diff --git a/Documentation/config.txt b/Documentation/config.txt
index c5e183516a..c995a1a47b 100644
--- a/Documentation/config.txt
+++ b/Documentation/config.txt
@@ -1591,7 +1591,8 @@ push.default::
 * `matching` - push all matching branches.
   All branches having the same name in both ends are considered to be
   matching. This is the default.
-* `tracking` - push the current branch to its upstream branch.
+* `upstream` - push the current branch to its upstream branch.
+* `tracking` - deprecated synonym for `upstream`.
 * `current` - push the current branch to a branch of the same name.
 
 rebase.stat::
diff --git a/builtin/push.c b/builtin/push.c
index e655eb7695..31da418cf4 100644
--- a/builtin/push.c
+++ b/builtin/push.c
@@ -64,17 +64,17 @@ static void set_refspecs(const char **refs, int nr)
 	}
 }
 
-static void setup_push_tracking(void)
+static void setup_push_upstream(void)
 {
 	struct strbuf refspec = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct branch *branch = branch_get(NULL);
 	if (!branch)
 		die("You are not currently on a branch.");
 	if (!branch->merge_nr || !branch->merge)
-		die("The current branch %s is not tracking anything.",
+		die("The current branch %s has no upstream branch.",
 		    branch->name);
 	if (branch->merge_nr != 1)
-		die("The current branch %s is tracking multiple branches, "
+		die("The current branch %s has multiple upstream branches, "
 		    "refusing to push.", branch->name);
 	strbuf_addf(&refspec, "%s:%s", branch->name, branch->merge[0]->src);
 	add_refspec(refspec.buf);
@@ -88,8 +88,8 @@ static void setup_default_push_refspecs(void)
 		add_refspec(":");
 		break;
 
-	case PUSH_DEFAULT_TRACKING:
-		setup_push_tracking();
+	case PUSH_DEFAULT_UPSTREAM:
+		setup_push_upstream();
 		break;
 
 	case PUSH_DEFAULT_CURRENT:
diff --git a/cache.h b/cache.h
index d83d68c859..7acf120126 100644
--- a/cache.h
+++ b/cache.h
@@ -608,7 +608,7 @@ enum rebase_setup_type {
 enum push_default_type {
 	PUSH_DEFAULT_NOTHING = 0,
 	PUSH_DEFAULT_MATCHING,
-	PUSH_DEFAULT_TRACKING,
+	PUSH_DEFAULT_UPSTREAM,
 	PUSH_DEFAULT_CURRENT
 };
 
diff --git a/config.c b/config.c
index 625e051876..9184900fb4 100644
--- a/config.c
+++ b/config.c
@@ -737,8 +737,10 @@ static int git_default_push_config(const char *var, const char *value)
 			push_default = PUSH_DEFAULT_NOTHING;
 		else if (!strcmp(value, "matching"))
 			push_default = PUSH_DEFAULT_MATCHING;
-		else if (!strcmp(value, "tracking"))
-			push_default = PUSH_DEFAULT_TRACKING;
+		else if (!strcmp(value, "upstream"))
+			push_default = PUSH_DEFAULT_UPSTREAM;
+		else if (!strcmp(value, "tracking")) /* deprecated */
+			push_default = PUSH_DEFAULT_UPSTREAM;
 		else if (!strcmp(value, "current"))
 			push_default = PUSH_DEFAULT_CURRENT;
 		else {