diff --git a/completions.go b/completions.go
index 5788674f..ad7b6d0a 100644
--- a/completions.go
+++ b/completions.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"regexp"
+	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
 
@@ -212,7 +213,12 @@ func (c *Command) initCompleteCmd(args []string) {
 				// 2- Even without completions, we need to print the directive
 			}
 
-			noDescriptions := cmd.CalledAs() == ShellCompNoDescRequestCmd || getEnvConfig(cmd, configEnvVarSuffixDescriptions) == configEnvVarDescriptionsOff
+			noDescriptions := cmd.CalledAs() == ShellCompNoDescRequestCmd
+			if !noDescriptions {
+				if doDescriptions, err := strconv.ParseBool(getEnvConfig(cmd, configEnvVarSuffixDescriptions)); err == nil {
+					noDescriptions = !doDescriptions
+				}
+			}
 			noActiveHelp := GetActiveHelpConfig(finalCmd) == activeHelpGlobalDisable
 			out := finalCmd.OutOrStdout()
 			for _, comp := range completions {
@@ -905,7 +911,6 @@ func CompErrorln(msg string) {
 const (
 	configEnvVarGlobalPrefix       = "COBRA"
 	configEnvVarSuffixDescriptions = "COMPLETION_DESCRIPTIONS"
-	configEnvVarDescriptionsOff    = "off"
 )
 
 var configEnvVarPrefixSubstRegexp = regexp.MustCompile(`[^A-Z0-9_]`)
diff --git a/site/content/completions/_index.md b/site/content/completions/_index.md
index b2b8017c..02257ade 100644
--- a/site/content/completions/_index.md
+++ b/site/content/completions/_index.md
@@ -394,7 +394,7 @@ $ helm completion [tab][tab]
 bash        fish        powershell  zsh
 ```
 
-Setting the `<PROGRAM>_COMPLETION_DESCRIPTIONS` environment variable (falling back to `COBRA_COMPLETION_DESCRIPTIONS` if empty or not set) to `off` achieves the same. `<PROGRAM>` is the name of your program with all non-ASCII-alphanumeric characters replaced by `_`.
+Setting the `<PROGRAM>_COMPLETION_DESCRIPTIONS` environment variable (falling back to `COBRA_COMPLETION_DESCRIPTIONS` if empty or not set) to a [falsey value](https://pkg.go.dev/strconv#ParseBool) achieves the same. `<PROGRAM>` is the name of your program with all non-ASCII-alphanumeric characters replaced by `_`.
 
 ## Bash completions