diff --git a/doc/cookbook/events.xml b/doc/cookbook/events.xml
index 150c59a3e..44d60ad6b 100644
--- a/doc/cookbook/events.xml
+++ b/doc/cookbook/events.xml
@@ -1274,16 +1274,22 @@ g_object_set (settings,
 
         <itemizedlist>
           <listitem>
-            <para>1 = left mouse button</para>
+            <para>1 = left mouse button in a right-handed configuration,
+            or the right mouse button in a left-handed configuration</para>
           </listitem>
           <listitem>
-            <para>2 = scroll wheel</para>
+            <para>2 = scroll wheel button</para>
           </listitem>
           <listitem>
-            <para>3 = right mouse button</para>
+            <para>3 = right mouse button in a right-handed configuration,
+            or the left mouse button in a left-handed configuration</para>
           </listitem>
         </itemizedlist>
 
+        <note><para>Clutter provides symbolic names for the three buttons
+        above: CLUTTER_BUTTON_PRIMARY, CLUTTER_BUTTON_MIDDLE, and
+        CLUTTER_BUTTON_SECONDARY.</para></note>
+
         <para>For mice with more buttons, or other types of
         input devices, the mappings may not be so
         straightforward: you may have to experiment to see
diff --git a/doc/cookbook/examples/animations-scaling-zoom.c b/doc/cookbook/examples/animations-scaling-zoom.c
index aa051c4bb..79c899ed5 100644
--- a/doc/cookbook/examples/animations-scaling-zoom.c
+++ b/doc/cookbook/examples/animations-scaling-zoom.c
@@ -55,9 +55,9 @@ clicked_cb (ClutterActor *actor,
 
   clutter_actor_get_scale (actor, &scale, NULL);
 
-  if (button == 1)
+  if (button == CLUTTER_BUTTON_PRIMARY)
     scale *= 1.2;
-  else if (button == 3)
+  else if (button == CLUTTER_BUTTON_SECONDARY)
     scale /= 1.2;
 
   /* don't do anything if scale is outside bounds */
diff --git a/doc/reference/clutter/clutter-sections.txt b/doc/reference/clutter/clutter-sections.txt
index c3f450ffa..789f945dd 100644
--- a/doc/reference/clutter/clutter-sections.txt
+++ b/doc/reference/clutter/clutter-sections.txt
@@ -1107,6 +1107,9 @@ clutter_event_put
 clutter_events_pending
 
 <SUBSECTION>
+CLUTTER_BUTTON_PRIMARY
+CLUTTER_BUTTON_MIDDLE
+CLUTTER_BUTTON_SECONDARY
 clutter_event_set_button
 clutter_event_get_button
 clutter_event_get_click_count