diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 97c89a32d..433bbd58a 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -29,9 +29,9 @@ What's new in Sudo 1.9.8
    intercept_authenticate and intercept_allow_setid sudoers settings
    can be used to change this behavior.
 
- * The new "log_children" sudoers setting can be used to log commands
-   run in a privileged shell.  It uses the same mechanism as the
-   intercept support described above and has the same limitations.
+ * The new "log_subcmds" sudoers setting can be used to log additional
+   commands run in a privileged shell.  It uses the same mechanism as
+   the intercept support described above and has the same limitations.
 
  * Support for logging sudo_logsrvd errors via syslog or to a file.
    Previously, most sudo_logsrvd errors were only visible in the
diff --git a/doc/sudoers.man.in b/doc/sudoers.man.in
index a4015f40a..c2f67d8d0 100644
--- a/doc/sudoers.man.in
+++ b/doc/sudoers.man.in
@@ -2758,34 +2758,6 @@ by default.
 .sp
 This setting is only supported by version 1.8.29 or higher.
 .TP 18n
-log_children
-If set,
-\fBsudoers\fR
-will log when a command spawns a child process and executes a program
-using the
-\fBexecv\fR()
-or
-\fBexecve\fR()
-library functions.
-For example, if a shell is run by
-\fBsudo\fR,
-the individual commands run via the shell will be logged.
-This flag is
-\fIoff\fR
-by default.
-.sp
-The
-\fIlog_children\fR
-flag uses the same underlying mechanism as the
-\fIintercept\fR
-and
-\fInoexec\fR
-settings.
-See
-\fIPreventing shell escapes\fR
-for more information on what systems support this option and its limitations.
-This setting is only supported by version 1.9.8 or higher.
-.TP 18n
 log_denied
 If set,
 \fBsudoers\fR
@@ -2882,6 +2854,34 @@ by default.
 .sp
 This setting is only supported by version 1.9.0 or higher.
 .TP 18n
+log_subcmds
+If set,
+\fBsudoers\fR
+will log when a command spawns a child process and executes a program
+using the
+\fBexecv\fR()
+or
+\fBexecve\fR()
+library functions.
+For example, if a shell is run by
+\fBsudo\fR,
+the individual commands run via the shell will be logged.
+This flag is
+\fIoff\fR
+by default.
+.sp
+The
+\fIlog_subcmds\fR
+flag uses the same underlying mechanism as the
+\fIintercept\fR
+and
+\fInoexec\fR
+settings.
+See
+\fIPreventing shell escapes\fR
+for more information on what systems support this option and its limitations.
+This setting is only supported by version 1.9.8 or higher.
+.TP 18n
 log_year
 If set, the four-digit year will be logged in the (non-syslog)
 \fBsudo\fR
@@ -6389,7 +6389,7 @@ flag.
 This will log the command's output but will not create an event log
 entry when the additional command is run.
 The second is to enable the
-\fIlog_children\fR
+\fIlog_subcmds\fR
 flag in
 \fIsudoers\fR
 which will create an event log entry every time a new command is run.
@@ -6399,7 +6399,7 @@ This offset can be passed to the
 sudoreplay(@mansectsu@)
 utility to replay the I/O log at the exact moment when the command was run.
 The
-\fIlog_children\fR
+\fIlog_subcmds\fR
 flag uses the same mechanism as
 \fIintercept\fR
 (see above) and has the same limitations.
diff --git a/doc/sudoers.mdoc.in b/doc/sudoers.mdoc.in
index 0cc11b237..ab1812ad6 100644
--- a/doc/sudoers.mdoc.in
+++ b/doc/sudoers.mdoc.in
@@ -2598,33 +2598,6 @@ This flag is
 by default.
 .Pp
 This setting is only supported by version 1.8.29 or higher.
-.It log_children
-If set,
-.Nm
-will log when a command spawns a child process and executes a program
-using the
-.Fn execv
-or
-.Fn execve
-library functions.
-For example, if a shell is run by
-.Nm sudo ,
-the individual commands run via the shell will be logged.
-This flag is
-.Em off
-by default.
-.Pp
-The
-.Em log_children
-flag uses the same underlying mechanism as the
-.Em intercept
-and
-.Em noexec
-settings.
-See
-.Sx Preventing shell escapes
-for more information on what systems support this option and its limitations.
-This setting is only supported by version 1.9.8 or higher.
 .It log_denied
 If set,
 .Nm
@@ -2713,6 +2686,33 @@ This flag is
 by default.
 .Pp
 This setting is only supported by version 1.9.0 or higher.
+.It log_subcmds
+If set,
+.Nm
+will log when a command spawns a child process and executes a program
+using the
+.Fn execv
+or
+.Fn execve
+library functions.
+For example, if a shell is run by
+.Nm sudo ,
+the individual commands run via the shell will be logged.
+This flag is
+.Em off
+by default.
+.Pp
+The
+.Em log_subcmds
+flag uses the same underlying mechanism as the
+.Em intercept
+and
+.Em noexec
+settings.
+See
+.Sx Preventing shell escapes
+for more information on what systems support this option and its limitations.
+This setting is only supported by version 1.9.8 or higher.
 .It log_year
 If set, the four-digit year will be logged in the (non-syslog)
 .Nm sudo
@@ -5904,7 +5904,7 @@ flag.
 This will log the command's output but will not create an event log
 entry when the additional command is run.
 The second is to enable the
-.Em log_children
+.Em log_subcmds
 flag in
 .Em sudoers
 which will create an event log entry every time a new command is run.
@@ -5914,7 +5914,7 @@ This offset can be passed to the
 .Xr sudoreplay @mansectsu@
 utility to replay the I/O log at the exact moment when the command was run.
 The
-.Em log_children
+.Em log_subcmds
 flag uses the same mechanism as
 .Em intercept
 (see above) and has the same limitations.
diff --git a/plugins/sudoers/def_data.c b/plugins/sudoers/def_data.c
index 50b1d55a1..17495aa2c 100644
--- a/plugins/sudoers/def_data.c
+++ b/plugins/sudoers/def_data.c
@@ -582,8 +582,8 @@ struct sudo_defs_types sudo_defs_table[] = {
 	N_("Intercept further commands and apply sudoers restrictions to them"),
 	NULL,
     }, {
-	"log_children", T_FLAG,
-	N_("Log any child processes run by the command"),
+	"log_subcmds", T_FLAG,
+	N_("Log sub-commands run by the original command"),
 	NULL,
     }, {
 	"log_exit_status", T_FLAG,
diff --git a/plugins/sudoers/def_data.h b/plugins/sudoers/def_data.h
index dfdce1e93..e7983ceb6 100644
--- a/plugins/sudoers/def_data.h
+++ b/plugins/sudoers/def_data.h
@@ -268,8 +268,8 @@
 #define def_admin_flag          (sudo_defs_table[I_ADMIN_FLAG].sd_un.str)
 #define I_INTERCEPT             133
 #define def_intercept           (sudo_defs_table[I_INTERCEPT].sd_un.flag)
-#define I_LOG_CHILDREN          134
-#define def_log_children        (sudo_defs_table[I_LOG_CHILDREN].sd_un.flag)
+#define I_LOG_SUBCMDS           134
+#define def_log_subcmds         (sudo_defs_table[I_LOG_SUBCMDS].sd_un.flag)
 #define I_LOG_EXIT_STATUS       135
 #define def_log_exit_status     (sudo_defs_table[I_LOG_EXIT_STATUS].sd_un.flag)
 #define I_INTERCEPT_AUTHENTICATE 136
diff --git a/plugins/sudoers/def_data.in b/plugins/sudoers/def_data.in
index 8872714cb..18272e995 100644
--- a/plugins/sudoers/def_data.in
+++ b/plugins/sudoers/def_data.in
@@ -418,9 +418,9 @@ admin_flag
 intercept
 	T_FLAG
 	"Intercept further commands and apply sudoers restrictions to them"
-log_children
+log_subcmds
 	T_FLAG
-	"Log any child processes run by the command"
+	"Log sub-commands run by the original command"
 log_exit_status
 	T_FLAG
 	"Log the exit status of commands"
diff --git a/plugins/sudoers/policy.c b/plugins/sudoers/policy.c
index b62c05adb..eb1ce43b7 100644
--- a/plugins/sudoers/policy.c
+++ b/plugins/sudoers/policy.c
@@ -633,8 +633,8 @@ sudoers_policy_store_result(bool accepted, char *argv[], char *envp[],
 	if (command_info[info_len++] == NULL)
 	    goto oom;
     }
-    if (def_log_children) {
-	if ((command_info[info_len++] = strdup("log_children=true")) == NULL)
+    if (def_log_subcmds) {
+	if ((command_info[info_len++] = strdup("log_subcmds=true")) == NULL)
 	    goto oom;
     }
     if (def_log_input || def_log_output) {
diff --git a/src/exec.c b/src/exec.c
index 0904c0dee..ca14c9dd8 100644
--- a/src/exec.c
+++ b/src/exec.c
@@ -319,7 +319,7 @@ sudo_needs_pty(struct command_details *details)
 {
     struct plugin_container *plugin;
 
-    if (ISSET(details->flags, CD_USE_PTY|CD_INTERCEPT|CD_LOG_CHILDREN))
+    if (ISSET(details->flags, CD_USE_PTY|CD_INTERCEPT|CD_LOG_SUBCMDS))
 	return true;
 
     TAILQ_FOREACH(plugin, &io_plugins, entries) {
diff --git a/src/exec_common.c b/src/exec_common.c
index 5cda162d4..5ce27c68b 100644
--- a/src/exec_common.c
+++ b/src/exec_common.c
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ sudo_execve(int fd, const char *path, char *const argv[], char *envp[],
     /* Modify the environment as needed to trap execve(). */
     if (ISSET(flags, CD_NOEXEC))
 	envp = disable_execute(envp, sudo_conf_noexec_path());
-    else if (ISSET(flags, CD_INTERCEPT|CD_LOG_CHILDREN))
+    else if (ISSET(flags, CD_INTERCEPT|CD_LOG_SUBCMDS))
 	envp = enable_intercept(envp, sudo_conf_intercept_path(), intercept_fd);
 
 #ifdef HAVE_FEXECVE
diff --git a/src/exec_nopty.c b/src/exec_nopty.c
index 8f2f7a297..0bfb2fe68 100644
--- a/src/exec_nopty.c
+++ b/src/exec_nopty.c
@@ -369,7 +369,7 @@ exec_nopty(struct command_details *details, struct command_status *cstat)
      * Allocate a socketpair for communicating with sudo_intercept.so.
      * This must be inherited across exec, hence no FD_CLOEXEC.
      */
-    if (ISSET(details->flags, CD_INTERCEPT|CD_LOG_CHILDREN)) {
+    if (ISSET(details->flags, CD_INTERCEPT|CD_LOG_SUBCMDS)) {
 	if (socketpair(PF_UNIX, SOCK_STREAM, 0, intercept_sv) == -1)
 	    sudo_fatal("%s", U_("unable to create sockets"));
     }
diff --git a/src/exec_pty.c b/src/exec_pty.c
index 4b1f7079d..e864d3672 100644
--- a/src/exec_pty.c
+++ b/src/exec_pty.c
@@ -1391,7 +1391,7 @@ exec_pty(struct command_details *details, struct command_status *cstat)
      * Allocate a socketpair for communicating with sudo_intercept.so.
      * This must be inherited across exec, hence no FD_CLOEXEC.
      */
-    if (ISSET(details->flags, CD_INTERCEPT|CD_LOG_CHILDREN)) {
+    if (ISSET(details->flags, CD_INTERCEPT|CD_LOG_SUBCMDS)) {
 	if (socketpair(PF_UNIX, SOCK_STREAM, 0, intercept_sv) == -1)
 	    sudo_fatal("%s", U_("unable to create sockets"));
     }
diff --git a/src/sudo.c b/src/sudo.c
index e24afd50d..92fe3f3eb 100644
--- a/src/sudo.c
+++ b/src/sudo.c
@@ -730,7 +730,7 @@ command_info_to_details(char * const info[], struct command_details *details)
 		break;
 	    case 'l':
 		SET_STRING("login_class=", login_class)
-		SET_FLAG("log_children=", CD_LOG_CHILDREN)
+		SET_FLAG("log_subcmds=", CD_LOG_SUBCMDS)
 		break;
 	    case 'n':
 		if (strncmp("nice=", info[i], sizeof("nice=") - 1) == 0) {
diff --git a/src/sudo.h b/src/sudo.h
index 3052ea344..a7894a409 100644
--- a/src/sudo.h
+++ b/src/sudo.h
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ struct user_details {
 #define CD_SET_GROUPS		0x040000
 #define CD_LOGIN_SHELL		0x080000
 #define CD_OVERRIDE_UMASK	0x100000
-#define CD_LOG_CHILDREN		0x200000
+#define CD_LOG_SUBCMDS		0x200000
 
 struct preserved_fd {
     TAILQ_ENTRY(preserved_fd) entries;