diff --git a/mercurial/commands.py b/mercurial/commands.py
--- a/mercurial/commands.py
+++ b/mercurial/commands.py
@@ -6663,7 +6663,7 @@ def shelve(ui, repo, *pats, **opts):
         (b'm', b'modified', None, _(b'show only modified files')),
         (b'a', b'added', None, _(b'show only added files')),
         (b'r', b'removed', None, _(b'show only removed files')),
-        (b'd', b'deleted', None, _(b'show only deleted (but tracked) files')),
+        (b'd', b'deleted', None, _(b'show only missing files')),
         (b'c', b'clean', None, _(b'show only files without changes')),
         (b'u', b'unknown', None, _(b'show only unknown (not tracked) files')),
         (b'i', b'ignored', None, _(b'show only ignored files')),
diff --git a/tests/test-alias.t b/tests/test-alias.t
--- a/tests/test-alias.t
+++ b/tests/test-alias.t
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ help
    -m --modified            show only modified files
    -a --added               show only added files
    -r --removed             show only removed files
-   -d --deleted             show only deleted (but tracked) files
+   -d --deleted             show only missing files
    -c --clean               show only files without changes
    -u --unknown             show only unknown (not tracked) files
    -i --ignored             show only ignored files
diff --git a/tests/test-help.t b/tests/test-help.t
--- a/tests/test-help.t
+++ b/tests/test-help.t
@@ -730,7 +730,7 @@ Test command without options
    -m --modified            show only modified files
    -a --added               show only added files
    -r --removed             show only removed files
-   -d --deleted             show only deleted (but tracked) files
+   -d --deleted             show only missing files
    -c --clean               show only files without changes
    -u --unknown             show only unknown (not tracked) files
    -i --ignored             show only ignored files