diff --git a/Doc/library/pipes.rst b/Doc/library/pipes.rst
index 4de8c51bcae049..a57f40891180ae 100644
--- a/Doc/library/pipes.rst
+++ b/Doc/library/pipes.rst
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ Template objects following methods:
    arguments.
 
 
-.. method:: Template.open(file, mode)
+.. method:: Template.open(file, rw)
 
    Return a file-like object, open to *file*, but read from or written to by the
    pipeline.  Note that only one of ``'r'``, ``'w'`` may be given.
diff --git a/Lib/pipes.py b/Lib/pipes.py
index 61d63b48d3e4c5..e4065bb803b81c 100644
--- a/Lib/pipes.py
+++ b/Lib/pipes.py
@@ -48,8 +48,8 @@
 exit status of the conversion pipeline.
 
 To open a file for reading or writing through a conversion pipeline:
-   fp = t.open(file, mode)
-where mode is 'r' to read the file, or 'w' to write it -- just like
+   fp = t.open(file, rw)
+where rw is 'r' to read the file, or 'w' to write it -- just like
 for the built-in function open() or for os.popen().
 
 To create a new template object initialized to a given one: