diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/contour.py b/lib/matplotlib/contour.py
index acf3fc0c8353..d7590d165726 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/contour.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/contour.py
@@ -1612,8 +1612,9 @@ def _initialize_x_y(self, z):
         levels : int or array-like, optional
             Determines the number and positions of the contour lines / regions.
 
-            If an int *n*, use *n* data intervals; i.e. draw *n+1* contour
-            lines. The level heights are automatically chosen.
+            If an int *n*, use at most *n+2* data intervals;
+            i.e. draw at most *n+1* contour lines.
+            The level heights are automatically chosen.
 
             If array-like, draw contour lines at the specified levels.
             The values must be in increasing order.
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/ticker.py b/lib/matplotlib/ticker.py
index f370a97dc77a..d02f7b59cee6 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/ticker.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/ticker.py
@@ -1991,7 +1991,7 @@ def ge(self, x):
 
 class MaxNLocator(Locator):
     """
-    Select no more than N intervals at nice locations.
+    Select no more than N+1 intervals (i.e. N+2 ticks) at nice locations.
     """
     default_params = dict(nbins=10,
                           steps=None,