1 files changed, 3 insertions, 6 deletions

diff --git a/lisp/textmodes/outline.el b/lisp/textmodes/outline.el
index 823f92e4065..23d5c1520aa 100644
--- a/lisp/textmodes/outline.el
+++ b/lisp/textmodes/outline.el
@@ -40,19 +40,16 @@
   :prefix "outline-"
   :group 'editing)
 
-(defcustom outline-regexp nil
+(defcustom outline-regexp "[*\^L]+"
   "*Regular expression to match the beginning of a heading.
 Any line whose beginning matches this regexp is considered to start a heading.
+Note that Outline mode only checks this regexp at the start of a line,
+so the regexp need not (and usually does not) start with `^'.
 The recommended way to set this is with a Local Variables: list
 in the file it applies to.  See also `outline-heading-end-regexp'."
   :type '(choice regexp (const nil))
   :group 'outlines)
 
-;; Can't initialize this in the defvar above -- some major modes have
-;; already assigned a local value to it.
-(or (default-value 'outline-regexp)
-    (setq-default outline-regexp "[*\^L]+"))
-
 (defcustom outline-heading-end-regexp "\n"
   "*Regular expression to match the end of a heading line.
 You can assume that point is at the beginning of a heading when this