diff --git a/etc/NEWS b/etc/NEWS
index fd0d3ece5eb..93e2d0ebc65 100644
--- a/etc/NEWS
+++ b/etc/NEWS
@@ -733,6 +733,13 @@ the 'mutool' program after their initial conversion to PDF format.  The
 name of the 'djvused' program can be customized by changing the user
 option 'doc-view-djvused-program'.
 
+** Ispell
+
+---
+*** The default value of 'ispell-help-timeout' has changed.
+The default value is now 30 seconds, as the old value was too short to
+allow reading the help text.
+
 ** Flyspell
 
 ---
diff --git a/lisp/textmodes/ispell.el b/lisp/textmodes/ispell.el
index fbd1746b96e..f53732098ea 100644
--- a/lisp/textmodes/ispell.el
+++ b/lisp/textmodes/ispell.el
@@ -405,7 +405,7 @@ re-start Emacs."
 (defcustom ispell-help-timeout 30
   "The number of seconds to display the help text."
   :type 'number
-  :version "28.1")
+  :version "31.1")
 
 (defvar ispell-dictionary-base-alist
   '((nil                                ; default