 .Op Fl t
-.Op Fl u
 .Op Fl U Ar memtype:op:filename:filefmt
 .Op Fl v
 .Op Fl x Ar extended_param
@@ -626,6 +624,9 @@ Posix systems (by now).
 .It Fl q
 Disable (or quell) output of the progress bar while reading or writing
 to the device.  Specify it a second time for even quieter operation.
+.It Fl s, u
+These options used to control the obsolete "safemode" feature which
+is no longer present. They are silently ignored for backwards compatibility.
 .It Fl t
 Tells
 .Nm
diff --git a/src/doc/avrdude.texi b/src/doc/avrdude.texi
index d30da5ed..aad5ae34 100644
--- a/src/doc/avrdude.texi
+++ b/src/doc/avrdude.texi
@@ -694,6 +694,10 @@ Posix systems (by now).
 Disable (or quell) output of the progress bar while reading or writing
 to the device.  Specify it a second time for even quieter operation.
 
+@item -s, -u
+These options used to control the obsolete "safemode" feature which
+is no longer present. They are silently ignored for backwards compatibility.
+
 @item -t
 Tells AVRDUDE to enter the interactive ``terminal'' mode instead of up-
 or downloading files.  See below for a detailed description of the
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index baaa0bb5..785f6033 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -511,6 +511,7 @@ int main(int argc, char * argv [])
         terminal = 1;
         break;
 
+      case 's':
       case 'u':
         avrdude_message(MSG_INFO, "%s: \"safemode\" feature no longer supported\n",
                 progname);